A “kopitiam” is a traditional Chinese coffee shops selling food and drinks at a very economical price. Although nowadays, many young people prefer eating in air-con shopping malls and chain franchised stores, this much beloved institution is still the most popular place when it comes to eating among Malaysian.
Kopitiam (literally means “coffee shop” in Hokkien, the local Chinese dialect) is found in almost every street of all Malaysian towns and cities wherever there are shophouses. In fact wherever there are newly completed shophouses (and there are literally thousands in and around Kuching) the first shops that open for business are usually the kopitiams. Most kopitiams have the word “Cafe”, and for the big ones “Food Court” or “Food Centre”, on their sign boards.
A traditional kopitiam in an old shop in the old part of Kuching city.
Many kopitiams found in the old part of Kuching like Padungan Road, Market Road, Carpenter Street etc. are very traditional as they have been around for decades ( sometimes ownership may change, and may not always end with the owners’ children taking over), and are thus dark, dinghy and humid and may not score high marks for hygiene, but it gives the place a “character” and often serve very good food. Whereas those in the suburbs of Kuching, especially those “new wave” kopitiams are much bigger, brighter, with modern furnitures and platoons of uniformed waiters/waitresses and definitely much cleaner looking.
Some food centre are so huge that they spill over the walkway and into open spaces. This is one of the largest open-air food places in Kuching.
For many locals, patronising kopitiam is a daily ritual for meeting up with friends for social chats, appointment with clients, meeting colleagues for breakfast before going to work, lunch break, buying a take-away for dinner etc. Indeed, kopitiam is the venue where gossips are exchanged, secrets revealed, problems poured out, conspiracy theories hatched and deals done.
Black coffee (with or without sugar)
Tea or teh -c (with or without sugar)
Ice lemon tea (usually with sugar. Great on a hot afternoon)
Next: Glossary of the various types of drinks to order in Kuching’s kopitiam. The two most common ordered beverages in the kopitiam:-
COFFEE
Kopi Coffee with sweeten condensed milk
Kopi – o Black Coffee with sugar
Kopi – o kosong Black coffee without sugar
Kopi – c Coffee with evaporated milk
Kopi – c kosong Coffee with evaporated milk without sugar
The above are all hot drink, if you want an ice version, just add the word “peng” at the end, e.g. kopi – o peng means iced black coffee with sugar(syrup).
TEA
Teh Tea with sweetened condensed milk
Teh – o Tea with sugar only
Teh – o kosong Tea with no sugar or milk
Teh – c Tea with evaporated milk and sugar
Teh – c kosong Tea with evaporated milk and no sugar
Ice Lemon Tea Ice Tea with several slices of lemon
Teh – c peng special Ice tea with evaporated milk and palm sugar. An original Kuching kopitiam concoction and a must try when in Kuching. A special flavour that gives Starbucks a run for its money.
