Kopitiam

A kopitiam in Malaysia usually refers to an old-fashioned Chinese coffee shop. Kopitiams are easily identified by old-style furniture made from (usually) dark brown hardwood and marble tops. The REAL kopitiams have furniture that is REALLY old; as old as, or even older than the proprietors themselves perhaps. It is this quality of furniture and setting that gives kopitiams a homely feel, compared to the modern factory-produced coffee shops with their rough-edged plastic contraptions. Some kopitiams even have seating booths made of wood, giving coffee lovers a bit of privacy while having their daily dose of caffeine. Sorry, no cheesy PVC covered cushions here. It's all wood and marble, and built to last.

One of the main attractions of an authentic kopitiam is the bread. Some kopitiams still buy bread in loaves (and uncut). The kopitiams slice the bread themselves and they are usually quite generous, unlike the wafer-thin slices of bread that come from high-tech modern bakeries served by modern coffee shops and cafés. Nothing beats having thick toast with a generous helping of butter and kaya, washed down with a cup of steamy locally ground coffee. Heavenly.

In these modern times, it is not surprising to see a bunch of old men seated around their favourite table in a corner kopitiam, talking at the top of their voices about politics, social life, kids, grand-kids, great-grand-kids, and of course, the good old days.

Sadly, authentic kopitiams are a dying breed. They just don't make 'em like they used to. While they are common in small towns, kopitiams are getting rare in bigger cities like Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya. The kopitiams are old, and so are the proprietors. Most of their kids probably have better, high-paying jobs elsewhere or simply have no interest in running an old fashioned coffee shop. So it usually gets sold to another fellow who turns the place into a modern coffee shop or something else.

The photo above is taken from a new-style kopitiam. It's an air-conditioned environment with shiny new marble tops and glistening wooden frames. While the concept is clearly derived from a traditional kopitiam, it will never be able to mimic the unique personality of an authentic kopitiam. That homely feel just isn't there.

But what the heck, at least it made for a reasonably nice photograph.