So, if you’re on the lookout for freshly baked focaccia, head on over to Ling’s Focacceria in Mutiara Damansara, Selangor.
Here, one will find different flavour variations of this delicious Italian flatbread, including fried shallots and seasalt flakes, as well as jalapeno and cheese.
You might assume this to be the brainchild of someone who has been baking bread for ages, but a conversation with founder Choy Ee Ling reveals otherwise: she only started when the pandemic hit in 2020!
“I remember people were fighting over store-bought bread and I thought, ‘Why?’ If I have flour, yeast, salt and water, I can make it myself,” the 41-year-old told FMT Lifestyle.
So she did just that, learning from YouTube videos and cookbooks. Eventually, Choy started a home business and, as demand grew, opened the physical store last August.
“People have told me that European breads are a bit tougher and drier, while Asian breads are soft and fluffy. Somehow, I have managed to create focaccia that is crunchy on the outside but very fluffy on the inside,” she said.
From Mediterranean flavours such as sundried tomatoes, olives and rosemary to the Asian-inspired miso butter, honey and sesame seeds, patrons will be spoiled for choice with the variety of focaccia flavours offered here.
Each one is equally delightful, with a lovely crispy exterior that remains unbelievably soft and chewy on the inside.
There are other Asian touches on the menu such as kimchi grilled cheese, and otak-otak with gochujang (spicy fermented chilli paste) focaccia sandwiches.
One highlight is the “bestest buttered bread”. With such a name, you know you’re in for a treat: creamy slabs of butter encased inside a classic focaccia genovese made with olive oil and Maldon seasalt flakes.
It’s a delicious reminder that the simplest things can also be the finest!
The kaya butter toast is another delightful blast to the past: toasted focaccia genovese is filled with slabs of butter and a generous helping of decadent kaya made in-house.
Savouring this will conjure up memories of the roti bakar many Malaysians would’ve enjoyed growing up.
For something heavier, how about giving the otak-otak with gochujang focaccia a try?
The sandwich is heavenly and bursts with rich flavours, thanks to the combination of spicy otak-otak and the salty, sweet tones of gochujang.
For dessert, don’t leave without trying the berangan banana chocolate chip cake. Topped with coffee glaze, it has a lovely moist texture and comes laden with chocolate chips.
Yes, it’s indulgent, but an occasional treat never hurts!
Another decadent option is the gula Melaka brownie. Rich and chocolatey with hints of caramel, it’s best not to count calories while enjoying this!
Making focaccia is certainly not for the faint-hearted as the process takes at least 48 hours. “So, I hope that when my customers eat my bread, they will feel how much effort, love and passion that goes into baking it,” Choy concluded.
Pre-orders for focaccia can be made here. Learn more about Ling’s Focacceria on Instagram. For location, click here.
Ling’s Focacceria
25, Jalan PJU 7/16,
Mutiara Damansara,
48100 Selangor
Business hours:
9am-6pm (closed on Mondays)*
*Notifications on changes in opening hours during Ramadan will be made via Instagram.
Contact: 019-219 8252