Guan's Kopitiam Gaya Street — Restaurant in Borneo

There’s no pork served here. I believe their concept is similar to the famous Oriental Kopi, hence the variety of food and beverages offered. We went there for lunch and had to wait for a while since it was lunchtime, but luckily, the wait wasn't too long.

FOOD: 🍚 I ordered the Nasi Lemak Rendang Chicken - the rice was fragrant, and the chicken was very tender.

My grandpa and my staff ordered the Nasi Lemak Curry Chicken. I tried the curry chicken, and while the curry was very thick, in my opinion, it lacked some flavor. Nevertheless, it paired nicely with the nasi lemak.

BEVERAGE: ☕️ I only had plain water, so I can’t comment on the beverages. My grandpa had hot Kopi O, which was very strong, but I think the cup could be bigger. (But since it’s vintage style cup so I think it’s okay ~ Very nostalgic juga kan) My staff had soya cincau, which he said was nice. I heard this is one of their signature or most famous beverages. Will give it a try next time.

People who can't handle spicy food might find the sambal too hot, but I found it very flavorful. As for the portion size of the rice, it was my usual portion, but people with bigger appetites might find it not enough for them.

ENVIRONMENT: 🪑 The place has AC so don’t worry about the panas gila weather okay ! ; I understand that stools might save space, but I hope they provide more chairs with backrests, which would be friendlier for the elderly. My grandpa's legs aren't as strong as they used to be, so having a toilet downstairs (instead of only upstairs) would be more convenient for the elderly.

Gaya Street has become more popular recently with the visit of many foreigners, especially tourists from China and Korea. You’ll definitely see many of them visiting this shop.

Here comes a TMI 😂 I mentioned I was there with my grandpa and a staff member (actually,our driver) right? I'm mixed (Chinese and local), my grandpa is local, and my staff is Malay. Originally, my staff mentioned having his lunch on his own so I could have more food options. But I was fine with not having pork for lunch, so I invited him to join us at Guan's (Muslim friendly,which he’s okay with) I noticed that many eyes (especially from the foreigners haha) were on us, probably wondering what our relationship was, as we all looked different 🤣 Haha peace bah ! ✌🏻

Thanks for reading this review - including this TMI if you made it to...

I was at the Kota Kinabalu outlet of this popular restaurant, which is apparently a sister outlet to the original one on Sutera Avenue. Though the food menu and gravitas of the food prep is similar to the first, with items such as the egg mayo croissant and the famous Mamak mee, the dining experience at this one is very different with regard to atmosphere.

The Sutera Harbour outlet is still my favorite because of the vibe — and its Kaya butter croissants, delicious and crispy, are great in the laid-back family-friendly space. Alas, the Kota Kinabalu outpost caters heavily to tourists, so the ambience is less relaxed and more high-energy fabulous for international visitors. Take, for example, the loud music blasting in the background that make one wonder if one is at a lively bistro or bar rather than a sit-down place to eat, with the beat and volume much more appropriate for such a setting. Families or anyone looking for a quiet meals may find the noise levels to be overwhelming.

That said, I give credit to the staff for their professionalism — they are attentive, courteous and speedy in meeting diners’ needs. But for those who are keen to experience the delicious offerings of “Guan,” I recommend prioritizing the Sutera Avenue location for its attractive balance of ambiance and local charm. This branch can attract diners craving a buzzing vibe, but it lacks for those who appreciate peacefulness or meaningful conversation during meals. 😠 A strong choice for delicious food and impeccable service, but ambiance inclinations will determine...

Guan's kopitiam, just went there recently. What i can say is kudos to the staff for the happy greeting when i came in and exit the premise. I was welcomed with happy smile and greetings.

I ordered some 3 layer tea, some peanut butter toast, nasi lemak, and some creamy sambal fettucine pasta.

For the 3 layer tea, you get a mild taste compare to any indian restaurants. But it is acceptable for a kopitiam as it suits the chinese people palate (not being racist, im half-chinese, okay?).

For the nasi lemak, hmmmm.. doesn't taste authentic cz they put something in the rice that doesn't belong in the rice (something off-putting,cilantro-like taste). The sambal is too bland but too spicy that u don't even taste anything except the burns🤣)

For the sambal fettucine pasta, what do you expect when i said the sambal is too spicy? IT FREAKING BURNS🔥🔥🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣... They add some creamy stuff and put the fettucine and mushrooms (shitake and enoki if I'm not mistaken). you can call it a fusion food, but its quite pretentious for a kopitiam.

The only thing i can say good is the peanut butter toast, makes it a good kopitiam.

My take on this, don't be tempted to take anything other than a regular kopitiam food and simple food. Be sure to ask if its spicy or not(I didn't 🌚).

Overall, good job Guan's Kopitiam! Keep up...