Kuala Lumpur Local Flavor

Kopitiams are traditional breakfast and coffee shops found scattered around Southeast Asia. Each country has its own variant of these cafes, which have survived and thrived despite the onslaught of Starbucks type chains.

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In Malaysia, kopitiams refer specifically to the coffee shops owned and/or frequented ethnically Chinese Malays. Thus, the food served at Kuala Lumpur’s kopitiams is Chinese, and is relatively simple items such as egg, toast, and kaya – a Malaysian condiment also known as ‘coconut jam’. The drinks served are coffee, tea and Milo, a popular milk based drink in Southeast Asia.

The recent arrival of chains such as Starbucks and Costa have had a nostalgic effect on the café culture of Malaysia. In an effort to counter the influence of outside chains, new, ‘modern’ kopitiams have cropped up that retain a degree of tradition while giving customers some much desired modernity.

One such kopitiam is the Hai Lam Kopitiam in Kuala Lumpur. Originally a Hainanese Chinese restaurant during the colonial era, this has been converted under the Goh family to a popular kopitiam. It advertises modernity (in the guise of free Wi-Fi) and comfort in a traditional atmosphere. All food is halal.

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A similar cultural treasure, open during the hours that a kopitiam is not, is the mamak stall. Its name came from the term for Indian Malays, ‘mamak.’ Today the popularity of these stalls has transformed the meaning of the word from perhaps a derogatory one to a culinary one.

Originally roadside stalls serving simple foods, mamak stands have too been bitten by the modernization bug. Now, there are mamak stalls in popular shopping centers and many have become stand-alone restaurants.

The stalls usually open at around 5pm, just in time for late afternoon tea, and stay open until the wee hours of morning. Because of its nocturnal nature, this is a favorite hangout for young people, many of whom come here after a night of partying.

In the early evening, however, traditional mamak stalls are frequented by older generations, those looking to catch up over a warm cup of tea. These more traditional stalls are not much more than a few plastic chairs and tables on a sidewalk, but the focus here is the atmosphere, not the décor.

The delicacies at these stalls are roti canai, a dish inspired by the Indian roti (bread), and sweet Indian tea. Mamak stalls can be found everywhere, but the best ones are arguably in Bangsar, a suburb in southwestern Kuala Lumpur.

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