Located in SS4, Oregano Cafe is a cosy fusion restaurant created by an ice cream cafe by the name of Affogato.
Interestingly, though, Affogato is not in the Klang Valley area, but in Kuching, which is where the OG Oregano is still standing today.
Behind Oregano is Hamizan Zaidi (Mizan), who also hails from Kuching, Sarawak.
“Food has always been a big part of my life,” Mizan expressed. “I’ve always had a soft spot for cafes and how they create space for community and inspiration.”
Although his passion for cooking and baking has always been strong, he opted to study geological engineering.
Post-graduation, he began his career in construction, working as a project engineer for about a year.
But he soon realised that that construction just wasn’t something he could see himself doing in the long run. Thus, he decided to resign and start his first cafe in 2019.
A sweet start
His first cafe, named Affogato, opened its doors in April 2019.
“As a coffee and ice cream lover, I thought what better way to bring those two passions together? Affogato became a space where I could be creative, experiment with new baked goods, and rotate weekly specials,” he told Vulcan Post.
“Being able to do something I love while making a living out of it was the motivation I needed to start the business.”
From there, came Oregano Café. Established in 2021, the business was somewhat “forced” by the pandemic.
Given the uncertainty of that era, Mizan was rethinking his business model and realising that ice cream alone wasn’t sustainable. Thus, he started experimenting with more savoury offerings.
That naturally evolved into what is now Oregano.
Offering comfort food with a twist, Oregano’s signatures include fusion pastas that incorporate local ingredients such as bunga kantan, daging salai, gula apong, and more.
Dishes are developed inhouse, curated collaboratively with Mizan and his small but passionate kitchen team.
From Kuching to KL
After five years running his F&B brands in Sarawak, Mizan decided it was time to expand.
“Opening in KL was a big leap, but it felt necessary to grow,” he expressed.
After all, he had always dreamt of bringing the team’s story to a larger audience, and KL looked to be the perfect platform. Believing in their solid following that also included KL-based customers, Mizan felt validated to take the next step.
To kickstart Oregano, Mizan himself moved to KL, though he flies back to Kuching as often as he can. He does this in part to keep quality consistent across his outlets.
“Consistency is always a challenge, but we focus on clear SOPs, proper training, and a strong team culture,” he explained. “I make it a point to stay closely connected with both teams to ensure that our vision and values are felt throughout the entire operation, not just by the management.”
Consistency is key when it comes to quality as well as brand identity. However, even though both Oregano outlets offer fusion pasta, the menu does deviate slightly.
In the KL location, Oregano serves up Sarawakian dishes such as Sarawak Laksa and Mi Kolok, a wholesome reference to the business’ roots.
“We also adjust seasonal items depending on ingredient availability, as some items we use in Sarawak aren’t as easy to source in KL,” Mizan added.
Compared to Kuching, though, KL is much more fast-paced, competitive, and expensive. One big challenge for the team was figuring out how to stand out in a very saturated market.
“As a relatively unknown brand here, we had to learn quickly how to market ourselves and build relationships within the local scene. Financial pressure, especially post-pandemic, was very real,” he said.
To introduce their brand to a wider audience, the team has participated in events and pop-ups while collaborating with other brands.
And of course, they focus on doing what they do best—serving good comfort food with soul, maintaining a strong brand identity, and offering great service.
“We don’t try to be everything to everyone, which helps us stay grounded,” Mizan said.
Looking ahead
Especially due to the expansion, the Oregano team hasn’t quite arrived at its break-even point just yet. But Mizan reports that they’ve made steady progress and have been learning a lot along the way.
“The KL market is competitive and high-cost, but we’re confident that with the right strategy, especially around marketing, collaborations, and customer retention, we’ll get there one day,” he shared.
Looking ahead, the founder aims to stablise the KL outlet and build stronger brand visibility. From then onward, he has dreams of expanding into the retail market by launching Oregano’s own line of sauces, spice blends, and ready-to-eat meals.
“The strategy is to stay resilient and by having a very solid team,” Mizan said.
Featured Image Credit: Oregano Cafe
