Kopitiam

Delicious Malaysian snacks/​desserts for cheap!
Was just passing through LES when I recognized the name of this place from one of my Unilocal bookmarks. Truly a hole-​in-​the-​wall joint. Smaller than I expected — most people seemed to be getting items to-​go since seating was so sparse.
I just wanted a quick snack so I opted for the «pulut inti» for $ 3. The brown toasted coconut is all that initially visible, the rest sheathed within a banana leaf. When unraveled, the sweet blue rice is revealed. (The blue is strictly aesthetic and is natural coloring coming from soaking the rice with morning glories). Besides being visually pleasing it is yummy af. Great consistency of sticky and and slightly sweet rice complementing the crunchy coconut on top.
Can’t wait to try the other options they have here!

Came across this on insider’s food video and had to come and try it out with my friend. We got here around late afternoon and it was already packed, but we got seats. We ordered the Nasi Lemak and Palut Tai Tai and the Muah Chee. They didn’t have the Nasi Lemak anymore so we couldn’t try it. Palut Tai Tai we got it with the Kaya jam and i thought the taste put together was incredible and the rice was still hot too which made it taste really good. For the Muah Chee it was mochi with peanut, sesame and sugar it was really good because the mochi was still hot when we got it and it sort of just melted in our mouths. Overall the food tasted really good and the service was really good.

Location: VERY VERY SMALL Place.
You can miss this place every second you passing by.
This means, I cannot describe this place for you and I do feel the Unilocal location is definitely off… So good luck for looking for this place.
Food: I was not in a big mood for this place but thanks to INSIDER, i kinda got interest on their blue sticky coconut rice. So finally, I went there.
The look of sticky rice is very good, kinda cute.
The yellow part is the coconut. They rein the sweetness very good but also provide a sense to encourage you to consume more of it.
The blue rice part functions as a part of being looking good. I kinda dislike it because they didn’t cook well the rice.
Service: I was really trying place nice there but they apparently had an attitude. Maybe it’s because it’s too early for a Saturday morning?!
i don’t know… I felt like independent restaurants do have to play a card of being nice; otherwise, you just put yourself not a imperiled position for being not nice. If the food is bad, you will tumble for sure because no one wants to have bad food and bad attitude.
Food: cheap
Overall: 3 star. Kinda disappointed.

Group of 9 people for brunch. We were seated promptly. We all ordered and ate delicious food. The portion size was just right. Also, the ambience was very pleasant.
It was an excellent morning. :-)
You gotta come here!

Really LOVE this place so much that I want to try everything on the menu!
Highly recommend the white coffee which has really special flavor that you can’t find anywhere in the city.
Good food and super nice staffs. Will definitely go back again and again and again.

Kind staff and gives off a cozy, mom/​pop shop feel. There are two small counters with only about 5 seats. They have a few benches outside as well. Give that a try if it’s nice out.
Can’t comment on authenticity but I definitely enjoyed the food.
Nasi lemak — anchovies, peanuts and sauce/​paste on top of rice with cucumbers. The sauce is on the salty side so make sure to have this with the rice.
Cold chili sesame noodles — very simple dish, really just cold noodles, cucumbers and chili sauce. The taste is there, but I started getting bored of it after 10 bites.
Toast with coconut butter spread — would definitely recommend this. Nice and crispy exterior and chewy interior, plus the green sweet coconut spread compliments the bread very well.
Also got the traditional black tea but that was too bitter for my taste. If you like long stewed black tea, this is for you.

