An Authentic Chinese NanYang Kopitiam

      In Southeast Asia, kopitiam can be found in everywhere especially in Malaysia. The word kopi is a Malay/Hokkien term for coffee and tiam is the Hokkien/Hakka term for shop (店). What food does a kopitiam offered are Nanyang kopi, Milo ( malted barley), charcoal grill toast with kaya (jam made from coconut, sugar and milk) and soft boil eggs.

    However, as the era of technology erupts, there are few new modern kopitiams start to spread in Malaysia. They use the fast food concept and served in more hygienic setting and modern look. However, these lost the traditional 'feel' of kopitiam.

     Today, I would like to introduce an old kopitiam in Kulai, Johor which may be gone as the time pass. This old shop is operated by an old spouse. They have retired but still insist to run this old kopitiam in order to spend their time. Thus, this whole shop is a bit old and less clean. But sometimes treasure is buried in this historical shop...

This historical kopitiam is located beside main road at Kulai and beside the old kulai cinema which has been replaced by a housewares shop. 

The table and chair and even the cable switch are old fashioned.

Old style chair and table. You can see the vestige of time.

     What food that you must be try here is their charcoal grill toast which spread with kaya and butter. The toast is thin and crispy and enriched with thick kaya and butter. In addition, you should order the soft boil eggs which will be served in a cup. This is special because most of the kopitiam will serve the soft boil eggs in plate and you have to crack the egg shells by yourself. It is hot sometimes. But this kopitiam will ready the eggs inside a cup and served it hot. You just need to put pepper and soy sauce and drink it! You may also dip the toast into the soft boil eggs which generates another taste!

     Another special thing of this kopitiam is you can get a nasi lemak or malay cuisine here! There is a malay stall here! So you can see some malay customers here. This shows the unity of a multi-racial country. We can see that this malay lady is helping this old spouse to running the business. We find mutual care and love here. We ordered nasi lemak from the malay stall. Nasi lemak is common and well-known in malaysia. The rice is made from coconut milk and pandan. The element of nasi lemak is the sambal (a spicy chili sauce) which determine a nice nasi lemal except the rice. This stall nasi lemak has a fragrant and spicy sambal which is good enough. The fried anchovy also crispy and salty. Just the rice need a bit improvement.Overall, this is a quite good nasi lemak. 

     Besides the food, the main character comes into play now--nanyang kopi. You can order white coffee or black coffee (aka kopi-O). Here, both also not so nice. It is too sweet.... But if compare for both, kopi -O here is better. 

Nasi lemak.

kopi O and toast.

soft boil eggs and kopi O and toast is the best combo.

     Have your breakfast in this small old cafe if you have the time.

Adress: Sun Bee Bee Kopitiam
            Besides Kulai main road and old cinema, same row as old Kulai police station.