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Kopitiam Style
Delicious Kaya @ Kiah Hong Coffee Shop, Madras Lane
Apr 28th
After hearing so much about Madras Lane‘s famous kaya (coconut jam) I purposely went to search for it and now I know Kiah Hong coffee shop is the kopitiam that serves this traditional spread. I thought it was going to be difficult to find the coffee shop, as there was not much being mentioned about this famous kaya except its street name in Penang.
If you travel along Macalister Road often and did not know about this coffee shop, well we are in the same boat. Because Kiah Hong is fronted by trees making it quite hidden from sight and not really noticeable especially if you’re driving.
Here, two slices of toasted bread spreaded with margarine and their very own kaya, two half boiled eggs and a cup of coffee cost RM3.60. A reasonable price if you ask me.
Kiah Hong uses crust-less Bengali bread for the toasts, known for its fluffiness. Although the toast slices are quite thick, it was nicely toasted and still felt crunchy all over. A spoonful of castor sugar is also given at the side of the plate to dip the toast with and one bite instantly brought back the childhood memories. With that said, do kids nowadays still use lunch box, inside containing peanut butter or butter sandwich with castor sugar? I doubt so lol.
Kopi Time Kopitiam @ Atria Shopping Centre, Damansara Jaya
Dec 3rd
Just when you thought there couldn’t be more Kopitiams, new ones are coming up every now and then. It could only mean one thing, yum cha is Malaysians’ favorite past time, and Kopitiam business is still a growing business in Malaysia.
Some of my friends like to yum cha a lot, and they go Kopitiam hopping around frequently. And one of their recommendations is Kopi Time at Atria Shopping Center for the toasts. By the way the Kopitiam’s name is quite catchy.. Anytime someone asks “Hey what time is it?” You can simply say “It’s Kopi Time!” lol lame joke. Anyway, good yum cha place must be shared right?
The main reason the toasts are popular is because Kopi Time doesn’t stinge on the butter and the breads are charcoal toasted (located next to the counter), which gives it a nicer fragrance. It’s a no-brainer really. Just make sure your toasts are generously coated with butter and kaya, reasonably priced and the crowd will come on their own.
Usually I won’t want to blog about Kopitiams, because I feel they are way too commercialized and the food quality deteriorates with every new franchise opened. But I will make an exception for Kopi Time. Besides, I think this place is well known among the locals but not featured on food blogs prominently enough yet.
Roast Pork Roll with Apple Sauce @ Yut Kee Restaurant
Nov 15th
If there’s any coffee shop in KL that I think is a must visit, it has to be Yut Kee Restaurant, said to be the oldest surviving Hainanese Coffee Shop (since 1928!) For over 80 years it has served at least four generations of KL-ians. Many working people still make a quick stop at this coffee shop every morning for their traditional cakes, bread and coffee for breakfast. It is most crowded during weekends when families come here for breakfasts or brunch.
The famous Hainanese Chicken Chop, Roti Babi, half boiled egg and toasts aside, what makes Yut Kee even better is their Roast Pork Roll that sells only for two days in a week – Fridays and Sundays from 11am to 1pm only.
The Roast Pork Roll in its full glory. Notice that there is stuffing unlike the traditional Chinese Roast Pork.
I am pretty sure you can buy them in 1 full roll for special occasions and parties. I was told that previously they only had this for Chinese New Year. Realizing there is a strong demand for their Roast Pork Roll, they decided to make it available on normal days too.
The meat used is well marbled, leaner and contains very little fat. Gotta love the roasted pork skin’s crunchiness that makes crackling sound in your mouth. And I almost didn’t believe the crispness it exhibited when the skin detached from the meat so easily with little effort.
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Traditional Toast Set @ Toast Box, Pavilion
Jun 25th
I have been eyeing to try Toast Box for a long time because it has managed to attract a beeline of customers constantly. Unlike J.Co, where the queue dies off after the donut craze went down. Besides, their toasts looked really tempting because they prepare them openly. Good tactic to create buzz and attract customers.
Anyway, this thought of trying remained as a thought for a long time, and I never even thought of queing for it. Why? Simply because I was put off by the crowd. I never liked crowded places, especially if it’s a restaurant. Remember my Foh San experience?
But one morning I was at Pavilion for some business and noticed there were very little customers at Toast Box. So, what better opportunity to have their toasts as my breakfast. There were a couple of sets available but I was particularly attracted to the Traditional Toast Set @ RM6.80. Click here to continue reading >
Lamb Curry with Rice @ Kluang Station, Ikano Power Center
Jan 8th
Was doing some shopping alone at Ikano Power Center not long ago and settled for a quick lunch at Kluang Station. Of course, I did some homework (looking at what other bloggers’ reviews) before that, just to know what’s good and bad.
Apparently the Hainanese Chicken Chop was one of the popular items. But, I didn’t order it because it was widely panned for its not-so-traditional Hainanese style and mediocre taste. Do you see the influence of food blogs now? If what they said is true then I’ve just saved myself from a disappointing meal. But, if the critics are wrong then I would have missed out on a good chicken chop.
Bukit Mertajam OldTown Kopitiam
Dec 5th
This is probably old news but Oldtown Kopitiam finally opened a branch in Bukit Mertajam 大山脚. The kopitiam is big and may be the 2nd largest branch in Penang. I think OldTown Kopitiam at New World Park remains as the largest.
Big leh? There’s a multi-storey car park above it. The location is a new business park with many new houses coming up in the surrounding area. I’ve been to this kopitiam a couple of times and find it a really nice and relaxing place to hangout and yamchar.