Not really a place for dinner. Or even an actual meal. I recommend it more as a snack joint.
I’ve had Kopitiam bookmarked since I read a NYT article about the authenticity and freshness of the Malaysian food. Since then, I’ve stopped by a few times only to find out that they had already closed.
After so much anticipation, I had really high expectations and was excited to find myself earlier in the city and in the area. I popped in with my sister and decided to get a bunch of stuff to try.
Nasi Lemak:
–Coconut rice topped with anchovies
I literally watched them make everything in my order so I know they really make everything fresh. But I guess they didn’t mix the coconut rice well because the coconut flavor wasn’t equally dispersed. Half of it tasted like regular white rice and the other half was soo strongly coconut. Overall it was ok. Wouldn’t order again
Pulut Panggang:
–Baked sticky rice with shrimp floss inside
I didn’t like it. The filling to sticky rice ratio was way off with too much rice. But I just didn’t like the shrimp floss filling anyways.
Pulut Inti:
–Blue sticky rice with grated coconut
Pulut Tai Tai:
–Blue sticky rice with kaya jam
I really like sweet sticky rice. I always get mango sticky rice when I go to Thai restaurants and so no surprise that I also liked Kopitiam’s sticky rice dessert. I recommend getting it with the jam instead of the coconut crust.
Kuih Dadar:
–Pandan coconut crêpe
Good crêpe. However the filling was just sugar…
Muah Chee:
–Mochi with peanut, sesame, and sugar
Best part of the meal. So thankful the guy told us to get it. I’m not a huge fan of mochi but the muah chee was so soft, it melted in my mouth.
Really glad I finally tried Kopitiam. Unfortunately I wasn’t impressed. I might be back to try their breakfast items and coffee… but most likely not.

Discovered a new favorite spot! Very unassuming place that sells for delicious and comforting Malaysian food. The shop is tiny with only four small stools and two skinny counters. It’s easier to grab and go, but if you can grab a stool do it. The food tastes much better eaten right then and there.
Pulut Panggang — This was sticky rice baked in banana leaves filled with this spicy sambal-​like shrimp floss. I got a fresh batch as the lady had to check to make sure the pulut panggang was ready before I could order it. This was perfect because the floss is pretty salty and rice is not salty at all, so it balances out. I loved the subtle taste of coconut in the sticky rice. The shrimp floss is pretty spicy. Made my nose start running. The log of rice is quite large and would do well as an entrée, or a very large snack if you’re starving. It also comes with a tiny mound of cucumbers and sambal on the side. Only $ 5.50!
Nasi Lemak — I’ve had nasi lemak plenty of times but usually with some kind of chicken curry or beef rendang. Their version was good by itself with the sambal with lots of anchovies and peanuts. Perfect salty, slightly spicy, contrast with the rice. You can also really taste the coconut milk and pandan in the rice. The sambal was considerably less spicy than the shrimp floss in the pulut panggang. Also only $ 5.50!
Muah Chee — Do not leave the shop without ordering this!!! Super soft and QQ mochi just like the unbelievably soft mochi I had in Taiwan. I can’t believe how soft it is and how soft it remained the day after. It’s made fresh to order so it will take a few minutes. The mochi is covered with peanut and sugar. It’s sweeter when hot and less sweet when cooled down. I need to get two boxes next time. I was so sad when it was gone T-​T
I’m not a coffee person, so I didn’t order any, but every other patron entering the shop seemed to have ordered some sort of coffee or tea. They also sell spekkoek (Indonesian thousand layer cake). I didn’t get any because I was too full, but it looks just like the spekkoek my dad always brings back from Indonesia. Definitely trying that and the kaya toast next time. Can’t wait to keep on coming back here!

Someone recommended this place for me to try so i went. First impression is that oh man, this place is so small and there is only 4 chairs… how am i going to eat??? beside that, i tried their tea, spicy cold noodle and sticky rice… OH MY GOD!!! they are so good… Especially the spicy cold noodle… it’s very refreshing, a little spicy b/​c of the spicy oil and also the sesame oil smell soon good… HIGHLY RECOMMENDED… and the tea is soo soo good… the guy literally «pull» the tea to mix it and he even taste test it before serving us. A must try! and I will definitely go back for more…

As I am taking a Lyft to my next destination, I can’t seem to get Kopitiam off my mind. It is such a great cozy café for a quick snack or lunch. We were super hungry so had breakfast and lunch in one sitting. We had the following: Nasi Lemak (which was definitely one of my favorite Malaysian dishes of all time) and I absolutely enjoyed how simple yet satisfying I felt having tried Kopitiam’s take on it. The Palut Panggang was a little too spicy for my taste but my significant other thoroughly enjoyed it. The soft boiled eggs were so tasty (I’m a sucker for soft boiled eggs though, so totally biased opinion here.) The Kaya Butter Toast was so delicious! The pandan spread really made it unique.
Now, the coffee! We had the traditional Kopi Tarik (hand pulled black coffee) and the Penang white coffee. The black coffee reminded us of Vietnamese style coffee: bold, dark, and rich. The white coffee was many levels of amazing. The coffee beans are roasted with olive oil so there are depths of nuttiness and sweetness from the condensed milk. It had a more delicate taste than the black coffee and was certainly light and aromatic.
We had one dessert: the morning glory sticky rice and I’ve never tried anything like it. Not too heavy and also not overly sweet. I wish I had more room to try the mochi with peanuts.
Please be mindful that they are closed between 3pm and 4:30pm to prepare more food for the evening. The people who work here are very sweet so they still try to accommodate walk-​ins for non-​food items when possible.
Can’t wait to try the other menu items. You were sold out today sesame noodles, but I will be back for you!

