Menara Ilham's Sōfte serves up wonderful desserts to beat the crazy heat

KUALA LUMPUR, March 22 — The heat has been unbearable.

Every day, I crave ice cream to cool down. Hence, I jumped to attention when I spied Sōfte on my friend's social media feed.

I immediately recruited a few friends who were game to try something new and we were off to visit the dessert bar at Ilham Tower.

From the outside, one wouldn't have figured it's a dessert place. There's a very discreet sign too.

Apparently quite a few people push through those doors to be shocked that it's not what they expect. It seems some think it's a club or even the Ilham Gallery which is actually next door.

One can't blame them as the interiors have a futuristic vibe. You'll spy movie-like posters depicting their sundaes in fun situations.

Movie-like posters showcase their sundaes in quirky situations, enhancing the stories behind each sweet creation

For instance, Mint Vs Matcha is a battle royale between two gnarly looking Godzilla-like creatures with KLCC in the background. Or the Pink Cow which is depicted as a Zen black bull in Jedi-like rose pink robes.

Further in, there's an LED ticker screen, usually used to display share prices. Here it describes more exciting things like Sōfte's sundaes and its flavours.

Peek into the lab-like kitchen through round shaped windows and you'll see Elywn Boyles as the "mad scientist" who taps into our inner child screaming for ice cream.

Boyles is renowned for his work with Thomas Keller's The French Laundry and Per Se.

No stock prices here... it's all flavours of the sundaes with the LED ticker display and the futuristic peek to their kitchen that looks like a modern lab

For us, from the moment we stepped inside, it was a welcome cool respite from the outside heat. In fact, we probably overstayed as it felt so nice to be cocooned in that chill environment.

As we peeled back layer after layer of this place, we were impressed.

Usually when one explores a new place, one tends to get overwhelmed by the choices that sound so foreign but it's different here.

You get top notch service where everything is explained in detail with a huge dash of enthusiasm and genuine warmth. Honestly, it's probably better service here than what I would find in say, some Michelin-starred establishment.

Don't miss Sōfte with its discreet frontage as it's a place to chill and explore new dessert flavours

If you're looking for a quick ice cream or soft serve, there's that option to just enjoy them on their own. Perennial favourites like chocolate and vanilla are represented here.

Some of the innovative flavours like corn and popcorn, toasted rice and chai, are also the building blocks for their sundaes.

We were fascinated by the Freshly Baked Madeleines with Soft Serve (RM39). It's a novelty for my friends who don't bake at home.

I must admit it's the best way to enjoy madeleines, piping hot from the oven with a fluffy texture. These are no ordinary madeleines too. These were perfumed with the fragrance of curry leaves.

It's subtle yet evident and goes well with the equally light tasting banana flavoured soft serve.

That dessert definitely makes an impact. I saw a couple who ate that dessert and once they finished, they were planning their next visit by asking more details on accessibility like taking the MRT.

Go for the sundaes as that is where you see the creative pairing of flavours.

There are seven choices and all of them sound so interesting that it's tough to narrow down which ones to try.

Indulge in the Pink Cow and you may end up feeling zen, just like the black bull in the poster with its refreshing pink guava sorbet, dragon fruit puree crowned with whipped milk, meringue bits and just a dash of olive oil

We settled for the Pink Cow. I must admit I was fascinated by its name.

It is composed of pink guava sorbet with a vivid pink dragon fruit sauce at the bottom. It's crowned with whipped milk and bits of crushed meringue. One surprise element is a dash of olive oil that really brings the flavours together.

It's really refreshing with a fruit-forward taste. Usually flavours like these tend to be quite sourish but the balance was just right. Maybe that is why, I kept wishing I wasn't sharing it and plotting to return to enjoy it all by myself.

In contrast, Mint Vs Matcha feels slightly whimsical. I do like the interesting combination of mint chocolate, matcha soft serve, soaked matcha sponge with pandan syrup.

The matcha sponge is given the tres leches treatment using three different milks. Of course, childhood memories are evoked since mint chocolate reminds me of After Eight chocolates.

Mint Vs Matcha is a battle royale between two giant flavours but it works well with the whimsical mint chocolate, matcha soft serve with bits of coconut jelly and a soaked matcha sponge

There were also coconut jelly bits doing their job to refresh the palate. Truly a match of two great flavours combined together to be different and better.

Prices for the sundaes vary depending on whether you're enjoying it all by yourself (got to love how they describe it as "All mine" in the menu) or sharing with others. It's RM27 for the All Mine portion and RM39 for a sharing portion.

Here, the desserts are also paired with the various drinks to give you maximum pleasure. Like the fruity, refreshing Hibiscus Kombucha (RM12). There's even an unusual Cocoa Kombucha.

It's a 360 degree experience here with drinks paired with the sundaes, like this Miyako Latte with oat milk and the fruity, refreshing Hibiscus Kombucha

Even the matcha drinks aren't one dimensional. Depending on which type you select (Suisen, Miyako or Isuzu), they have different flavour notes.

You can customise them to the temperature you like, sweetness levels and even the type of milk used. Prices range from RM15 to RM18, depending on the variations you select.

And of course, java addicts can grab cold brew coffee too. You also have hot or iced chocolate.

Beware though, once you enter Sōfte's wonderland, you won't be able to stop returning for more. Especially if you're a big dessert lover.

Sōfte, Ground Floor, Menara Ilham, 8, Jalan Binjai, Kuala Lumpur. Open:11.30am to 9pm (Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday), 11.30am to 10pm (Friday and Saturday). Closed on Monday and Tuesday. Tel:012-6949114.

*This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.

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