Weekend Brunch Guide: What to Order at Soooka Cafe

You know how most weekend brunch spots in Petaling Jaya feel indistinguishable from one another—the same industrial chic decor, the same avocado toast, and the same deafening acoustics? We noticed that too, which is why we built Soooka Cafe in Damansara Perdana to be the antithesis of the typical “cafe hop” stop.

The data from our first two years in Damansara Perdana tells us something interesting: 70% of our weekend guests aren’t looking for new trends; they are looking for familiar comfort served with better ingredients. Our team, led by founders Francis and Esther, created this space to answer that specific craving.

So, let’s look at why this “Kopitiam 2.0” approach is resonating with locals and then walk through the exact order combinations that will give you the best experience this weekend.

The Soooka Brunch Philosophy

Before we get into specific orders, it helps to understand what brunch at Soooka looks like. Unlike Western-style brunch cafes that centre on eggs, bacon, and sourdough, our brunch experience is built around Malaysian comfort food served in a modern, air-conditioned setting.

This means your brunch might include cakoi (dough fritters) instead of croissants, Cantonese porridge instead of pancakes, and braised duck noodles instead of eggs Benedict. The flavours are bolder, the preparations are more labour-intensive, and the experience is rooted in the food traditions of this country.

We think that is a good thing. Malaysian food is some of the best in the world, and it deserves its own place in brunch culture.

For the Early Bird: Starting Light

If you arrive at our 8:00 am weekend opening time, your appetite may not yet be at full capacity. Here is how to ease into your brunch with dishes that warm the stomach without weighing you down:

Fish Ball Porridge (RM17.90)

Our Cantonese-style congee is the perfect gentle start. The silky, smooth porridge is easy on the stomach and warming without being heavy.

We serve each bowl with handmade fish balls that have that distinct “QQ” bounce—a texture you only get from fresh fish paste, not the frozen variety. Garnished with spring onions, fried shallots, and a drizzle of sesame oil, this dish is a masterclass in subtlety.

Pro Tip: Pair it with a side of our plain cakoi. Tear the dough into pieces and dip them into the hot porridge—it is one of those simple, timeless combinations that feels like a warm embrace.

Cold Brew Kopi (Solo Start)

If you want to arrive, settle in, and take a moment before ordering food, our cold brew kopi is the ideal starting companion. Smooth, naturally sweet, and remarkably refreshing, it is a drink that rewards slow sipping.

We steep these local Malaysian kopi beans for nearly 20 hours to extract deep chocolatey notes without the harsh bitterness often found in traditional kopi o. Order it black to experience the full character of the beans, or with a splash of milk for a creamy finish.

For the Hungry: The Full Brunch Experience

Weekend brunch is not the time for restraint. If you have arrived hungry and ready to feast, here is our recommended progression for a complete Soooka brunch:

Course One: Garlic Cakoi with Curry Potato Dip (RM9.90)

Start with our signature appetiser. The garlic-infused cakoi is fried to order, arriving at your table golden, crackling, and fragrant.

Our cakoi is sourced from a specialist vendor with over 25 years of experience, ensuring that perfect airy interior and crisp exterior every time. The curry potato dip—rich, spiced, and warming—is addictive in a way that is genuinely hard to describe until you have tried it.

This dish accomplishes something important: it wakes up your palate. The garlic, the spice, the crunch of the cakoi—everything comes alive.

Insider Tip: Order enough to share generously, as arguments over the last piece of garlic cakoi have been known to occur at our tables.

Course Two: Braised Duck Flat White Noodles (RM22.90)

With your appetite properly awakened, move to the main event. Our braised duck noodles are a bowl of pure satisfaction—slow-braised duck that melts on your tongue, silky kuey teow (flat white noodles) that carry the rich braising broth, and garnishes that add freshness and balance.

This dish anchors many weekend brunches at Soooka because it balances Teochew and Thai influences into a single, cohesive bowl. It is hearty enough to be a proper meal but refined enough to feel like an occasion.

Take your time with it. Savour the depth of the herbal braising liquid. Appreciate the clean taste of the duck meat.

Drink pairing: Switch to an iced Americano. The clean bitterness of the coffee contrasts beautifully with the richness of the braised duck.

Course Three: Cakoi with Coconut Ice Cream and Jackfruit (RM16.90)

End your brunch on a sweet note with our signature dessert. Warm, freshly fried cakoi serves as the base for cold coconut ice cream and sweet jackfruit, all drizzled with gula Melaka (palm sugar).

The temperature contrast alone makes this dish exciting—hot cakoi against cold ice cream—and the flavour combination is pure Malaysian genius. The coconut, the jackfruit, the caramelised palm sugar—every element is rooted in this country’s culinary heritage.

Drink pairing: Cold brew kopi with coconut milk. The coffee’s bitterness prevents the dessert from feeling overly sweet, and the coconut milk echoes the ice cream.

For Groups: Sharing Is Best

Weekend brunch is often a social occasion, and Soooka’s menu is particularly well-suited to sharing. If you are visiting with friends or family, consider ordering a selection of dishes for the table:

• One cakoi platter: The sharing version allows everyone to try the different dips.
• One or two bowls of braised duck noodles: Ideal to share or for the biggest appetites at the table.
• One bowl of fish ball porridge: Perfect for those who want something lighter to balance the fried items.
• One dessert cakoi: Because no one can resist it, even if they claim they are full.

This approach lets everyone try everything without committing to a single dish. It also creates the kind of communal, convivial dining experience that Malaysian food culture is built on—sharing food is sharing joy.

Practical Tips for Your Visit

Beat the Rush: We recommend arriving between 10:00 am and 11:00 am for the most relaxed experience. The late morning rush typically hits around 11:30 am, and by noon the cafe is often at full capacity.

Weekday versus Weekend: Our menu is the same throughout the week, but the weekend atmosphere is noticeably different—more relaxed, more social, more lingering. If you can, make your first visit on a weekend to experience Soooka at its most unhurried.

Parking Intelligence: Weekends are generally easier for parking than weekdays, as the office crowd is absent from the surrounding auto workshops and office blocks. The street parking directly outside the cafe usually has availability before 11:00 am; look for the distinctive orange smiley face sign on our facade to know you’ve arrived.

Weekend Specials: Keep an eye on our social media for weekend cakoi specials—limited-edition creations that our kitchen team dreams up for Saturday and Sunday visitors. Past specials have included stuffed cakoi, torched marshmallow cakoi, and pandan custard cakoi.

Bring Your Time: This is the most important tip of all. Weekend brunch at Soooka is designed to be a leisurely experience.

The Weekend Ritual

We have noticed something lovely happening at Soooka Cafe. A growing number of our customers have turned weekend brunch into a ritual.

They come every Saturday or Sunday, often sitting at the same table and ordering the same braised duck noodles. They know our staff by name, and our staff know their orders.

This is exactly what we hoped for when we opened Soooka Cafe in August 2023. Not just a place to eat, but a place to belong—a weekend anchor, a comfort zone, a table where the cakoi is always fresh, the kopi is always smooth, and the welcome is always warm.

We would love to see you this weekend. Come hungry, stay long, and leave happy.