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Akopitiam orkopi tiam is a type ofcoffee shop mostly found in parts ofIndonesia,Malaysia,Singapore,Brunei andSouthern Thailand patronised for meals andbeverages, and traditionally operated by theChinese communities of these countries.
The wordkopi is an Indonesian and Malay term forcoffee andtiam (店) is theHokkien/Hakka term forshop.
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In Malaysia, as in Singapore, kopitiams are found almost everywhere. However, there are a few differences. In Malaysia:
Recently a new breed of "modern" kopitiams has sprung up. The popularity of the old-fashioned outlets along with society's obsession with nostalgia and increasing affluence has led to the revival of these pseudo-kopitiams. The new kopitiams are fast-food outlets that are reminiscent of the old kopitiams in terms of decor but are usually built in a more modern, hygienic setting such as a shopping mall rather than in the traditional shophouse, catering mainly for young adults.[citation needed]
To tap into the sizeableMuslim market, these kopitiams usually serve food that is prepared to conform toIslamic dietary laws, unlike the traditional shophouse kopitiams.[citation needed]
Today, more than 100 modern kopitiam brands operate across various parts of Malaysia.[citation needed]
Kopitiams in Ipoh Oldtown district serveIpoh white coffee. The coffee beans are roasted with palm-oilmargarine and with less sugar, resulting in a brew that is lighter in colour than normal coffee beans that use sugar – hence the name 'white coffee'.
Kopitiams in Singapore are commonly found in almost all residential areas as well as some industrial and business districts in the country, numbering about 2,000 in total.[1] Although most are an aggregate of small stalls or shops, some may be more reminiscent offood courts, although each stall has a similar appearance and the same style of signage. Usually, in a typical kopitiam, the owner will either manage thetze char stall, which usually sells simple stir-fry dishes made to order, or the drinks stall which sellscoffee,tea,soft drinks, and other beverages as well as breakfast items likekaya toast,soft-boiled eggs, and snacks.
In Singapore, the coffee in kopitiams is made from Robusta beans.Kopi (coffee) was introduced to the island in the mid-19th century. Robusta beans, brought in from Indonesia via Arab traders, were preferred by the majority of the local population, compared to the more expensive Arabica beans favoured by the European population working in Singapore.[2]
Most kopitiams in Singapore consist of the drinks stall and food stalls leased by independent stallholders who mainly focus on a variety of food dishes that are commonly found inSingaporean cuisine. Traditional dishes from different ethnicities are usually available at kopitiams to encourage people from different ethnic backgrounds with different dietary habits to dine in a common place or even at a common table.[3]
Kopitiam is also the name of a food court chain in Singapore.[4]
Some of the popular kopitiams in Singapore includeKim San Leng,Killiney & Tong Ah Eating House, orYa Kun Kaya Toast.
Some of the more common foods that can be seen in kopitiams, besides the ever-popular soft-boiled eggs and toast, consist ofchar kway tiao (fried flat rice noodles (hor fun), sometimes cooked with eggs andcockles),Hokkien mee (yellow wheat noodles served with various seafood, pork slices, egg, and served with acalamansi and spicy chilli paste on the side),chicken rice andnasi lemak (a Malay dish of coconut-flavoured rice, served withsambal, egg, roasted peanuts, fried anchovies, etc.).
"Coffee shop talk" is a phrase used to describe gossip because it is often a familiar sight at kopitiams where a group of workers or senior citizens would linger over cups of coffee and exchange news and comments on various topics including national politics, office politics, TV dramas, sports, and food.[5] FormerToo Phat member Malique has a song called "Cerita Kedai Kopi", satirizing the stereotype.
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