I saw this place from my friends facebook post & find their food interesting so I went to try it. Place is small kind of like a hole in the wall. We got our food for to go since the place is occupied.
appetizers.
Muah chee $ 5– freshly made mochi with peanut, sesame & sugar. This is really fresh! I saw the worker made it from scratch. Its aromatic, soft & tasty!
Palut tai tai $ 3– blue sticky rice with kaya jam or coconut jam. Its a little similar to thai sticky rice with manggo but then they use the coconut jam as sauce & its really perfect combination too. Its not too sweet. Its perfect.
Food:
Nasi lemak $ 5.50– coconut rice topped with anchovy & sambal sauce & egg on the side. The anchovy is a little sweet. You mix everything & it was so yummy to the next level. My favorite for tonight. Lol
Palut panggang $ 5.50– baked sticky rice with shrimp. Rice is perfectly cooked. The cucumber with sauce on the side is so spicy so be careful. It was good but the nasi lemak is better.
Chilled spicy sesame noodle– they forgot this order but we paid for this. I just noticed it when we got home. My bf called them & they offer 2 free free meal next time we visit. Sad but satisfied.
Good service & food was delicious.
Can’t wait to go back & try the noodle & other yummy stuff!

Definitely a hole in the wall — type of shop. Easily missed if you’re not looking for it. Prices weren’t bad at all. Wait time though, was a little long considering they are making everything after you order.
I order the Nasi Lemak (Slightly spicy anchovies over rice) — this was definitely flavorful and addicting. Wish there was more rice, because the anchovy was a little salty. The Cold Spicy Sesame Noodles (spicy oil over rice noodles) was good but thought it would be spicier. It was not spicy even to a non spicy eater like me! My favorite would probably be the Malaysian Kaya Butter Toast (Pandan Coconut Jam Toast) — love the thick toast and the spread was really good! Wasn’t overly sweet, and had a really unique flavor of coconut and pandan.
I want to go back to try their other sweet desserts.

This place is small and can literally be called a hole in the wall, what with the small walk-​in area and maybe 3 or 4 seats along the wall for eating in. There’s not much outside indicating the awesome food found inside. I like their emphasis on «breakfast,» which can really be eaten any time of the day and goes well with the theme of small eats here. They have a great selection of both savory and sweet items, which means that you can try a number of different things for a larger meal or come to buy a snack or dessert in between meals.
The nasi lemak had a lot of flavor, not only because of the anchovy but also helped with some sweetness by the coconut rice below. Cucumber provided a nice refreshing balance to the intensity of the fish flavor, while the hard boiled egg on the side provided a softer texture. On the sweet side I tried a sticky rice with coconut jam on the side. The jam was really tasty and you can mix it in to your rice however you like. They have so many other items, desserts, and drinks that it would take multiple visits to try them all.

Came here when it first opened. Had the Malaysian Kaya Butter toast. The spread is coconut butter which is a taste of heaven! Sooo delicious. I liked it so much that girlfriend and I had to order a 2^nd toast and it goes well with their Penang white coffee!
The Nasi Lemak dish was ok, it was just sliced cucumber hardboiled egg and sardines mixed with peanuts. Not one of my favorites from the menu.
Pulut Inti the blue sticky rice with grated coconuts wrapped in a banana leaf. It smells wonderful and taste delicious!
This is a very small shop. The owners are wonderful and kind.

