The Mad Bean: Coffee & Milkshake

The Mad Bean: Coffee & Milkshake

I was introduced to this compact and cozy coffee shop located in Gading Serpong. It goes by the name the Mad Bean, owned by a particular close friend named Dimas. The coffee shop is very simple, yet very attractive, and it has this kind of comforting ambience. There are board games available in the coffee shop if you want to play games with the gang while gulping on a big glass of sweet and creamy Banana Milkshake. Yet, the coffee shop is also recommended if you want to spend some quality time with your book and a cup of good Cappuccino. 

Cute door sign of the coffee shop

Sunset was only a few minutes away

At the Mad Bean, you can find good quality and budget friendly food and beverages. Free WiFi is also available in the coffee shop and the internet connection was rather fast compared to some coffee shop that I have been to. 

At first, I was going to go for the Cappuccino, but my stomach was pretty empty at that time and I don't want to risk anything that would make my stomach acid piles up, so I went for the Banana Milkshake instead. 

My Banana Milkshake had a very simple look, served in a big glass and topped with a scoop of Vanilla ice cream. As expected, the milkshake was very creamy and heavy, thank God I made the right choice of beverage that would fill the slot in my stomach fine. It had this nice and balanced level of sweetness, and the banana pretty much dominated the whole flavor of the milkshake - which was a good thing, because I don't like milkshake that tasted sugary. I just love the ice cream on top so much! If only Dimas put another generous scoop, then my milkshake would be perfect. 

My glass of Banana Milkshake

Spot any minions?

The coffee shop was not that crowded back then, so Dimas had the luxury of joining our table for a game of cards. We ended up spending hours playing poker. It was my first time playing poker and I got pretty lucky with the whole full houses and straights. 

I would definitely go back to the coffee shop to try its' fine selection of caffeinated beverages. Who knows, Dimas might let me make my own cup of late. It has been a while since the last time I draw on espresso anyway. 

The sight of the Mad Bean coffee shop

Adorable chalkboard to brighten up the walls

The Mad Bean

Ruko Glaze 2, Block C No. 15

Gading Serpong (Near to Summarecon Mall Serpong) 

Tangerang, 15810

Opening Hours:

Tuesday - Sunday: 11.30 AM - 11 PM

Contact:

(+62) 813 8130 5326

JOIN: Kedai Kopi Bulungan

JOIN is the name of a coffee shop - a petite joint located at Bulungan, South Jakarta, where you can enjoy good coffee with budget-friendly price, yet high quality coffee beans. Some nights, the boys and I would just drive ourselves to the coffee shop to enjoy a sip or two of our favorite joe, and converse with endless topic like there's no tomorrow. 

Other than coffee, they also have some munchies to enjoy your beverage with. The grilled sandwich, for example, are available with various fillings such as chocolate sprinkles, cheese, Nutela, and many more. They are grilled with a sandwich toaster that would create funky pattern on the bun. The edges of the sandwich would be crusty and stiff, while the middle part would be squishy and soft. Very simple, yet deliciously enjoyable.

My chocolate sandwich

One night, the baristas were trying out their new creation named Paradise. They manually brewed their coffee beans on the spot and let their hands do the magic. I just sat there edgily, waiting for my cold beverage to be served, like a curious puppy. 

A minute later, I was served with a glass of bubbly latte. The spectrum of chocolate was mesmerizing as the color gets darker and darker from the upper part of the glass until the bottom. In the middle of the glass was a marble-like pattern created by the latte as it clashed with each other.

Paradise tasted like rainbow. There were so many flavors in one glass. I could taste the bitter coffee beans dominated the whole drink, but at the same time the sourness of the espresso hit me. There was a hint of sweetness now and then, but not that strong compared to the bitterness. Loving the bubbly and creamy texture of the drink, but the coffee was so strong I couldn't sleep the whole night and I had trouble at the ladies room in the morning. Blame me for having a weak colon.

Bubbly top

A glass of Paradise

What makes JOIN special is that even though the coffee place is very small, and located just at the corner of a sport hall, it is packed with crowds almost every night. And the people who come to the coffee shop are somewhat quirky and very artsy - very hipster like if I may say, judging from their unique ways of dressing up. 

There is no signature taste and flavor for the drinks being sold at JOIN because every barista has their own signature way of making the beverages. My favorite, and also my good pal's favorite barista, would be Brutus, a sour faced chubby guy with black wavy hair who is actually fun to talk to. Another favorite of mine was DM, a petite college guy majoring in music and art at Institut Kesenian Jakarta who plays music like non other. Too bad he resigned from the coffee shop to work towards his degree.

It has been a while since the last time I hang out at JOIN with my good pals, Galuh and Ega. I might visit the coffee shop this weekend to bring back them good old memories. What do you say, guys?

JOIN - Kedai Kopi Bulungan

Jalan Bulungan, Blok C No. 1

Kebayoran Baru, Jakarta