The Melawati café scene might be a little on the quiet side but here’s one worth the trip. No, there are no cats here to play with but there is baby Arya (the owners’ seven-month-old daughter) who can be just as adorable. Polecats Coffee is owned by husband-and-wife team Sam and Zee. Zee comes from a corporate background but has decided to cook full time for the love of food while Sam was previously with RAW at Wisma Equity (now RGB & The Bean Hive on Jalan Damai). If you’re familiar with the game ‘Full Throttle’, the name Polecats might ring a bell in the form of a biker gang featured in the game.
Situated next to a banana leaf restaurant and an old neighbourhood grocery, the couple chose the area mostly for convenience because it's close to home. Getting a seat at Polecats may be a bit of a squeeze on weekends as they only have about four to six tables. According to Zee, the bulk of their customers come in for a takeaway coffee in the morning.
The menu is small and consists of pancakes with choices like their house-cured gravlax, lamb bacon, blueberry, and the classic butter and maple syrup. A signature here is the homemade lamb bacon, but don’t just waltz in and expect it to be available as preparation takes several days, so message them beforehand if you're eager for some lamb bacon to top your pancakes. Other than that, the oatmeal latte is another interesting creation. Described as the 'lazy man’s breakfast', it's rolled oats, granola and cranberries with a shot of milky coffee. And speaking of coffee, Polecats source theirs from Sprezzatura Coffee.
Polecats also serves a small selection of pastries and pies, all prepared and baked by Zee herself. For pies, you'll see a different selection every weekend, but expect homey creations along the lines of pumpkin, salted egg with fish, and chicken pot pie.