I first got to know about Little Giraffe when I randomly stumbled across their Facebook page quite a few years ago, back when they were still operating out of a shipping container. Fast forward a few years, I read about how they had a makeover, converting a Chinese new village wooden house into what they describe as a community library designed for kindergarteners and primary school-aged children.
They have convertible spaces that connects both the in and outdoors (if you look properly, there is a window frame that is open to allow children to climb onto the outdoor deck from inside the library). I guess this also allows for a better flow of air and light.
They claim that 90% of their books are picture books and are mainly in Chinese, although they also have Malay and English books. I am guessing that they also serve as a transit point for the children from the Chinese school just up the road, to promote some parent-child bonding time, as they require children to be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Needless to say, this community project also hopes to cultivate the habit of reading.
In addition to borrowing and reading books, they also have monthly story-telling sessions by qualified and experienced story-tellers. They also have handicraft sessions that enhances the parent-child relationship.
Thanks to a group of enthusiastic architecture students who worked on a shoestring budget of donations, the transformation took place, whereby much of the material were adapted or recycled. They recycled the wood that were taken apart from the original frame of the building. Some were made into the furniture, some were made into the shelves of the library. Wall panels are left in their original colours, so that we could see a little of the building's history. I really appreciate their effort in preserving the "story" that is housed within these walls.
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| You could see the Rojak Wan aunty prepare your rojak from inside of you choose a strategic spot |
Unlike how they used to only be a book club, they added a cafe to this new upgrade. I suppose they would need some form of additional income to keep the place going. The "quiet" library part of the building is cleverly separated from the "noisy" cafe part of the building by the original living room that now serves as a buffer area for the public to move around.
So what do they serve here? Personally, they serve food that has heart and soul, not much of those fancy cafe stuff. The ones that we like best would hands-down be their rojak and cendol. The rojak here is by Rojak Wan, who apparently has been serving fruit rojak from a truck in TTDI since the 90s.
Both dishes come in generous servings and both do not fall short on taste. They even come served in tableware that I could find at my grandparents' home.
They also have home-cooked main meals, which they rotate. One of those meals is this Oh Bak Ji rice (pork and yam ball rice):
It is like a Japanese omurice with pork and yam ball (yes, it has that Japanese curry, too). If you are feeling like going meatless, they have a breakfast meal that does not have ham or bacon:
They serve coffee too, and that includes Vietnamese drip coffee that will surely give you a little zing to keep you properly caffeinated for the day.
Oh, and be prepared to have your lap turned into a snuggly cushion for the neighbourhood cat. For those of you who suffer from ailurophobia (in simpler terms, cat phobia), you have been notified ;)
114 Jalan 15, Batu 11 Cheras, 43200 Cheras, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.
M: 016-613 7362, 012-632 2955
Wednesday to Saturday Noon to 10:00pm
Sunday Noon to 7:00pm
