2 days ago
From hearty ‘gado gado' to a loaded ‘roti telur' sando, Trailside Treats near the Bukit Kiara Hill Walk is where runners refuel and build a community
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 16 — Imagine a group of runners arriving at a café flushed and winded, others stroll in with sweat cooling on their backs.
Inside, nutritious and hearty fare such as Gado Gado, a riot of vegetables bound by peanut sauce, and a loaded egg sando (wittily named Roti Telur 2.0) await them as a delicious way to refuel.
At Trailside Treats, located near the start of the Bukit Kiara Hill Walk, this is a typical scene on a weekend morning.
For the owners Carly Balmforth and Min Xiang Lee, their café was never just about coffee and food. It was about community — the kind that finishes a 10-kilometre run before most people have started their day.
Trailside Treats is founded by Min Xiang Lee (left) and Carly Balmforth (right). — Pictures courtesy of Trailside Treats
Balmforth says, 'I'm from the UK but I have been living in South-east Asia for over nine years. I was in Malaysia from 2016-18 and then moved on to Thailand and Vietnam, but decided to come back here in 2022.'
With a background in Film and Media and a Master's in International Events Management, she's spent the past 12 years in the education sector as a Business Development Director.
Lee, a Malaysian who studied in the United States, returned home after earning his Liberal Arts degree to work in B2B (business-to-business) technology.
He says, 'I help startups retain and grow revenue, and have been in the industry for the past 8 years.'
From a trail run to refuelling at the café. — Pictures courtesy of Trailside Treats
But their professional résumés only tell half the story; both have a history with food businesses — and with running.
Balmforth's first foray into F&B came in Vietnam, with a vegan café and small fitness centre called The Active Hub. She shares, 'I ran the business for around a year. However, it wasn't able to reach its full potential as we had to close many times due to the Covid-19 pandemic.'
Returning to Malaysia, Balmforth was keen to try something similar but hesitated because of her demanding travel schedule.
She says, 'When I met Min, I told him about The Active Hub and he was really interested in learning more, so together we started to explore the idea of opening a business.'
Lee's own F&B experiment began in the US with Flourish Food, a vegan food delivery service. Around the same time, he started a running group, Radiate Running.
He says, 'We both wanted to create a community where we could host trail runners and fitness enthusiasts, and so we decided to move forward with the idea of the café.'
'Location was our number one priority,' Balmforth explains. They found a spot 'right next door' to the Bukit Kiara trail. This proximity wasn't accidental; guests can go from a trail run directly to refueling at the café.
Beef Rendang (left). Soto Ayam (right). — Pictures courtesy of Trailside Treats
Here, the scent of fresh espresso mingles with the earthy perfume of sweat-damp forest air. Trailside Treats' menu is a mix of comfort and recovery food: Beef Rendang with nasi impit, its tender richness complemented by the compressed rice; Soto Ayam, a flavourful broth brimming with shredded chicken and rice vermicelli, perfect after a long run.
Regulars find comfort in their Mushroom, Spinach and Beef Bacon Quiche, paired with a side salad, while the Beef Stroganoff with creamy mash soothes those who've burnt a week's worth of calories in one morning.
And for plant-based eaters? Their beloved Lontong awaits, an aromatic vegetable stew with compressed rice. Also, don't miss their Nutty Smoothie, a creamy blend of peanut butter, banana, vanilla paste, oat milk and yoghurt, finished with a granola crunch.
Lontong (left). Nutty Smoothie (right). — Pictures courtesy of Trailside Treats
Lee shares, 'To me, community means people who lift each other up — whether it's during a tough ultra-run or just starting out on the trails. We're more about growing friendships and helping people than growing our brand.'
That ethos is backed by action — 'Every month we host a series of different events to support and grow our community,' Balmforth says — with collaborations with other running groups, wellness days, trail expos, and even a Hari Raya open house for their building neighbours.
Mushroom, Spinach and Beef Bacon Quiche (left). Beef Stroganoff (right). — Pictures courtesy of Trailside Treats
A recent highlight was a Women's Trail Day Run with the International Trail Running Association (ITRA), attracting many first-time trail runners.
While the café was created with active folks in mind, it's far from exclusive. Balmforth says, 'There is no reason why so-called 'casual' visitors can't join us – we have good food, good drinks – you don't need to be an athlete to enjoy that.'
A book swap and a variety of health and wellbeing events keep things inclusive. Families from nearby preschools, building tenants and event attendees have become regulars too.
Lee adds, 'Despite being intentional in focusing on customers with active lifestyles as our primary market, we also ensure that we build a warm and inviting space for the casual café customer to walk in and enjoy our delicious smoothies and food.'
Running a café on top of full-time jobs and daily training might seem challenging, but the pair have their systems.
The recent Women's Trail Day Run (left). Building a community at their café (right). — Pictures courtesy of Trailside Treats
Lee believes in redefining the concept of balance. He explains, 'To me, balance means constantly doing things that give me energy. I could spend entire weekends at the cafe, or switching off and recovering in solitude, whichever gives me energy.'
He adds, 'Business wise, we believe in hiring the right people to deliver the results and pay above market-rate to attract the right talent.'
For Balmforth, routine and consistency — even with a hectic travel schedule — are non-negotiable.
She puts it bluntly: 'If you want something so badly, you will make time. What if you woke up 30 minutes earlier, or didn't scroll on Instagram so much?'
Lee hopes their approach might inspire other F&B ventures. 'We've seen many cafés pop up and close down shortly after because it's such a competitive market, and would like to show that being different and focusing on a particular community is a sustainable strategy.'
At Trailside Treats, every plate and cup tells a story — of miles run, friends made, and the quiet satisfaction of good food enjoyed in good company.
Trailside Treats
G-3, Wisma Wim,
7, Jln Abang Haji Openg,
Taman Tun Dr Ismail, KL
Open Tue-Fri 8am-4pm, Sat 7am-3pm, Sun 7am-12pm, Mon closed
Instagram: @trailsidetreats_my
FB: @trailsidetreatsmy