Kopitiam is one of the best places in NYC, period. The food is BEYOND incredible, the people are friendly, the store is clean and bright. Even without the ridiculously reasonable prices, this place would warrant 5 stars. Once you factor the cost in, Kopitiam just became the best deal on the island.
White coffee — divine. Frothy, light, nutty. This is easy to drink and effervescent. Gives you the slightest caffeine boost that won’t leave you jittery. Is tall and light enough to go with your food without a side of water.
Nasi Lemak — rich and flavorful. Served with fresh cucumber slices and coconut rice. Chewy fish, crunchy peanuts, savory sauce. Definitely a cut (or two) above nasi lemak I’ve had at other Malaysian places.
Butter toast — DELICIOUS. I literally felt myself getting emotional as I bit into the pillows of crunchy cocaine toast sticking to each other with a generous smear of light, subtly sweet custard. This was absolutely heaven. Perhaps the best snack I’ve ever tasted.
Crab cakes — weekends only. A salty crab/​meat mix served inside a crab shell. This comes with a spicy, slightly fermented sauce and more cucumber.
Kopitiam is simply one of the top places I’ve ever been to at any price point. Not to be missed.

My sister and I decided to catch up over dinner here with our SO’s (so there were 4 of us), probably not the best idea as this place is teeny… haha more of a to-​go place, or maybe to eat in real quick if you’re by yourself.
Since there was only one other party there, we decided to stay anyways and crowded around a small section of the table, kinda like when you’re at a nightmarket in Asia :). We ordered all of the savory items they had available, and 3 sweet desserts:
Nasi Lemak (coconut rice with egg, cucumber, anchovy with homemade sambal sauce)
*Though this was a little simple, but the flavors were good and strong. Anchovys were sweet and spicy from the sambal sauce.
Pulut Panggang (baked sticky rice with lemongrass spicy shrimpfloss in homemade sambal sauce)
*Yum, I liked how this came in a cute tube made from what looked like banana leaves, made it very easy to eat. The sticky rice had a really nice consistency and everything was well seasoned.
Chilled Spicy Sesame Noodle (served with homemade spicy sauce and sesame seeds, cucumber, and egg)
*I was looking over images of the menus and i’m PRETTY sure this is what we got. It was definitely our favorite dish of the night. I didn’t expect this dish to be cold when I saw it (I wasn’t the one who ordered, so I didn’t pay attention to the menu haha), but it was surprisingly good and refreshing! Would love this for the summer. The noodles seemed like thick rice noodles.
Stuffed Crab Ball (Weekends Only — Baked Lived Crab stuffed with grounded Squid, Crabmeat, Pork & Scallion with Homemade Crab Eggs Sauce)
*All of us loved this and devoured this super quickly. Comes in a crab shell stuffed to the brim. Again, everything is so well seasoned and flavorful :) Texture of the meatball is also spot-​on.
Everything was around $ 5 — $ 6, minus the stuffed crab ball, which was priced higher at $ 8.
I can’t remember the names of the desserts we got, but one of them looked like a Baumkuchen (or if you’re from Taiwan, it looks like the famous cake from Amos!), and the other looked like a brown honeycomb/​sponge type of cake. Both were good! Third one was the Pulut Inti, which was a blue sticky rice with grated coconut on top. Loved the sticky rice and the color :).
Will be coming back to try their white coffee and also their mua chi!

Their white coffee is like cocaine.
Malaysian spots aren’t plentiful in the neighborhood, so Kopitiam is a welcome addition. Bonus points to them for rocking authentic dishes! Even more bonus points for the service. It was on the fleek.
And that coffee. The traditional penang white coffee ($ 4; credit accepted) is a potent pick-​me-​up in a deceptively sweet, deceptively soothing, package. And you can get it iced. Hungry? Get the nasi lemak (5.50), coconut rice with eggs, cucumber, anchovies, and a tangy homemade sambal sauce.
Square footage is scarce, so get your goods to go.

