GOASIAPLUS January 2018

Kopitiam Culture
I
used to hear my father calling out loud, “Kopi O Kau” (strong brewed coffee) to the waiter
every time he visited the kopitiam (coffee shop) when I was young. With three cups of “Kopi O
Kau” daily, it is not surprising my 82-year old father is known as the “Kopi O King” among his
friends. Today, he is probably one of the old generation of coffee connoisseurs who still prefer
the authentic black coffee over the frothy-textured one.
“I still love the original black Kopi O Kau compared to what you young people love. Latte,
cappuccino and now what… frappuccino?” he teased me as I told him I will be whipping up a
story on kopitiam culture.
Sharing his sentiment is Lee Chew Boey who manages the renowned Sin Hoy How Kopitiam
in Kuala Lumpur. “Your father is right. My old customers love the original black coffee while the
younger ones will go for the frothy coffee or cappuccino,” she says.
Sin Hoy How Kopitiam was established in 1937 by her father, Lee Kah Kiat and it is now one
of the few surviving authentic kopitiams in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. After taking a sip of the
kopitiam’s signature drink, “Kopi O Kau”, I must admit it is the finest full-bodied smooth coffee
I have ever tasted. There is no better way to unlock the story of kopitiam with Lee Chew Boey
while enjoying the intoxicating aroma and real taste of “Kopi O Kau” itself.
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT The
spread of local cuisine at Sin
Hoy How; The exterior of
Sin Hoy How; Fresh ground
coffee prepped to pack;
The fully packed coffee
powder; Coffee served in
traditional tea cups; Coffee
strained directly from the
flannel sock strainer.
KOPITIAM CULTURE
Kopitiam is part of the rich culture and history
of Malaysia. Waking up to a cup of coffee with
a toast of kaya and butter, and half-boiled
eggs has been the daily morning ritual of
Malaysians everywhere.
The history of kopitiam can be traced
back in the late 18th century with the influx
of Chinese immigrants to Malaya. As they
mingled with the locals and the Europeans,
they gradually developed a love for coffee and
thus, kopitiam was born.
Soon, kopitiams flourished and became
the place for the community to hang out, from
playing chess to spending hours chit-chatting
about politics and other issues.
LEGACY CONTINUES
With more foreign coffee franchises such as
Starbucks, Coffee Bean and others making
their presence felt, one would have easily
thought the kopitiams will not survive.
But today, the old kopitiams are given a
new lease of life, even turning into franchises
like Old Town White Coffee, Kluang Station,
Uncle Lim’s Café and many more.
For Sin Hoy How Kopitiam, it still
preserves its coffee authenticity. “We still use
the old boiler and flannel sock to make our
coffee. In fact, we still have our own brand
of coffee powder. Best of all, our kopitiam is
family-run and not another franchise,” Lee
Chew Boey says with a proud smile.
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