Calling all Medan WFC crew! This cafe has god-tier internet, but the service is also 'god-tier'. Dare to enter?
qponx
2026-03-06
Attention, Medan WFC crew! Fantastic Cafe offers god-tier internet, a comfy modern vibe, and a rare air-conditioned smoking room. While the Chicken Katsu Curry is a must-try, be warned: the service is notoriously slow, with waits up to an hour for cold food. Inconsistent portions and other issues also mar the experience. It's a spot with extreme pros and cons—great for getting work done if you’re patient, but maybe skip it if you're actually hungry.
I was on a business trip in Medan recently, and a friend brought me to this place called Fantastic Cafe, saying it's perfect for people like me who are always running around with a laptop. To be honest, I didn't have high expectations for the WFC (Work From Cafe) scene in Medan, but... it's actually something special!
The moment I walked in, the AC instantly blocked out Medan's heatwave. So comfortable! The decor is a modern, minimalist style, clean and photogenic. Any random shot looks good. What I respect the most is that they actually have a separate, air-conditioned smoking room[1]! My fellow smokers, you finally don't have to sweat buckets while smoking outside. You can elegantly chill for a bit. This deserves a huge thumbs up. And the Wi-Fi is lightning fast; it's the most stable cafe network I've used in Medan[2]. Typing and uploading videos is a breeze.
Food: A pleasant surprise or a nasty shock?
I usually don't expect much from cafe food, but I was proven wrong. The few things I randomly ordered were surprisingly not bad at all:
- Chicken Katsu Curry[3]: This was truly Mantap! The curry was rich, and the chicken cutlet was fried to a perfect crisp. My friend said it was on par with what you'd get at a five-star restaurant, and after a bite, I have to agree.
- Sate Taichan[4]: The meat chunks were just the right size, grilled to perfection, and paired with the spicy and sour sauce, I couldn't stop eating them one after another.
- Malaka Creamy Coffee[5]: If you like sweet coffee, I recommend giving this one a try. The flavor of the Malacca palm sugar is very unique.
OK, enough with the good stuff, time to complain
The ambiance and most of the food were on point, but the service... Anjay, it really blew my mind. There weren't many people when we went, but we ended up waiting a full hour after ordering, and the food was cold by the time it arrived[6]. I'm speechless. I don't know what the kitchen was doing, were they catching the chicken on the spot?
Also, the value for money on some dishes was really bad. For example, their featured Chicken Maryland[7] was just a tiny piece of chicken when it came out. I felt like I was "reverse-recommended." The portion sizes are also a mystery; some dishes are huge, while others are pathetically small. Oh, and there were occasional flies buzzing around indoors[8]. The hygiene details really need improvement, hello!
Pitfall-avoidance guide, you're welcome!
For those of you who want to go, here's a summary in plain language:
All in all, this is a place with very prominent pros and cons. For the sake of that super-fast Wi-Fi and the air-conditioned smoking room, I might go back again, but I'll definitely bring my own snacks. 🤷♀️
- 1. Why go: Extremely suitable for WFC or just to Nongkrong and chat with friends. If you're in a hurry and want a proper meal, I'd advise you to think twice.
- 2. What to order: Go for the Chicken Katsu Curry and Sate Taichan without a second thought. If you want to try something new, give the Malaka Creamy Coffee a shot.
- 3. What to watch out for:
- Be mentally prepared and assume a minimum waiting time of 1 hour for your food.
- If you make a reservation, you might be assigned to a very small table, so be prepared for that.
- When you pay the bill, you must! MUST! check it carefully[9]! Some reviews mentioned they've been overcharged before.
- A dedicated AC smoking room? Total lifesaver! No more sweating under the Medan sun, just pure air-conditioned chill [1].
- Chicken Katsu Curry is a guaranteed win! Crispy chicken, rich curry—so good friends say it's 5-star restaurant quality [2].
- Medan's most stable Wi-Fi [3]! A lifesaver for remote workers. Type and upload videos with zero lag or buffering.
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