Randy’s Laundromat in Ara Damansara
Laundromats are often as mundane as the chore of getting laundry done. Rows of unexciting washers and dryers, and durable but uninviting benches for patrons to wait for wash cycles to finish, are the norm across Klang Valley.
In Ara Damansara, an alternative awaits anyone looking to wash and dry their belongings and sink their teeth into a ciabatta sandwich. That’s Randy’s Laundromat, a laundromat with a lounge area and a kitchen that serves hot food for those adulting and hungry.
What is Randy’s Laundromat?
Randy’s Laundromat isn’t your run-of-the-mill place to get laundry done. It’s both a tastefully decorated cafe and a laundromat, combining two polar-opposite things we usually do on the weekends: washing clothes and indulging in cafe food.
Located along a row of shoplots in Ara Damansara, the laundromat-cafe serves up light bites such as ciabatta sandwiches and tonic beverages for those who would usually be twiddling their thumbs between laundry cycles.
Patrons can enjoy lo-fi music, sit back on lounge chairs, order sandwiches, and do their laundry. There’s also an arcade machine equipped with games like Tekken and Street Fighter.
Getting your laundry done
Laundry day isn’t exactly at the top of anyone’s to-do list, but Randy’s Laundromat will help make the chore feel less boring. Not just for a backdrop or part of some novel theme, the washers and dryers here actually run on tokens for those who don’t have the necessary appliance at home.
The washers, which hold up to 14kg, run on cold wash (20°C) for RM8 per cycle, while warm wash (45°C) and hot wash (65°C) will cost you RM10. The dryer, with a max load of 16kg, is reasonably priced too, at RM10 for 30 minutes and RM2 for every extra 10 minutes.
Detergents and softeners are included in the washing cycle, so you can leave those bulky laundry bottles at home. Unlike most laundromats, there are ironing stations equipped with a clothing iron, lint roller, and wrinkle remover sprays here for patrons to use.
What to order at Randy’s Laundromat
The food is no side character at Randy’s Laundromat. The cafe’s menu is limited to ciabatta sandwiches, but there are some stellar options, including Randy’s BLT (RM22) and Fungi Business (RM20).
The BLT sandwich stacks tender chicken, crisp lettuce, juicy tomato, cheddar cheese, and a slather of garlic aioli. While smoked beef is usually part of the sandwich, the cafe keeps things interesting by rotating between chicken and beef as the star protein on a weekly basis.
As for the Fungi Business, the sandwich held a hefty paste of herby mushroom duxelle and caramelised onions that were held together with a generous melt of cheddar cheese.
Besides the typical lineup of cafe drinks, Randy’s Laundromat has a repertoire of interesting tonic beverages such as Mr. Miyagi (RM15), which blends matcha with cultured milk and jujube puree, resulting in a taste that’s reminiscent of combining green tea with Yakult.
There’s also the Sunrise Spritz (RM14). Rich espresso coffee, zesty yuzu, and punchy ginger ale are combined, resulting in a refreshing drink that’ll drive off the morning drowsiness.
Laundry day made fun at Randy’s Laundromat in Ara Damansara
While the thought of chores usually comes with tired sighs, Randy’s Laundromat makes doing laundry a little less mundane. It makes for a good excuse to visit them when it’s time for your next laundry cycle.
Cover image adapted from: TheSmartLocal Malaysia
Photography by Brooklyn.