Old Town White Coffee

The “white” does not refer to the colour but the way the beans are roasted. With margarine, sans sugar.

Alongside the English language and democracy, the kopitiam (coffee shop) culture played a major part in the history of Malaya. Well, indirectly, I suppose. A meeting place for political exchanges, businesses and gossips, it was the Starbucks of yesteryears. The distinctive designs on the ceramic wares are still as relevant and attractive as ever but WiFi and ice-blended seem hippier these days.

In recent years, we have seen the mushrooming of upscale kopitiams, with names such as Uncle Lim, Pak Hailam and everything else avuncular. Others choose nostalgic phrases to trigger your soft spots. Creative indeed. However, quality is of another matter altogether.

One of the earliest companies that joined the kopitiam evolution was Old Town White Coffee, which started off producing 3-in-1 coffee mix, using the White Café recipe. These days, this popular joint has more than 80 franchises with one located in Singapore. Ok, enough of boring descriptions. Oh, and this is not an advertorial.

A cup of hot, White Coffee (RM2.20) to start off a Saturday morning is bliss. Rich and aromatic, it was a good. For an even denser taste, try the “Gao” version at the same price. A personal favourite is the Iced Hazelnut White Coffee (RM3.80). Aromatic and invigorating.

At RM5.50, the Curry Mee was rather small in size. The curry was mild, in terms of heat. Coconut milk was kept minimum and the curry leaves provided a nice aroma. Other ingredients such as chicken slices, beansprouts, long beans and fried tofu were minimal as well.

Again, the portions of Ipoh Hor Fun (RM5.50) and Asam Laksa (RM5.50) were small. While the Hor Fun was smooth and soft, the broth was rather light. Strands of chive gave a good contrast to the taste and texture but more would be appreciated. The sourish asam laksa fared better as it was slightly sweet. A few mackerel cuts and onion slices gave the dish an extra ooomph. A warmer and spicier version would have been better though.

The Ice Fire Polo Bun (RM2.50) sounded like an exciting fight scene from Kung Fu Panda. Cute and all, the warm, soft polo bun (the Fire, I suppose) and cold slice of butter (Ice lor) combination was nice. The bun's crust gave a tinge of sweetness as well.

What is a kopitiam experience without an order of the Kaya And Butter Toast (RM1.20 for single, RM2.30 for double)? Sweet and slightly salty, the toast was good. The fact that the toast was thin made it evenly soft and crispy. Try dipping it into the coffee for extra flavour. An old-skool act.

A special, the Golden Paratha (RM2.80) was simply a roti canai (prata) wrap with kaya and peanut butter sauce filling. Save for the rich and creamy kaya, the roti canai was rather chewy and obviously not made fresh. Pair the nice kaya with the authentic roti canai from a mamak stall and it’ll taste better. Much better.

The beverages were good. White coffee is indeed distinctive and divine. With a wide range of flavours available, I'm sure there will be one cuppa that pleases your tastebuds.

By the way, dearest hip youths of today, they provide WiFi as well. Check out the website for more information.

They often say go local. If the quality of everything else local is as good as this, I'm all game for it.

Old Town White Coffee
30, Block A, Plaza Sinar
Jalan 3/38D, Taman Seri Sinar
Segambut, Kuala Lumpur
Tel: (+603) 62733876
Website: http://www.oldtown.com.my