Shifting from high school to college comes with a lot of changes: the change in pace of my day-to-day life, the change of people around me, and the change of having so many of my old friends scattered all over the place. One of my friends, Nadya (yes, we kind of share the same name), moved to Kuala Lumpur to further her studies and because I was in town, I saw this as an opportunity for us to catch up over a cup of coffee.
And so we made plans to meet up at a brand new café in Petaling Jaya. At a glance, you’d probably miss it, and that’s because the café is located within a restaurant of a different name. Look for Brats, a specialty hot dog restaurant, and there you’ll see a sign that reads One Half. That’s the place. Inside, was what I believed to be an Instagrammer’s paradise: a crisp, contemporary space, with a minimalist approach to design, clean lines, and plenty of sunlight to brighten up the room and your day.
To the back of the shop was a tree was the subject of many photos that I had seen online, and lo and behold, the numerous people drinking and dinning with a camera handy by their plate. Taking a seat, Nadia and Nadya got to work catching up, but not before taking a cue from all the other photo-hunters within the vicinity and snapping pictures of every corner of the photogenic café.
Talking to Adly, I got a chance to better understand the concept behind One Half. Adly mentioned that at One Half, they strived to provide great coffee at great prices. The coffee they served was of the best quality from the coveted Artisan Roastery (Three Little Birds) that I had stopped by prior to visiting One Half. To keep things fun and vibrant, they switched and played around with their coffee every now and then. Other than having great coffee, it certainly didn’t hurt to have Malaysia’s barista champion, Keith Koay in the house.
Despite having just opened as recently as August 1st, don’t expect One Half to linger in PJ for too long. As previously stated, One Half is housed within Brats, and that’s because the coffee shop is actually a pop-up café. One Half’s permanent home will be in Damansara and will open in December. There, they’ll have a completely different concept to the pop-up shop they operate now, so if you want to snap a couple Kinfolk-esque pictures, you better do it quickly.
Of course, this means One Half will eventually leave behind the beautiful simple aesthetic that it has now, though I wouldn’t fret. Considering the establishment’s attention to quality, no matter what concept they choose to make permanent in their new home, I’m certain they won’t disappoint. Also, there’s an appeal in capturing something that won’t be there forever, don’t you think? In the meantime, I’d suggest you grab your cameras and head on over for a hot dog and a cuppa before this café moves away.
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Special thanks to Adly for the hospitality and kindness; I wish One Half the best of luck in Damansara.
Also, shout out to my friend Nadya!
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