Alley Johns: A Different Coffee Experience

"Alley Johns" is no Starbucks, with decades of experience in coffee brewing and expensive equipment, nor is it Old Town White Coffee, which commercialize instant coffee to make a fortune. It is more of a coffee shop with deep passion in coffee, operated by people who still believe in genuine coffee experience.

Operated by a Chinese and Japanese owners, "Alley Johns" serves aromatic Vietnamese coffee, which they called "Dik Dik" Coffee, due to its "dripping" brewing method.

grinding beans

What I love about the coffee is that they grind the beans and brew them fresh. This helps in preserving the aroma and the taste of the coffee. There are 3 types of beans available, which are labelled as "Original", "Hazelnut", and "Mocha". We will talk about "coffee tasting" later.

Mouth-watering crepe making in action

Besides coffee, another specialty of "Alley Johns" is its Japanese crepes. They are made fresh with customizable flavours by "Alley Johns" very own Japanese owner. Amazing toppings like cheese and chocolate cake, pudding, and ice-cream are also available to satisfy your taste bud. If coffee is not your favourite, perhaps you can try pairing the crepe with handcraft orange or lemon tea.

End product :)

Orange tea

Coffee Tasting

Based on the 3 days coffee tasting trip to "Alley Johns", it is concluded that all 3 coffee beans bring out distinctive flavours.

Original: A combination of bitter and sweet, with chocolatey aftertaste.
Hazelnut: Slightly more bitter than Original, with nutty flavour.
Mocha: A stronger version of Original, bold and balanced.

Filters (also known as "phin") are available for coffee junkies

Vietnamese coffee are made of strong Robusta beans, brewed and served with condensed milk, which add sweetness and warmth to the coffee. Perhaps a more wonderful feature of Vietnamese coffee is that it doesn't really increase the acidity in your stomach, which might cause discomfort after drinking coffee, as compared to fresh brew of American coffee like Starbucks. At the same time, "Dik Dik" coffee is really strong, suitable for those who are planning to burn midnight oil, preparing for test and final exam.

still "dripping"

Decoration and Atmosphere

The warm and cozy decoration, soft Japanese tunes and dimmed lighting will certainly make you feel at home.

Customer Service

Coffee is not just about taste and aroma, it's also about customer experience. Just when I thought I would never experience good customer service at shops around Kampar area, barista at "Alley Johns" wowed me with their friendly and personalized services. Once you step into the shop, you can definitely feel the energy and enthusiasm of the barista and the other crews, trying their best to serve your needs.

Alley Johns is opened from Monday to Sunday, except Thursday, starting from about 1.30pm till around 11 pm. The cozy and beautifully decorated coffee house is located at Kampar (Perak, Malaysia) Westlake New Town area, right beside "Old Town White Coffee" outlet.

 Note: The coffee tasting experience is based on personal observation. Do try them yourself to find the flavour that suits you most :)