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When I think of The Campus Ampang, only a certain kind of eatery usually comes to mind. Indie cafes, fast food joints, matcha spots, and maybe a bakery. I often find myself wishing for something more local and comforting, something that actually fills you up. Thankfully, the fairly new Tai Tai Cafe steps in just when you need it.
The moment you walk into the repurposed campus grounds, Tai Tai Cafe appears almost immediately on your left. Its vibe is sort of like a familiar neighbourhood nook serving a laid-back mix of kopitiam favourites with a little Western and Italian influence.
You can stay indoors with the air-conditioning or settle outside for that breezy lunch vibe. The space is bright and relaxed, perfect for quick bites or long catchups with your mates.
What I tried at Tai Tai Cafe
The set menus are a great way to stretch your ringgit, though some dishes differ from their à la carte versions.
Case in point — my first dish of the day: Laksa Lemak (RM35). The individual bowl arrived with both tiger prawns and boneless chicken, while the set version offers only the poultry.
The bowl came brimming with a thick yellow broth and packed to the edges with laksa panjang, tau fu pok, and bean sprouts. The broth leaned rich and full, almost reminding me of gulai more than a typical laksa lemak. Every spoonful was delicious and deeply hearty. I had not enjoyed a good laksa in quite a while, so this felt like a well-timed treat.
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A generous serving of sambal accompanied the dish. They sell these sambals in jars too, which brings us to a quick commercial break (not sponsored!). Apart from the classic red sambal or Sambal Tomato, they also offer Sambal Hitam and Sambal Hijau. Each jar goes for RM25.
My favourites were easily the Sambal Tomato and Sambal Hijau. Both carried a gentle heat, were well seasoned, and had a lovely coarse texture with a hint of tang. The Sambal Hitam leaned too sour for my liking, though my colleague happily polished it off.
Our next dish felt like the Hulk of the table. The Campus Chicken Rice priced at RM38 lived up to its reputation even before we took a bite. Tai Tai Cafe had warned us about the portion size and they were absolutely right.
I was instantly delighted by the generous scoops of ginger scallion and chilli chutney on the side. I mixed them into my rice without a second thought. The fragrant grains paired with the savoury ginger and chilli created something dangerously addictive.
Then came the fried turmeric chicken, the Godzilla of the plate. Crispy, tender, and punchy with flavour. It can be a touch salty on its own, but the crisp bean sprouts balanced everything out. They felt essential rather than decorative.
Once you get past the mains, the desserts do not shy away either. You will be spoiled for choice. Our first (yes, first) sweet treat was the Pulut Hitam Affogato (RM16).
It was a simple pairing of black glutinous rice and vanilla ice cream. Light, not overly sweet, and comforting reminiscent of warm bubur kacang. If pulut hitam is not your personal obsession though, it may feel a little understated.
Their Deep-Fried Pulut Tai Tai (RM12) was far more intriguing. Three pieces of lightly battered glutinous rice fried to a crisp and served with santan and artisan kaya, topped with pomegranate seeds.
The crust cracked open to reveal soft, chewy pulut beneath, dressed in mildly salty santan and sweet kaya with bright bursts of pomegranate. A little crunchy, a little creamy, a little tangy. Can anything seriously get better than this? That was a lovely finish to the meal.
Final thoughts
Tai Tai Cafe is a reliable pick at The Campus Ampang when you want something substantial and familiar. It works for solo lunches, casual meetups, and even a quiet hour with your laptop. Drop by the next time you are in the area!
Expected damage: RM26 — RM42 per pax
