This term “color blind” is used affectionately because the cafe is is known to welcome a highly diverse, multiracial crowd of diners who all comes together to enjoy huge portions of comforting local comfort food at a very budget-friendly price point. As a person born in the 1950s, I can still remember the “color blindness” underwent a major ideological shift during the 1970s - 1980s, transitioning from a radical civil rights ideal into a mainstream political strategy. Originally, envisioned by the 1960s activists as a way to ensure legal equality by ignoring race, the concept was adopted by 1970s and 1980s to oppose race-conscious policies. In a nutshell, the 1970s and 1980s served as a critical battleground where the meaning of a “color blind society” was redefined.
The connection between “color-blindness” and my former colleague of the 80s, entrepreneur Roger Leong, who's the owner of Strawberry Fields Cafe is a metaphor for racial harmony, rather than a physical vision impairment. The cafe - which originally started in Petaling Jaya (PJ) back in 1988 and has since expanded to Cyberjaya - prominently features a sign indoors that states, “We are color blind”. It is nice place, ambience, good food and friendly staffers.
My wife, Zarina & I are mesmerized with the cafe is heavily themed around The Beatles (referencing their 1967 song Strawberry Fields Forever), hence, the deco filled with this iconic band of the 1960s. The owner, Roger's “color-blind” message is a direct reflection of social harmony ideal of that nostalgic era. We noticed the sign perfectly mirrors the multi-racial, diverse crowds of Malaysians and foreigners who gather at the cafe to share delicious meals.
The cafe covers an extensive variety of classic local profiles, and absolute crowd-favorite from smoky wok-tossed street noodles to rich, creamy rice sets.
I understand during their peak lunch hours, they frequently offer special lunch menus which conveniently include a complimentary drink. This makes it an incredibly popular hotspot for university students & international corporate professionals looking for high-quality, halal certified, filing meals in Cyberjaya.
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