Hidden café off Old Klang Road offers stellar espressos made by the friendliest barista trainers in town

• Published date: 02 February 2023
• Publication title: Malay Mail Online

It's a concerto of flavours and textures: refreshing and tangy, bubbly and caffeinated. The slice of dehydrated citrus perks up my glass of espresso draught, transforming it from mere coffee or nitro brew to something... different.

Something or some place different is as good a description as any to describe a visit to the Barista Guild Asia Café.

Located off Old Klang Road, within the green enclave of little-known Jalan Jugra, this is the very definition of a hidden gem.

Blink and you'd miss the tree-sheltered entrance to Barista Guild Asia. Enter, and be welcomed by a gravel-paved walkway and mature shrubbery.

Inside a couple of separate buildings - one part of a single storey-house, the other a glass-walled workshop - there is coffee brewing equipment galore.

The idea here seems to be: Escape from the city with lush greenery and plenty of coffee.

Blink and you'd miss the tree-sheltered entrance to Barista Guild Asia.

Blink and you'd miss the tree-sheltered entrance to Barista Guild Asia.

What is more astonishing is that the serene and soothing café is but a by-product; Barista Guild Asia is first and foremost a barista and coffee training academy.

Courses at Barista Guild Asia are designed for a wide variety of students - from curious coffee consumers to coffee professionals and café owners.

These programmes, ranging from Basic Latte Art and Cupping Protocols to Brewing Science and Corporate Training, offer something for everyone, from beginners to entrepreneurs looking to grow their business.

Barista Guild Asia was founded by Daniel Liew and David Leong, both Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) trainers.

Escape from the city with lush greenery and plenty of coffee.

Escape from the city with lush greenery and plenty of coffee.

Liew - also the Academic Director and a Licensed Q-Arabica Grader - is a beaming presence whenever he's around; affable in the way most accomplished trainers are, yet still passionate about sharing his years of coffee knowledge.

Liew has assembled a cracking team at Barista Guild Asia: café owner Muhammad Zakir, roaster Choo Wei Pin, administrative maestro Chua Yi Lin and outlet manager Koh Wei Yang.

If these roles seem rather clear-cut, the distinction might be necessary because here at Barista Guild Asia, everyone is a trainer and barista. Which makes it extra special, knowing every cup that you enjoy at the café is made by a barista-trainer.

Which means more than flawless technique but also a sound knowledge of the beans and various beverages...