If only there were cafés like this in Ipoh as well, the two mused. Well, why not start one of their own? And so, in September 2022, Chin and Lim opened Chloe.Co, a Parisian-inspired café serving croissants, strudels, tarts, and other such delectable baked delights.
The café thrived in Ipoh, rapidly becoming known as a popular spot for treats and tea (and pretty posts on Instagram!). And the Chloe.Co story came full circle in December last year when the duo started a second branch, this time in the Klang Valley, the place which started it all.
“We feel excited to expand to SS2. We think it’s a bigger market which we can serve with a bigger patisserie selection,” Chin told FMT Lifestyle during a recent interview.
Chin is no stranger to the F&B business: his father ran a popular bakery, “Family Confectionery”, which had several branches all over Ipoh. Unfortunately, the recent pandemic meant having to close some of those branches. Chin then decided to try his hand at a different venture, and the idea for Chloe.co was mooted.
“We tried out several café concepts, before finding this one that works. The F&B industry is a very uncertain one, but we’re learning and doing our best,” said Chin, who also runs “Gabrielle Mille Crepe” and a souffle pancakes café called “Fluff” in Ipoh.
He added that he envisioned the décor of his café to be simple, through tiny yet tasteful touches. Just like in Ipoh, his SS2 branch features a revolving door at the main entrance: customers are also welcome to take photos with the gigantic model croissant mounted on one of the walls.
The most striking feature about this place, however, are probably the glass displays at its counter, which feature row upon row of fluffy-looking pastries of various kinds. You’re almost expecting an animated candlestick to appear and start singing “Be My Guest.” Everything is baked in-house at Chloe.Co’s central kitchen in Bangi, and brought to the café early every morning.
One of the most popular treats here is the Peach Strudel – crispy pastry layers that blend effortlessly with succulent sweet fruit slices. The Royal Chocolate Shortcake, with luscious dark cream and strawberries from Egypt is a sweet treat, while the Kaya and Butter Croissant is a snug blend of Eastern and Western flavours.
The menu in Chloe.co SS2 has been upgraded from the one in Ipoh, with Chin taking this opportunity to test new offerings. The café thus has a fascinating range of sourdough selections, and new specialties like soft shell crab dishes.
The top choice here, however, is probably the Clam Overflowing Sunset Fusion pasta. This hearty dish’s unique orange hue comes from a unique blend of carbonara and marinara sauce, which gives rise to its “sunset” name.
Despite its name sounding like an anime attack, the dish’s delicious sauce, combined with a generous serving of clams, make it a true treat for the tastebuds.
Also try their selection of king prawn dishes, inspired by a trip to a seafood restaurant in Cheras, Chin said with a laugh.
More plans for expansion are on the cards, he added, while his R&D team are constantly working on improving the menus of their already-existing outlets.
“The response to this branch has been quite good so far. The people of KL have given us a lot of suggestions on how we can improve, which we gladly accept. We hope they all have a nice experience here, and enjoy the café setting,” Chin concluded.
Chloe.Co SS2
151, Jalan SS2/24, SS2
47300 Petaling Jaya
Selangor
Business hours: 10am-10pm (Closed on Wednesday)