Kopitiam Lah — Restaurant in Bengaluru

Kopi means coffee in the Malay language, and tiam is the Hokkien word for shop. Hence, Kopitiam essentially translates to “coffee shop" and Lah is the most iconic word in Singlish, that is simply an expression used to add an emphasis after a statement. So Kopitiam Lah opened up in Namma Bengaluru, paying tribute to the Coffee houses of Malaysia introducing some authentic little-known delicacies from Malaysia, truly Asia. When I saw the Instagram post by acclaimed baker Joonie Tan on this new venture, I made plans to hit them up on the day of their launch for breakfast. After getting seated in a crowded launch day, I ordered my favourite Malaysian Breakfast set that I am very familiar with from my visits to South East Asia, a Kopi Breakfast set, that contained a Kaya Toast with a twist, a choice of coffee or Kopi and tea or Teh as they call it in these coffee houses with Soft Boiled Eggs. I picked up an iced coffee as my option and checked out the place that was refreshingly trying to transport you to Malaysia.

I did get to interact with Joonie, and she being a Malaysian understood my craving for authentic Malaysian food in namma ooru and offered me to try their egg tart to kickstart with while I waited for my breakfast set. The beautiful egg custard in a crispy layered pie shell was divine and gave me an instant confidence of being transported to Malaysia with their menu.

My breakfast set arrived while I started sipping the iced Kopi, that came in a bit earlier, that could have been a little more stronger. I am very familiar with the classic kaya, a coconut jam, made with eggs, believed to be created by the Hainanese immigrants to the straits of Malaysia in the early 19th century. The Kaya toast is usually a thin slice of wheat bread, charcoal grilled, smeared with this coconut jam, and served with a cold slice of butter in between. It is a heavenly breakfast, paired with soft boiled eggs and strong milk coffee, tea or iced milo.

Here in Kopitiam Lah, the bread is made inhouse with a fantastic kaya jam with pandan, that simply elevated this humble breakfast to a different league, still keeping it true to its roots. A simple sprinkle of pepper and a light pour of soy on the soft boiled eggs made a wonderful savoury dip that was creamy and simply stunning #apjprecommends

Another Singapore, Malaysian classic the curry puff was unfortunately not on the, but the bakery section had a whole host of cakes, and some puffs that I was about to pick up, but decided to walk upto the kitchen window and requested the chef if they can make it for me. The chef agreed and fried up a chicken curry puff fresh for me. It was hot, flaky, meaty with a surprising slice of boiled egg, and was absolutely fantastic. It cannot get any more authentic than this. Now with Kopitiam Lah here in Bangalore, I am really revisiting my planned trip to Malaysia next year. The entire staff were friendly, courteous, trying to accommodate requests on a busy launch day, definitely a thumbs up.

You do get a few Malaysian dishes here and there in some of the Pan Asian places, but Kopitiam Lah stands true to its name and has a whole host of Breakfast and Lunch menu just dedicated to Malaysian cuisine that deserves to be celebrated. Do check them out, as they are open for Breakfast and Lunch as early as 8 AM between Tuesdays to Sundays and I would recommend making a reservation before...

When Kopitiam Lah popped on my IG feed, I just had to have a taste of what I have been brought up on. It's just amazingly wonderful that there's hype around Malaysian cusine in Bangalore. Being a proud citizen of the country, I feel it's the best cuisine in the world, a flavour bomb combination of Malay, Chinese and Indian, nothing bland and everything that would appeal to the Asian pallete.

Had a bit of time off, made it to their amazingly well designed cafe, buzzing with what appeared to be folks who have definitely been to Malaysia and wanted to relive their food experience. The vibe matched any high scale cafe in KL.

I wanted to try their Char Kuay Teow, but sold out, no suprises. I went with my next favourite, 'the' Nasi Lemak. This is something we normally have for breakfast and for through the course of the day. I chose a Beef Rendang pairing.

The main highlight for any Nasi Lemak is the rice. The sambal and ikan bilis completes the dish, the protein sides are usually an add on. The Kopitiam Lah version is a good one and I polished the last grain on the banana leaf it was served on.

On a side note, hopefully my constructive feedback on this dish can make it better next time that I am around. The sambal would need the dry chilli paste to caramelize more to enhance the sweet notes, it had a tint of the rawness.A bit of the funk from the belachan was missing. The ikan bilis/anchovies had to be more salty and imported to bring the autenticity to the dish, it lacked the crispness as well as it appeared to be locally sourced. The rice in Malaysia is typically not a sticky rice version but more of a humble jasmine/local standard jeera sambar rice with elevated flavours of pandan, coconut milk and ginger.

The Rendang was good, the beef was tender and the flavours were on point. To take it to the next level, would have liked a bit of kerisik and stretched the caramelization a tad bit. This meal was a 3.5/5.

The Char Siu was spot on, tender pork belly, nice char and great favours of caramelized hoisin and five spice. This was a 5/5, would have liked more on my plate. Stellar!

The staff was amazingly sweet and took care of everything very seamlessly. It did feel like I was in KL, thank you! I noticed the head chef tasting the meals before it went out, keep it up!

I took some takeaways home for family, a mix Malaysian of deserts and cakes, they enjoyed it. Expecially my 4 year old niece who loved the Chiffon Pandan Cake.

I want this place to reach great heights and put Malaysian cuisine on the map. Will definitely come back to try out the CKT, Roti Canai and Laksa....

A Satisfying Experience with Room for Improvement at Kopitiam Lah

I recently visited Kopitiam Lah, a Malaysian restaurant, and had an overall enjoyable experience. While there were some hits, a few aspects left room for improvement, especially regarding portion sizes and consistency in cooking. Here's a detailed breakdown:

Drinks – Kopi Cola Steals the Show The Kopi Cola was undoubtedly the highlight of my visit. This unique drink struck the perfect balance between coffee and cola flavors. It was refreshing and innovative—a must-try for anyone visiting the restaurant.

Satay Beef – Flavorful but Inconsistent Cooking The satay beef was flavorful, but the portion size felt inadequate for the price. Moreover, the cooking consistency was off. While some pieces were perfectly grilled and tender, others were chewy and undercooked. This dish could shine with more attention to detail.

Wantan Mee Soup – A Mixed Bag The wantan mee soup had a comforting and delicious broth, but the rest of the dish didn't match its potential. The noodles were average, and the dish included only three chicken and duck balls. The duck flavor was almost imperceptible, leaving me wanting more. Again, the portion size felt too small for the price.

Char Kway Teow – A Standout Dish The char kway teow was absolutely perfect. The taste, presentation, and portion size were spot on, leaving no room for complaints. This dish truly encapsulated the rich and authentic flavors of Malaysian cuisine.

Kopi-C Tiramisu – Great Taste but Overpowering Top Layer The kopi-c tiramisu was a delightful end to the meal. While the overall taste was enjoyable, the coffee on top, although visually appealing, slightly overpowered the balance of flavors. A lighter touch with the coffee would enhance both the taste and presentation.

Service and Ambiance – Excellent and Inviting The service was impeccable—attentive and friendly. The ambiance of the restaurant was warm and inviting, making it a great spot for casual dining.

Suggestions for Improvement One noticeable issue was the portion sizes of certain dishes. The restaurant could consider offering two different portion sizes at varying price points. This would make the menu more flexible for different preferences.

Overall Verdict Kopitiam Lah offers an enjoyable dining experience with some standout dishes like char kway teow and kopi cola, but there’s room for improvement in consistency and portion sizes for certain items. A solid 3-star rating, with potential to become a favorite spot with...