Nov 27, 2024
While Malaysia is not short of coffee shop chains, few are as popular as Oriental Kopi.
The brand, which was first established in 2021, currently has 14 outlets and two merchandise stores scattered across Johor Bahru, Kuala Lumpur and Selangor.
And now, it has expanded out of Malaysia to have its first overseas outlet in Singapore.
The 100-seater eatery is located at the bustling Bugis Junction and will open its doors to the public on Wednesday (Nov 27).
While I've never dined at Oriental Kopi myself, I've heard plenty of good reviews from friends who frequent Malaysia.
So, I was eager to see for myself how good the food and drinks were.
The Singapore and Malaysia menus are exactly the same, so you can enjoy the establishment's classics regardless of which side of the Causeway you're at.
We were also told that the outlet's chefs in Singapore had been sent to Malaysia for training to ensure that the quality of food and drinks would be maintained.
Here, you have to try the eponymous Oriental Kopi (from $2), a full-bodied Nanyang-style brew made from a "golden ratio" of top-quality Arabica, Robusta and Liberica beans.
Diners can enjoy this hot or cold — we got the iced version ($3.50), which was extremely aromatic.
Another recommended drink we had was the iced Oriental Mocha ($4.80), which was a blend of coffee and chocolate.
I much preferred this to the Oriental Kopi thanks to the chocolatey elements.
One of Oriental Kopi's must-try menu items is the award-winning Signature Egg Tarts (two pieces for $5.20, six pieces for $15.60).
These are handmade with premium French butter and have even been lauded in the Malaysia Book of Records for the Thickest Egg Tart and the Most Number of Egg Tarts Sold.
In general, there are two types of egg tarts — Portuguese-style with a flaky pastry crust and Hong Kong-style with a shortcrust pastry shell.
Oriental Kopi's rendition is Portuguese-style, which I much prefer.
While I really enjoyed the custard, which was silky and subtly sweet, I found the pastry crust a tad too soft for my liking.
However, my dining companion and colleague thoroughly enjoyed the pastry and finished her share despite being full.
Another popular snack is the Oriental Polo Bun ($4.60), which comes served with a slab of cold butter and a small glass of condensed milk.
According to Oriental Kopi, the buns have earned themselves a spot in the Malaysia Book of Records for Most Number of Polo Buns Sold.
And I can see why because when you combine the butter and condensed milk with the crisp buns, it's a sinful match made in heaven.
A coffee shop isn't complete without kaya toast, and we got to try the Traditional Double Butter Kaya Toast ($2.60 for two slices).
This was another indulgent snack thanks to the slabs of butter and fragrant homemade kaya wedged between the crisp toasted bread.
My only gripe was that the sliced bread was a tad too thick for my liking, but that's more of a personal preference.
Oriental Kopi doesn't just have snacks and drinks — it sells main dishes too.
I ordered the Oriental Fried Chicken Meat Mee Siam ($9.50), which came with fried chicken, a runny egg and cucumber slices atop a bed of stir-fried bee hoon.
I'll admit that I was a tad disappointed by the noodles, which were a little bland. However, the fried chicken was excellent and well marinated.
On the other hand, my colleague ordered the Oriental Signature Nasi Lemak ($9.50) and we both agreed that this was one of our favourite dishes out of the lot.
It was a simple plate of nasi lemak featuring rice, a piece of fried chicken, peanuts, ikan bilis, sambal, sliced cucumber and an egg.
But all the different elements were prepared well, especially the crispy fried chicken — I couldn't stop eating it!
If you want to enjoy a piece of Oriental Kopi from the comfort of your home, you can do so by purchasing something from its extensive range of merchandise.
This includes boxes of coffee, tea and hot chocolate ($6.50 to $8.20), bottles of nasi lemak sambal ($5.50) and bottles of traditional kaya ($3.50).
There are also instant packets of the brand's traditional pan mee ($1.80 to $2.30).
As someone who enjoys Malaysian-style coffee shop food, overall, Oriental Kopi's first Singapore outlet has lived up to my expectations.
I do feel that the menu items are a tad pricey. That said, the price range is about the same as some other popular coffee-shop chains here.
And if you don't have the time to cross the border and get your fix, this would be a great solution.
Address: 50 New Bugis St, #02-50, Singapore 188021
Opening hours: 10am to 10pm
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