In recent years, Chinatown has been the budding café & social scene where locals now flock to for good food, drinks and chats. There’s an uprise of Instagrammable spots in every corner and adding to that is newly opened Jamboo. It’s a quaint green & off-white place that’s not quite a café but more of a concept store, boasting healthy and nutritious meals that do not lack in flavour whatsoever.
Jamboo Opens Its Doors In Chinatown Serving Customisable Lei Cha Bowls & Wholesome Meals
Jamboo first began as a home-based business during the pandemic, co-founded by ex-MAB air stewardess Jenny and her partner James- who had just returned to his natural soil after being abroad for more than 2 years specialising in luxurious hospitality management. Merely a few months old, this store specialises in lei cha and got its name from the Malay word “Jambu” aka guava, one of the ingredients in this dish.
The interior feeds into an aesthetically neat and cosy vibe, but their outdoor seating “The Jamboo’s Alley”, is a contrast of artsy and fun.
Be sure to check out the vibrant Jamboo Alley where you’ll find a convenient hole in the wall – you can retrieve your drinks from there!
Right, so what exactly is lei cha then? If you’re unsure, it’s a traditional vegetarian Hakka Dish also named “thunder tea rice”, made from a concoction of ground basil leaves, sesame seeds, nuts, guava shoots and more. It forms a deep green paste that’s usually eaten as soup (with rice)- however at Jamboo, you can fully customise your lei cha bowl with tofu, meat and seafood too!
Here’s what we had:
Mains
Build Your Own Jamboo Bowl
This tailored lei cha concept is the first in the world, where customers are able to build their own bowl including the rice base.
It’s simple- pick a bowl from the cupboard,
followed by a plethora of toppings from tiles on the wall,
place them into your bowl and hand it over to the counter.
Some toppings include jicama, pucuk manis, Bang Bang shrimp and Melakagu chicken!
Inspirasi “Lei Cha”
With leek, tofu, winged bean, long bean, cabbage, jicama, peanut and preserved salted radish.
If you’re a vegetarian and/or prefer to stick to classics, their Inspirasi lei cha dish is the one for you. It’s ultra healthy AND texturally delightful, comprising toppings that soak up the deliciousness of the lei cha flavours.
Not a lei cha fan? Fret not, Jamboo has lots more to offer.
Sarawak Laksa
A sumptuous and hearty dish, especially on a rainy day! Consists of 3 proteins- tofu, chicken and shrimp.
Pastry
Jamboo is a great spot for breakfast too! Indulge in their House Special Lei Cha Butter Croissant, served with lei cha butter & jam.
Snacks
Otak-Otak Fries
Jamboo uses an age-old recipe of over 60 years from Muar, making this unique snack a must-try! It’s also served with special dipping sauces.
Satay Belakang
A platter of scrumptious satay marinated with lei cha that’s perfect for sharing!
Grilled Otak-Otak
Traditionally wrapped otak-otak grilled right outside the store.
Drinks
Grab some of Jamboo’s top refreshing drinks to enjoy with your meals!
Volcano
Smooth, fizzy coffee drink with a hint of plum.
Mango-cha
We loved this mix of mango, matcha, sago & coconut milk!
Jamboo-cha (left) & Asam-Boo (right)
Beautiful drinks with gorgeous flavours. The Jamboo-cha consists of guava, fresh milk & matcha while Asam-Boo has guava, lemon, jasmine tea, asam powder and fizz!
In addition to that, they have a series of Jamboocha (kombucha) with 5 permanent flavours and a seasonal one too!
A New Place To Visit This 2022
Jamboo proves that its food and drinks are not solely for the health-conscious but can also be enjoyed by all. Moreover, they have over 49 specially-crafted recipes with plenty of other dishes such as protein, fibre and energy-fueled bowls! As the area is filled with cyclists as well, Jamboo goes to notable lengths in providing them with a pit stop station to leave their bicycles, pump tyres and refill water too! To only brand this place as a café is unjustifiable- it’s truly the epitome of a concept store and we couldn’t agree more.
Jamboo KL
Address: 19G, Jalan Tun H S Lee, City Centre, KL
Opening Hours:
9.30am-7.30pm (Mon, Wed-Fri)
8.30am-7.30pm (Sat-Sun)
Closed on Tues
Contact: +6012-8919159
Link(s): Facebook | Instagram | Parking
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