Food Blog | Chat In Eco Botanic
Although their name suggests that this is a place exclusively selling bubble tea, they actually have a pretty decent food menu, serving up popular Taiwanese style rice boxes.
Update: (09/01/2021) Chat In is now closed.
Is it Halal?
I’m personally not too sure about their entire menu, but I believe they don’t have the halal certificate (if I’m mistaken, I sincerely apologise), but I do not believe that they have any specifically non-halal dishes on their menu (personally not 100% sure, so don’t quote me on this).
Before they had nicer looking cups (looks slightly better now)
Where it Is
It is in the same area, Eco Botanic (or Eko Botani) which consists of a lot of popular new shops. There are other shops there like The Alley Milk Tea (not officially open yet at time of writing), Kang Bee Hong, Quu (same group as Tea Garden) and Thai Mookata House. If you’re not too sure where it is, you can always use EcoNest as a landmark (building in the middle). Just go in a circle in the small square (internal) around EcoNest and you will be able to see it (opposite the EcoNest sign.
Address: No 63,Jalan Eko Botani 3/5, Taman Eko Botani,Iskandar Puteri Johor Bahru
Operating Hours:
Daily: 9am-11pm (Tuesday rest day)
What it Costs
I’ve only been here once, but I guess this would be in between your budget restaurants and your more expensive hipster cafes. I’ve personally only been here once, but most of their dishes on their menu come at RM12.90, but I feel as though if you consider what they actually offer as part of their dishes, then I think it is pretty worth it.
I would say although the name is Chat In, this place probably has more food options rather than drink options at present. Their drinks menu isn’t actually fully up just yet.
I personally had a popcorn chicken with rice set, and it actually has quite a bit. You get popcorn chicken, rice and coleslaw. There’s also this spicy sauce that goes together with the meal! Surprisingly, they also serve it in a paper box, which is surprising, because I even ate it in the restaurant itself (but I guess it adds to that Taiwanese restaurant feel).
The portions are pretty decent, in my personal opinion.
I’ve tried drinks twice there. Their bubble tea is RM5 (from recollection), and I tried another drink for RM16. The RM16 drink is pretty much a combination of many different things. You’ve got grass jelly, that square jelly ball in some interesting summery tea. (PRETTY PRICEY, but I will admit that there’s a lot in it).
How it Tastes
Personally speaking, their bubble tea was a bit meh - considering the name seems to be focusing on that aspect. The summery drink (which isn’t on their menu yet, but it is called Summer Supreme) is pretty refreshing - honestly really good - but I personally don’t think it is worth the price at RM16 (I was quite shocked).
I actually really liked the popcorn chicken with rice. The only thing about it is that it does taste a little bit more on the salty side, so people might not really like that. But I think the chicken is really tasty! The coleslaw actually has a pretty decent dressing as well - I’m quite triggered whenever anyone uses that Kewpie roasted sesame dressing in restaurants.
The chilli/spicy sauce that comes together with it goes pretty well together as well. Spicy, fried, salty makes a really delicious combination!
Suitable For…
The ambience makes it more suitable for having a meal rather than having some milk tea, so I definitely recommend this place more for the food than the drinks. The ambience is such that you want to spend some time here just chit chatting with friends. :)
Star Rating
6.5/10. Personally quite like this place! The meal I had here was tasty. I was quite torn over whether it deserves a 6.5 or a 7, but I think because ideally I see it more of a budget kind of place, I thought it was a bit more on the pricier side.