I have a confession to make. I am actually somewhat lactose intolerant, like a good chunk of Asian people. While I don’t throw up food with lactose products like I used to as a baby, they certainly still can cause a bit of stomach discomfort afterwards.
It is quite a shame because I genuinely like eating lactose products like cheese, yoghurt and ice-cream. For the longest time, I thought bearing the pain was worth a spoonful of creamy sweetness. But with places like Cream & Culture, I can finally have that worry-free treat.
What is kefir?
Cream & Culture is one of the many locally owned dessert places popping up throughout Malaysia. At a glance, this pink-tinted establishment looks like any other ice cream parlour. But what sets it apart from others is its ice cream. Specifically, its key ingredient.
Before this, I assumed kefir was a type of yoghurt. I was somewhat right, but also wrong. They are both fermented milk products, after all. However, yoghurt is made using only bacteria, whereas kefir uses a combo of bacteria, yeast and milk proteins.
Why talk about kefir here? Well, Cream & Culture uses kefir to make its ice creams. This, in turn, means that their ice cream has all the benefits of kefir. Kefir (and the ice creams) are naturally probiotic-rich while being gut-friendly, a boon to folks with lactose intolerance.
While browsing Cream & Culture’s menu, I actually had a quick chat with Su Mei, one of Cream & Culture’s founders. Over the culture, she told me that her family has actually been in the kefir business for over a decade, so she’s no stranger to the kefir scene.
“Kefir has long helped people with sensitive stomachs,” she said, explaining that the production process is a careful one. To ensure the kefir tastes good, everything, from the milk quality to the temperature, must be closely supervised. The result is worth it, though, as all can enjoy it freely.
18 flavours, all-natural
It is kind of amazing that despite how colourful Cream & Culture’s ice creams are, they are actually made with natural ingredients. No artificial colouring is ever used, nor are pork or alcohol products. Not surprising that the place wants to apply for a halal cert soon.
Knowing this, I was of course looking forward to trying out all Cream & Culture had to offer. Typically, the parlour has 18 flavours always available. Sometimes, new flavours are on offer, but those are often seasonal.
In terms of pricing, Cream & Culture remains reasonable. Single scoops of ice cream typically cost between RM9.90 and RM11.90. Double scoops are between RM17 and RM20. Having your ice cream on a waffle will set you back RM25.
The Blue Pea Sea Salt
With its baby blue hue, I was very curious about the Blue Pea Sea Salt. It gets its colour from the same flower that is used for nasi kerabu. Sadly (or thankfully), the similarities between this ice cream and nasi kerabu end there.
I have never really thought about it before, but sweet and salty truly make good bedfellows. No better example than this ice cream, which was mostly sweet, but with detectable hints of salt. I also loved its soft and creamy texture, which reminds me of a soft serve at times.
The Lemon Blueberry
While the Blue Pea Sea Salt was my favourite, the bestseller here is apparently the Lemon Blueberry. Unlike some citrus-based ice creams, which tone down the tartness with sugar, this particular ice cream embraces it.
It is something of an acquired taste, but if you love all things lemon, this ice cream is right for your palate. I made a bit of a face when I first tasted it, but the flavour slowly grew on me. If you love fruity ice creams, this one is tailor-made for you.
Kefir & Pandan
I was also curious what kefir itself tastes like, so it was inevitable that I would try out the Original Kefir. It is what it says on the label, with this ice cream being the most generic of the 18 flavours. However, generic is not a bad thing at all.
If I had to compare it to something, it would probably be like the yoghurt you can get at Llaollao, but with more restrained flavours. It is also not as sweet as most ice creams would be, so perhaps health-conscious folks would be fonder of this?
The Pandan Gula Melaka, I assumed, was going to be my favourite. However, it was a little too much pandan than gula melaka for my liking. However, some people do like bitter flavours, and this flavour might appeal better to their taste buds than mine.
Tea on waffles?
Other than cones and cups, Cream & Culture also serves ice cream atop their kefir milk waffles. I enjoyed this with a scoop of White Peach Oolong. Imagine a soft, sweet white peach mixed with aromatic floral tones. That’s what you get with this ice cream.
The waffle was also a rather filling pastry, and I would personally recommend ordering it only if you are at Cream & Culture with someone else. Otherwise, you are going to be leaving the parlour stuffed.
Refreshing kombuchas
Once I was done stuffing myself with ice cream, I was pleased to wash it down with Cream & Culture’s selection of kombuchas. I had a swig of Lychee Rose Kombucha and Raspberry Lemon Kombucha; both were bubbly and left me on a high for a bit.
The best of the kombuchas had to be the one with ice cream in it, though. Thus, the Strawberry Ice Cream Float with Green Tea Kombucha takes home the title of best kombucha at Cream & Culture.
Is Cream & Culture worth your time?
Call me mad about ice cream, but I think I will be coming back to Cream & Culture sooner than I realise. It is nice to be able to enjoy one of life’s simple pleasures without having a tummy ache as punishment afterwards. Plus, that Blue Pea Sea Salt flavour is to die for.
Cream & Culture
Address: 22-1, Jalan PJU 5/10, Dataran Sunway, 47810 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Opening Hours: 12 pm – 10.30 pm daily | Closed on Mondays
Contact: 010-5547701
Halal Status: Pork-free | Halal suppliers
You should also check out: Krem Tarik: Malaysia’s first stretchy ice cream is now serving in Bukit Jelutong
