Nikko & Yoryo in Bukit Bintang, KL
The slew of cafes sprawled across the bustling KL is more than we can keep up with. As much as we love exploring new ones, it isn’t every day that we’re able to idle our time away at a cafe. So when we do plan to drop by one, it better be worth our time.
For the new Japanese-inspired cafe Nikko & Yoryo, it was its vivid orange walls by its entrance standing out against the string of whitewashed cafes along Jalan Sin Chew Kee in Bukit Bintang that grabbed our attention.
Intrigued – and also keen to have some striking OOTD shots against the wall to jazz up our IG feeds – we decided to drop by the cafe to bring you this review.
Japanese-style cafe with a famous chocolate dessert
The gorgeous glaring orange storefront of the newly-opened Nikko & Yoryo cafe will make anyone passing by stop right in their tracks.
The said wall.
Against the monotony of the chic, white shopfronts of Jalan Sin Chew Kee in Bukit Bintang, the vibrant orange wall that stretches across the entrance of the cafe welcomes patrons like a burst of sunlight.
Your photoshoot does not have to end at the orange entrance.
Head on inside and you’ll stumble into a mini garden adorned with greenery galore, and splashes of orange from “benches” creatively bent and shaped in letters to spell out the name of the cafe.
Inside, the cafe is spacious, simple, and comforting. With its lightwood accents for a rustic touch and tall potted plants to liven up the space, the cafe stays true to its Japanese theme – loyally yet innovatively.
While we do wish we would’ve felt as welcomed by the staff on duty as much as the cafe has been designed to make patrons feel, we did not let that dampen our excitement to try their food, especially their famous Buvette mousse.
Here’s our verdict
Their Buvette Chocolate Mousse (RM27) was served first – this dish already has its very own fan following, receiving many rave reviews online. It resembles somewhat of a dry cookie lump, with a cloud of soft cream blanketing it.
But don’t be fooled by the visuals. Our spoon sunk smoothly into the dessert, revealing a consistency of an airier cheesecake or an oozier pudding. One taste of the mousse, and we perked right back up from the service that we had received.
The decadent delight screamed “quality” – the chocolate was intense and full-bodied. But it didn’t feel too cloying, due to the lightness in the texture of the mousse, as well as the silky cap of soft cream, which both helped offset its richer flavour.
Moreish in all its whippy glory, the mousse was rapidly scarfed and almost gone before our main dish arrived.
If chocolate isn’t your thing, they also have the Buvette Matcha Mousse (RM27), which was sadly unavailable when we were there.
We figured that nothing else could top such a solid guilty pleasure, but the Tori Bowl (RM28) was sufficiently good for a meal.
The dish came served with a crown of fried chicken chunks that tasted oddly like tandoori chicken – not that we’re complaining, as each piece was substantial with the right balance of juicy meat and sinfully crispy batter.
Underneath the proteins was a silky omelette that was cloaked with a mound of white rice, and drenched with not-so-spicy Japanese curry. Simply put, the dish wasn’t divine, but it wasn’t a let down.
For refreshments, we ordered the Cha Cha Yuzu (RM17) and Sparkling Yuzu (RM15), which did not stand out much on their own, but was a revivifying change when paired with the rich desserts and deep-fried chicken.
While the Sparkling Yuzu could do with more tang and less fizz, the Cha Cha one nailed the matcha-yuzu pairing wonderfully, with citrusy yuzu elevating the dimensions of a simple, earthy matcha drink.
A wholly Japanese affair at Nikko & Yoryo in KL
If you’re on a mission to indulge in a truly sinful dessert, we daresay that Nikko & Yoryo has possibly one of the best chocolatey guilty pleasures you can get your hands on in the area. So, drop by this cafe for a nice Japanese brunch and to fill your camera roll with bursts of their signature orange.
Address: 6, Jalan Sin Chew Kee, Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur
Opening hours: Sun-Thu 10am-6.30pm | Fri & Sat 10am-10pm
Contact: 019-774 9817 | Nikko & Yoryo’s Instagram
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Photography by Jia-Ju.
Cover image adapted from: The Smart Local Malaysia