If we lived in the Tropicana neighbourhood, this new venue could be our next second home - Ingrained by Ironwoods & Cellar Eighteen herald a collaborative effort that currently promises everything from Australian-roasted coffee to Argentine wine, croissants & bagels by one of KL's best-loved bakeries to salmon & caviar by an award-winning Scottish smokehouse, in a one-stop setting where customers can comfortably shop, eat & drink, enjoying a thoughtfully curated collection of temptations. It's a marriage of gourmet food with exceptional drinks - pair your smoked salmon with Islay whisky or a Chablis, or pick up a bottle of Bordeaux wine or Champagne to go with chocolate truffles.
Ingrained is the restaurant-deli component, hidden inside Cellar 18; order the bagels, sourced from Bukit Tunku's Kenny Hills Bakers & stuffed with a choice of traditionally smoked mackerel or salmon that Ironwoods' founders have exclusively brought into Malaysia from western Scotland's Inverawe smokery, well-assembled for a satisfactory lunch. The kitchen will fire up a fuller range in the weeks to come, with canapes, cold cuts & cooked meat in the works, relying firmly on the philosophy of top-flight produce.
Coffee beans come from Perth's Blacklist roasters; the blend is a pleasantly lighter roast than what most cafes in the Klang Valley offer. If Ingrained's head barista Nathaneal isn't too busy, ask for your latte to be served in a wine glass for a memorably eye-catching effect, complete with the requisite rosetta art, ultimately tasting as agreeable as a cuppa should.
The Ingrained experience extends to retail therapy - we managed to savour a sampling of excellent seafood, lovely smoked cheddar & brie, intriguing truffle-flavoured vegetarian caviar (basically pearls made with seaweed extract), handmade shortbread biscuits blended with Famous Grouse Scotch Whisky, & drop-dead delicious chocolate truffles tinged with butterscotch & sea salt by British brand Monty Bojangles. And if your larder at home needs a restock, check out Ingrained's range of extra virgin olive oil from the Greek island of Kefalonia, black saffron from Iran's Khorasan province, & so much more.
Sharing a roof with Ingrained, Cellar Eighteen is a hub for wine from across the world, rare whiskies, craft beers & all sorts of artisanal spirits, spearheaded by TWE Fine Wines. We enjoyed browsing the vintages, & the venue's friendly team proved perceptively insightful in helping us choose our bottle - resident sommelier Sebastian is also available to assist with recommending something for every occasion. Prices are very encouraging; sip your drink here (this two-level outlet includes dining spaces upstairs) or bring it back home.
Ingrained by Ironwoods @ Cellar Eighteen
P-G-12, Tropicana Avenue, No.12, Jalan Persiaran Tropicana, Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Sunday-Friday, 9am-10pm; Saturday, 9am-12am. Tel: 017-671-5525
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