Classy on the outside, the rustic backyard of this café is a sight to behold – cosy and cool thanks to the profusion of trees that provide much needed shade from the sun.
Lights strung from the trees’ branches lend a romantic touch to this nature-themed space. In fact, countless proposals were made here, with all of them receiving an enthusiastic ‘yes’!
Speaking to FMT, café owner Oon Khai Chee said the idea of opening a café came about in 2017 as both she and her husband are coffee lovers.
“We love travelling, and every time we visit a new country, one of the first things we do is try their coffee,” she smiled.
Oon said the coffee scene back then had a more industrial feel. But she wanted to create a space that was comfortable and felt like home.
That was also why she installed shelves in the café stocked with books, many of which her young kids have pored over.
“Our customers can also take and exchange the books they want from the shelves, making it sort of a community library,” she added.
In fact, Oon said the name of the café ‘Bukku’ was derived from the couple’s “take one give one book” programme, which they called ‘buku’ to give it ‘a nice Malaysian touch’.
During the visit, FMT sampled some of the dishes from the cafe’s extensive menu.
Cheese fondue is quite a rare offering in the local café scene. And over here, they pulled out all the stops.
The platter consisted of gourmet sausages, meatballs, mini croissants, tortilla chips, vegetables and fruits that one dips into the gooey, savoury cheese bowl in the centre.
If you have a weakness for mushrooms, you’ll absolutely love the stuffed portobello mushrooms here.
Served whole and stuffed with your choice of chicken or vegetarian patties, it is topped with melted mozzarella, making it either a perfect side dish or a light meal on its own.
The Roasted Emperor Herbal Chicken is yet another hearty meal perfect for lunch.
Seasoned with a variety of Chinese herbs, these scrumptious bite-sized pieces of chicken are complemented with a mound of rice topped with an egg done sunny side up, a serving of fresh greens, and a bowl of soup. The ideal all-rounder meal.
In the mood for a teatime snack? The salted egg yolk croissant is just the thing then. Flaky and buttery, the interior is filled with runny salted egg yolk, making each bite a pure delight. This is best paired with a hot beverage.
There’s a nice selection of lattes and coffee here like the matcha latte and hot chocolate. The flavoured Belgian chocolate topped with marshmallows and chocolate flakes is FMT’s top choice. Rich and sweet, it’s sinfully good.
The food at Bukku Café is rather affordable as Oon said she wanted her café to be a social spot where friends could hang out and not worry too much about the cost.
It was also the reason why she gave up to 20 free meals a day at the café for two years during the pandemic, particularly for single mothers and those in need.
“Good food shouldn’t be the privilege of the rich, it should be for everybody,” she said.
Follow Bukku Café on Instagram and Facebook.
Bukku Café
No.1, Jalan Singgahsana 4A/KU2
Bandar Bukit Raja
41050 Klang
Selangor
Operating hours: 8.30am-5.00pm daily
Contact: 03-38849494