Ipoh Old Town White Coffee

THE LOCATION:
The city of Ipoh is located about 200 km north of Kuala Lumpur. Journey through the North South Expressway (NSE or PLUS Highway) takes a breezy 2 1/2 hours through scenic rolling valleys, palm oil plantations and limestone hills of Peninsula Malaysia. Distances from other major cities: Penang(2 hours), Johor Bharu (6 hours), Singapore(6 1/2 hours) and Kuantan(5 hours).

The Old Town Kopitiam is located on Jalan Tun Sambanthan in Ipoh Old Town, or you can simply get to Ipoh Padang and look for this eating joint. It is hard to miss the signboard at the entrance.

DESCRIPTION:
Hardcore kopitiam connoisseurs will swear by at least three coffee shops that serve the country's best cuppa - Kemaman Hai-Peng Kopitiam, Kluang Railway Station Kopitiam and Ipoh Old Town Kopitiam. In honesty, little would differentiate between any of these (or others that I may not know of). They indeed serve fabulous coffee, just like Starbucks or Coffee Beans. Except that the laid-back old-world ambience cannot be found in modern coffee joints. To me, that is the biggest difference.

First, let me start with the culture of kopitiam. Yes, it is a culture whether we Malaysians like it or not. The word kopitiam originates from Chinese dialects which means "a coffee house" or "kedai kopi" in Malay. Kopitiam culture does not revolve on the mere physical existence of these age-old coffee shops. Rather, the act of getting together with friends and families, gossiping and telling life stories with a shot of caffeine fix pretty much signifies what kopitiam-ing is all about. There was a TV sitcom by that name that ran for a few seasons, and when a web forum has a thread under "Kopitiam" section, it usually means "anything goes".

So there, the whole shebang of kopitiam culture in Malaysia. Let me now throw away the whole political and social anecdotes, and begin the wholesome journey of really great food at Old Town Kopitiam. First, the kopitiam is beautifully located inside a renovated pre-war shop houses. Its exterior has been repainted while the internal is tastefully decorated with charming fixtures that really bring back the memory of the good old times. Actually, I went here twice, just for the food. Yes, it was that good.

Ordering a cup of the fabled Ipoh White coffeeis a given, except if that person does not drink coffee at all. The brewed white coffee comes in frothy milk topping and it is tastefully sweetened. The feeling is sensational, really. In general, white coffee is a unique blend of the finest Liberica, Arabica and Robusta beans, and premium grade non-dairy creamer.