Kopitiam Lah: How Joonie Tan brought Malaysian coffee shop culture to Bengaluru

Experience authentic Malaysian cuisine at Kopitiam Lah in Bengaluru, a cozy coffee shop capturing the essence of kopi tiams

Coffee shops or ‘kopi tiams’ in Malaysia are at the heart of the community. “You can see uncles reading newspapers in the mornings, with a slice of kaya toast and cups of coffee,” says Joonie Tan, who is from Malaysia, but is now based in Bengaluru. Malaysian cuisine is frequently seen on pan Asian menus in the country, but there are no dedicated restaurants. With an aim to bring this robust culture to the city, she started Kopitiam Lah, a Malaysian eatery and coffee shop. Located on 12th Main Indiranagar, the restaurant captures the hustle-bustle of these establishments. Over lunch, Joonie tells me about the exhaustive research that went into creating the restaurant and the story behind the dishes. 

I am charmed by the place as I walk in. A maneki neko (waving lucky cat doll) is on the bakery display, and tins of Milo are stacked at the coffee counter. Everything from the tiles on the floor to the wooden furniture and the crockery is custom made and true to the style of a kopi tiam.  There is a breakfast menu till 11.30am and then a lunch menu for the rest of the day. We take a seat just by the live kitchen. “My mom didn’t cook every day. So breakfasts before school were usually at a kopi tiam. Half boiled eggs, toast and coffee, and I’d be on my way to school,” reminisces Joonie, who also runs the popular bakery Lavonne with her husband, Vinesh Johny. 

For breakfast, they serve kaya toast, pancakes, steamed eggs (that come highly recommended). I would suggest the set breakfast option. The lunch menu has small plates like curry puffs, dumplings, and a main course of Malay staples. The head chef, David D’souza, used to work at Wabi Sabi at The Oberoi. To research and design this menu, he took numerous trips to Malaysia and even stayed with Joonie’s aunt for two weeks. Noted Malaysian chef Darren Teoh is also a consultant. 

What is kopi?

Malaysian coffee is distinctive. The classic kopi is sweetened with condensed or evaporated milk, while the kopi-o is served black. The beans are dark roasted, and have a complex flavour. The menu also has teh (tea made with condensed milk, that gives it a silky feel) and classic Milo, a beloved drink in SE Asia. I sip on a cup of piping hot teh, as Joonie orders specials from the menu. 

The first dish on the table is mama’s curry and roti canai. The hearty curry has chunks of potato, veggies and chicken in a coconut milk and curry leaf broth. The roti canai is the cousin of a Malabar parotta, layered and flaky. The dish is familiar and also unique. “Malaysian cuisine borrows a lot from South Indian food because of immigration,” Joonie informs me as I take a bite. 

Rojak is a salad that we don’t usually see on Indian menus. Fresh fruits like muskmelon, green apple, raw mango, and crispy crackers make up the salad. It is served with a tangy and sweet dressing of tamarind, shrimp paste and gula melaka, which brings the whole dish together. Of course, we try the nasi lemak with rendang. Pandan and coconut milk rice, served with an array of sides, and a spicy rendang is the star of the menu. One can choose from beef, chicken, jackfruit or fried chicken versions.