Kopitiam — Restaurant in New York

What a fun! Find here below. Chinatown.

Looking for a late night bite, but wanted to get something more unique, we found this place after a search in a long walk. I've had Malaysian food many times and love it. But you never know what you're going to get out of your place.

I walked in to its simple decor and surroundings. Nothing especially concerning, but yet nothing especially alluring. There was a cute little light on the sidewalk outside that showed the restaurant name.

Ordering is at the counter instead of at the table. That was unexpected. But that's typically a sign of just a simple place. And the New York City I can do with some simple places.

Haven't eaten Malaysian food before even in Malaysia on several occasions, I didn't recognize a single item on the menu. I was a little surprised and concerned but read descriptions carefully and picked a few dishes.

It's open seating, so I picked a seat at the end of a large table with a number and waited for my food. They quickly prepared it and brought it out. We had some stir fry beans, we had a soup dish with noodles and anchovies and some other wonderful vegetables, I may have a rice dish also with some stir fried anchovies and some wonderful seasonings I forget.

First bite of the beans, incredible. I soon begin gorging on these wonderful beans sauteed in a fish sauce/ anchovy sauce/ some of the yumminess. It was divine.

I moved to the rice and cucumber stir fry dish. The cucumbers were chilled, the stir fry was in the middle, with a couple sliced eggs and a coconut flavored rice. Mix it up and just again excellent.

Then I moved to my suit that had noodles, spinach, some stir-fried anchovies I believe in some other deliciousness. How can a simple looking food be so amazing.

In the end, I left wanting more. I was actually completely stuffed but almost ordered a second bowl of a three bean stir fry. That was how good this obscure dish was for me.

In the end, I always ask myself one question. Would I go back again? The answer is absolutely. I would love to go back again and again and again. Unfortunately this is far from my place, but Malaysian food once again absolutely is divine.

PS Unfortunately I forgot to grab pictures before we ate because I was so hungry. But you can see we thoroughly enjoyed it. I do have a picture of the dessert which was different and fun. The main dish was better than the...

I'm picky about my Malaysia food, having grown up with the good stuff. Kopitiam always seemed to garner mixed reviews at best, so I kind of avoided the spot until recently, when a friend wanted to meet her new long distance beau and he picked Kopitiam to be judged, juried and (potentially) executed.

I wish I could say we had a merry time, but it was a weird night. Mostly because HE was weird.....and brand new to Malaysian food, which made it just so much more painful for me (I hate playing tour guide/translator when I haven't offered to do so).

But I digress. You didn't come here for my tea. You came for tea on Kopitiam.

The good:

Kaya Butter Toast: Properly thick and large, with tons of delicious kaya

Nasi Lemak: Of course I've had better in the motherland, but for NYC, this hit all the right notes of coconut rice, plenty of ikan bilis, and tasty a sambal

Pan Mee with soup: Could've used more noodles, but the friedn anchovies were popping, and the broth was umami-tastic

Sambal Sauteed Water Spinach: What can I say, Asians just do veggies better. Get this when you need to see some green on your plate

Ondeh Ondeh: Hard to find and definitely worth the effort, so make sure to come early to hedge your bets. Then enjoy that sweet, sweet mochi-like texture with glorious palm sugar filling

Honeycomb Cake: Moist and decadent without being too sweet

Penang-Style Hand-Rolled Muah Chee: Made to order, but worth it if you've never experienced the glory of warm ground peanuts and sesame seeds served in chewy pieces. Mmmm, my childhood....

The Okay:

Otak Otak: Spicy grilled fish "quiche", but not quite aromatic enough and a bit dry

Malaysian Style Half Boiled Eggs: I like mine saltier

Oh Chien: Not bad, but needed way more oyster

Pandan Chicken: No pandan flavor + oversalted chicken + dry meat = I regret choosing this as a last-minute add-on

All in all, I liked Kopitiam more than I expected. Can't wait to go back without having to entertain a insular white guy who can't use chopsticks just because he's...

The Lower East End of New York City is home to a gem of a restaurant that I simply can't resist every time I'm in the city: Kopitiam. This eatery specializes in Malaysian street food and Nyonya cuisine, which I absolutely adore.

My first visit was in April 2022, during a time when Covid protocols were still in place. I opted for takeout and enjoyed a variety of dishes in my hotel room. From the classic nasi lemak to the lesser-known oh chien (Malaysian-style oyster omelette) and Nyonya specialties like loh bak and petai. Each dish was prepared with great care and transported me straight back to Malaysia with its authentic flavors.

My second visit fell over Thanksgiving of 2022, and I had to order the Malaysian classic, char koay teow. This stir-fried flat rice noodle dish with Chinese sweet sausage and blood clams is world-renowned, but it's hard to find an eatery that uses blood clams. I was overjoyed to discover that Kopitiam did, and it was a match made in heaven. The belachan wings were another standout item, and the fermented shrimp paste really elevated the dish to another level.

My most recent visit to Kopitiam was just two weeks ago when my friend and I spontaneously decided to explore Chinatown. We stumbled upon Kopitiam and decided to give it a go once again. This time, we indulged in the Milo French toast, kaya toast, pulut inti, and of course, oh chien. Every dish was mouthwatering, but we both agreed that the oh chien stole the show. The Milo French toast was a unique and delightful twist on a classic dish, and the Kaya toast came with a generous amount of the custard.

I highly recommend checking out Kopitiam's website for their daily rotating specials, like the current feature of assam laksa and chee cheong fun that I'm dying to try. Additionally, their selection of kuih, traditional Nyonya pastries, is just as impressive and delicious. Needless to say, I'm already planning my next visit...