KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 30 — The past year has been one of quiet revelations at the table. Not grand tasting menus or headline-grabbing openings, but humble, deeply satisfying plates.

From roti sarang burung with its twin golden yolks to Penang char kway teow perfumed with assertive wok hei, this is food that reminds us why we love eating out in the first place.

Yet some places draw you back not for a single dish, but for their entire menu. In the case of Ebony & Ivory Coffee in Yulek, Cheras, it’s their always stellar and sometimes shapeshifting menu.

Don’t just take my word for it; other regulars will gladly vouch for the café’s all-time bestseller Minced Pork Scrambled Eggs Rice Bowl or the seductive and sumptuous Kurobuta Pork Tonkatsu with Curry Omu Rice.

But what truly sets Ebony & Ivory apart is its restlessness – an ever-evolving slate of seasonal and limited-edition dishes that resists settling into complacency.

My January opened with their Balinese Pulled Pork Egg Benedict: the pulled pork tender from long cooking and gently seasoned with spices.

Beneath a softly poached egg and a generous pour of hollandaise, the meat rested on a slice of Hainanese toast. A small beetroot salad on the side offered a welcome earthiness.

Months later, I realised on a return visit that the Balinese Pulled Pork Egg Benedict was gone.

But rather than dismay, I rejoiced in its replacement: the Seoul Good Fried Chicken Egg Benedict with Kale Salad.

The structure remained familiar. After all, Ebony & Ivory is, at heart, a brunch destination. This was still a recognisable Egg Benedict, albeit one that had travelled and come back altered.

The Korean fried chicken, coated in a gochujang glaze, delivered warmth while the crisp leaves of kale are tempered by a lightly tangy mayo-yoghurt dressing.

This switch-up felt seasonal in the truest sense: here now, gone later... perhaps to return with yet another revision.

This is not inconsistency. This is inspired intent.

To be clear, Ebony & Ivory is not in the business of reinventing itself every few months.

Instead, it refines some of its dishes, one iteration at a time, to keep customers guessing and their kitchen crew creatively challenged.

Take another example: the Mexican Buckwheat Crêpe with Fried Barramundi and Chips. An earlier incarnation featured tandoori chicken – a bit of a hit and miss, truth be told, with some finding the Breton style pancake an odd match for the Punjabi clay oven roasted classic.

The crêpe returns now with greater assurance. The flaky barramundi proves to be a more popular protein. Mango salsa introduces sweetness and acidity, lifting the plate, while sweet potato chips beg to be dipped into a spiced sesame mayonnaise.

Signature dishes anchor the menu. Plates such as the Japanese Linguine with Chasiu, a Tokyo-meets-Tuscany mash-up, or the Pan Seared Chicken Breast on Pesto Rice, my boon for the health-conscious, give regulars something to return to, while providing the kitchen with operational stability.

Around them, a smaller rotation of seasonal dishes appears, never overwhelming, but enticing enough to reward repeat visits. The experience feels familiar yet never fatiguing to easily jaded palates.

Of course, there are moments of longing. Seasonal dishes leave, and sometimes you— and by "you”, clearly I simply mean "I” – wish they would simply stay.

Recent arrivals –Rojak Deluxe, Fried Asam Laksa with Tiger Prawn – speak of a kitchen still curious, still testing ideas.

Yet I still dream about my old favourite – the Crispy Pork Belly Rice with Tamarind-infused Tomatoes. Its disappearance is part of its appeal, however. One hopes it returns, not entirely the same, but with much of its charm intact or improved.

For now, the new kid on the block is their Sunshine Galette. The buckwheat galette is lightly crisped at the edges, supporting layers of flavours and textures: earthy mushroom béchamel, caramelised onion, melting mozzarella, sun dried tomatoes, kale dressed with lemon-maple and a juicy chicken sausage.

A sunny-side-up egg crowns the plate, its yolk poised to spill out at your bidding. This is a dish made for unhurried mornings – and, like everything here, unlikely to remain unchanged for long.

Why do I keep returning to Ebony & Ivory? The answer ought to be self-evident by now, you say: the menu in motion I have been harping on and on about, of course.

Of course, but that’s not the whole story, if I’m to be honest. The real reason – the same reason other regulars come back time and again – is the people behind this humble café.

From the friendly front-of-house servers and hustling baristas to the hardworking kitchen crew toiling away at the stoves, ultimately it’s the team here that differentiates Ebony & Ivory from the rest of the pack.

Which is why Ebony & Ivory Coffee is my favourite eatery of the year – and that of many, many other customers.

Everyone who drops by is assured by the knowledge that the smiles and service will feel the same, even if the plates might not.

Ebony & Ivory Coffee

4A, Block P/E,

Taman Cheras, KL.

Open daily 10am-6pm

Phone: 013-616 1286

IG: https://www.instagram.com/ebonyivory_coffee/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/p/Ebony-Ivory-Coffee-100049531187754/

* This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.

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