KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 5 — Step through the doors of this restored shophouse in Petaling Street, and you’ll find the unmistakable scent of toasted coconut, tea leaves and fresh waffles wafting from the counter.
This is the latest outpost of Fluffed Café & Dessert Bar, a brand that has quietly grown into a beloved fixture of the Klang Valley dessert scene.
Here heritage meets modernity as they pay homage to Malaysia’s kopitiam culture with creations like the Roti Baker Waffle, just in time for Merdeka celebrations.
Picture burnt coconut butter, pandan crémeux and salted coconut cream. Topped with Hailam Tea ice cream and crisp coconut flakes, the confection reimagines our local breakfast staple with a playful, modern twist.
Interior of the new Petaling street outlet (left). Fluffed founders Joe Fong and Charles Choong (right). — Picture courtesy of Fluffed Café & Dessert Bar
Joe Fong, one of the founders, shares, “It’s not just a dessert; it’s our interpretation of traditional breakfast, reimagined for the plate. We wanted to offer flavours that Malaysians grew up with — only now, they’re plated like art.”
The juxtaposition of the old and the new mirrors their approach to expansion. Indeed, the charming old building has splendid views of the towering Merdeka 118 — a reminder that tradition and ambition can rise side by side.
“This space gave us a chance to reflect on our roots while trying something different,” Fong says.
Before venturing into new territory, however, Fluffed was simply the dream of two self-taught bakers: Fong, 37, a designer-turned-cake artist, and Charles Choong, 35, a food science graduate who once found himself working in a pharmacy on his birthday — a day that would prompt a life-altering pivot.
“That was the moment I realised I couldn’t keep pushing my passion aside,” Choong says. “A few weeks later, I bought an oven.”
Customers at Fluffed Sunway Mentari; there currently are four Fluffed outlets. — Picture courtesy of Fluffed Café & Dessert Bar
Fong had already been baking custom cakes for events, often designing them with the same artistic flair he applied to interior spaces. Choong, on the other hand, was drawn to flavour pairing and food textures, developing his own style through experimentation and instinct.
“We weren’t trained chefs, but we cared deeply about how things tasted,” Fong explains. “And we shared this stubborn desire to do everything properly — no shortcuts.”
Their first café opened in 2015 in Taman Paramount, back when the area was far quieter.
With no investors or viral campaigns behind them, they built everything from the ground up: ice creams, sauces, waffles, cakes — all handcrafted in-house.
Choong recalls their humble start: “There were days we barely had enough orders to get through the week. But we just kept going, recipe by recipe.”
Rose Lychee Cloudcake (left). Snoopy & Peanut Waffle (right). — Picture courtesy of Fluffed Café & Dessert Bar
Among their early hits was the Rose Lychee Cloudcake, a light sponge layered with floral cream — a nod to Choong’s early experiments in home baking.
Then came the now-iconic Snoopy & Peanut Waffle, slathered with thick roasted peanut sauce made entirely from scratch.
Fong says, “We grew up eating peanut snacks from kedai runcit. This was our version of that memory, only toasted, plated, and drizzled just right.”
Over time, their waffles became a customer favourite, despite starting out as a supporting menu item.
“We didn’t expect it to be the thing we were known for,” Choong admits. “But people kept coming back for them — so we listened.”
Today, Fluffed has four outlets; besides the original Taman Paramount shop and their latest in Petaling Street, they also have branches in Sunway Mentari and Desa Parkcity.
Flurrē by Fluffed is dedicated to ‘bingsu’ (Korean shaved ice) such as their viral sensation, the Salmon Sashimi Don. — Picture courtesy of Fluffed Café & Dessert Bar
If Fluffed is the comforting embrace of warm desserts, Flurrē by Fluffed is its cooler, cheekier cousin — dedicated to bingsu (Korean shaved ice). Located in Taman Universiti, PJ, it serves as a playground for the duo’s more whimsical ideas.
Choong says, “Shaved ice gave us the space to experiment with colour, texture, and presentation. It’s dessert with a bit more mischief.”
One of Flurrē’s creations — the Salmon Sashimi Don bingsu made from jelly, not fish — went unexpectedly viral online. Though it began as a joke item, customers latched onto its playful presentation.
Still, the team stands firm in their commitment to quality, even for their more light-hearted desserts.
Consider their whimsical CheeseCubes — literally cubes of cheesecake (strawberry, yuzu lemon or 72 per cent dark chocolate) layered with baked hanjuku cheese and sponge cake.
CheeseCubes — strawberry, yuzu lemon and 72 per cent dark chocolate (left) — and Ruby-chan, a Watermelon Strawberry Bingsu (right) at Flurrē. — Picture courtesy of Fluffed Café & Dessert Bar
Or given that it’s sweltering summertime now, cool off with Ruby-chan, Flurrē’s new watermelon strawberry bingsu crowned with strawberry ice cream, juicy watermelon balls and fluffy watermelon roll cake. So refreshing!
“Every syrup, every topping is made in-house,” Fong says. “We treat it with the same seriousness as any cake or waffle.”
While other cafés chase trends or rapid growth, Fong and Choong have chosen a more deliberate path.
“We don’t build menus based on what’s trending — we trust our taste buds and our instincts,” says Fong. “If it doesn’t taste good to us, we won’t serve it.”
This admirable philosophy doesn’t preclude the duo from keeping the brand’s top of mind recall with seasonal waffles — such as the Martabak Cheese Waffle during Ramadan and Hari Raya, or their Nian Gao Waffle for Chinese New Year — as well as new merchandising such as T-shirts, tumblers and tote bags.
Seasonal waffles such as the Martabak Cheese Waffle during Ramadan and Hari Raya (left) as well as new merchandising (right) keep the brand’s top of mind recall. — Picture courtesy of Fluffed Café & Dessert Bar
Their focus on people over profits has also shifted towards their team — many of whom have grown alongside the brand since its earliest days. Regular training and team building outings exemplify this commitment.
“We want to open new outlets not just to grow the business, but to create better roles for our staff,” Choong shares. “Some of them started as part-timers, and now they’re team leads. That’s what keeps us going.”
After nearly a decade in business, Fong and Choong don’t speak in terms of KPIs or virality. Instead, their pride is in the quiet moments: a regular customer bringing their grown-up children to share a favourite waffle; a staff member mastering a new recipe.
Fong says, “Some families have brought their kids here since they were toddlers. Now those same kids order waffles for themselves.”
Fluffed’s team building outings exemplifies the owners’ focus on people over profits. — Picture courtesy of Fluffed Café & Dessert Bar
Their success may not have come in a flash — but it came honestly, and with flavour.
“We’re still here because we never rushed it,” Choong reflects. “And because we still care — about every plate, every customer, every detail.”
Fluffed Café & Dessert Bar
- Petaling Street: 14, Jalan Sultan, KL (open 11am-10:30pm)
- Taman Paramount: 55, Jalan 20/7, Taman Paramount, PJ (open daily 12:30pm-10:30pm)
- Sunway Mentari: 28, Jalan PJS 8/4, PJS 8, PJ (open daily 12:30pm-10:30pm)
- Desa Parkcity: FF-08, Waterfront, Desa Parkcity, KL (open daily 11am-10pm)
IG: https://www.instagram.com/fluffedcafe/
Flurrē by Fluffed
19, Jalan SS 3/37, Taman Universiti, PJ (open daily 11am-11pm)