Remembering one of mother’s Malaysian friends who used to bring home made anchovies paste for me to eat over rice — it was one of the simplest, tastiest memories.
Wanting to try the whole menu, I was super excited when Allene T. (Aka queen of exotic foods) agreed to join me in checking out Kopitiam!
We ordered two savouries and two sweets to share!
Nasi Lemak — anchovies, peanuts, and eggs over coconut rice. I could had probably eaten a whole bucket of this alone. So much flavor! So many contrasting textures! I loved every bite!
Shrimp paste rolls — shrimp paste filled sticky rice wrapped in banana leafs. Another winning choice. The flavor again was spot on!
Pandan cake — sweet and savory all in one! Not overwhelming sweet, not overwhelming salty. Creamy yet chewy. Very interesting texture. Possibly my fav. Regret not ordering another.
Blue morning glory rice with grated coconut — meant to order the kaya jam version! But happy with the grated coconut nevertheless! The grated coconut sweetened in condensed milk paired so well with the sticky rice. Perfect snack size too!
We could definitely had eaten another one or two more dishes. But we found one savory and one sweet per person perfectly satisfying!
Overall — delicious authentic cooking, friendly hardworking staffs (although they don’t like doing dishes lol). Can’t wait to return to try out some of the breakfast items!

I left Kopitiam with my scarf smelling of rice or possible the hint of burnt rice smell that steamed pandan leaves smell like. Just Lovely.
FYI-​they are closed on Mondays & mid-​afternoon for break.
That Grubstreet & NYTimes article had me determined to get to Kopitiam before the lines start. Went at 4:30pm on a Friday & they had a few people (young customers– interesting how they serve the hipster neighborhood & apparently, as the owner told me, many Malaysian locals) going in and out with coffee.
I got the one sized (generous portion) White Coffee $ 4, Pandan Kaya & Butter Toast $ 3, and steamed Morning Glory coconut Rice with Shaved Coconut topping $ 3. The coffee is like milk tea, very sweet though, with nice coffee undertones. Get THE pandan kaya! Just do It! Thick toast with slightly sweet nutty spread. Just. So. Delicious. The sticky rice was more a more neutral not overtly mushy rice, with nice undertones & sweet shaved coconut with sugar.
I’d def like to try their crab meatballs, nasi lemak, pandan crêpe, beehive cake, the sticky rice but with Kaya topping, pulled tea.
The Pandan Kaya Spread (coconut milk, sugar, eggs, pandan infused) is super fresh. I would buy a jar to take home, but it’s a little too addicting. Think of it like a Nutella.
The bakery is a no-​frills casual Asian bakery. Not a «café» like what the NYTimes say it is. It’s a bit tight, with only 4 stools & an L-​shaped counter. The staff is very friendly & work well with each other in a small kitchen area. Food & Drink take some time to get to you– but that’s because it’s being homemade!
The owner said their street food is from a particular area in the north of Malaysia, with traditions & food that are slowly dying out. Glad to see that they are doing well! Good luck & I’ll be back.

As I am getting older, I have more appreciation towards «authentic» traditional foods, than the ones that are fusion/​hipster-​fied. I feel like authentic foods are rare, taste better, reflects the history & culture, and is actually harder to imitate. I always try to eat at ethnic places that are a representation of their country.
Thanks to Unilocal & New York Times (
), I found this gem! While reading the reviews from fellow Unilocalers, the statements: «felt like home», «taste like childhood», and «by far the most authentic Malaysian food you can find in New York City» made my sister & I pay a visit here recently.
We ordered to share:
1) Nasi Lemak (Coconut Rice w/​Egg, Cucumber, Anchovy w/​Sambal Sauce) $ 5.50
2) Kaya Toast $ 3
3) Muah Chee (Mochi in Peanut, Sesame, Sugar) $ 5
4) Kuih Talam (2 layer pandan & coconut cake) $ 3
5) Pulut Dadar (Coconut Crêpe w/​Grated Coconut) $ 3
5) Pulut Inti (blue rice w/​grated coconut) $ 3
6) Teh Tarik (hand pulled tea) $ 4
7) White Coffee $ 4
Everything tasted delicious, and it is reasonably priced. Our most favorites were the kaya toast, muah chee (best eaten right away when it is warm), teh tarik, and kuih talam. Least favorite was the pulut dadar (coconut crêpe). Nasi Lemak was delicious, but since I am not a big fan of anchovies I didn’t enjoy it as much as I should have. But man… that kaya toast & muah chee were so damnnn good! I felt sad when I finished eating it.
The owner was very nice, friendly, and informative. My sister & I had a nice conversation with her, and we really learned a lot about her culture, background, and passion to maintain her culinary traditions. Thank you for all the wonderful tips, and food/​place recommendations!
I wish you nothing but the best with your shop. We will come back here soon again.
Highly recommended!