Located at level LG of Mid Valley Megamall is a coffee shop whose front entrance is the beginning of a perpetually long queue of customers hoping to get in. The line grows to epic proportions during lunchtime. So, we wondered: Is this coffee shop a big deal? Is their food really that good that people would stand in line for hours to get in? Guess the only way to find out is to see for ourselves!
Oriental Kopi is a Malaysian coffee chain that is well-known for its delectable egg tarts… and long lines of eager customers waiting patiently for their chance to enjoy them, and other delights. Whichever outlet in the Klang Valley you visit, you’ll be greeted by the same queues. The food and beverages are THAT beloved. If you ask us, the best time to visit Oriental Kopi is in the mornings, when there are fewer (but still many!) patrons.
Read on to find out what we had for breakfast.
Being Malaysian, we don’t have to tell you what our must-have breakfast is. That’s right, nasi lemak, lor!
Oriental Kopi has a variety of nasi lemak dishes, and we tried the Oriental Signature Nasi Lemak first. This version is absolutely exceptional, because it includes fragrant pandan steamed rice that has been infused with eight different types of spices, a perfectly cooked sunny side up Oriental egg, crispy fried chicken, peanuts, anchovies, and the finest homemade sambal.
Unlike your typical nasi lemak, which includes a hard boiled egg, this dish features a flawlessly poached egg on top of the aromatic rice. Just one slice, and you’ll have runny yolk on your rice! The sambal was simply amazing. It was fresh, flavourful and not too spicy, which makes it a great choice for those with low heat tolerance.
If you prefer more gravy, you can go for the Nasi Lemak Ayam Rendang. It comes with all the same ingredients as the Signature Nasi Lemak, but instead of fried chicken, you’ll get rendang chicken. Not gonna lie – the rendang was really good. We definitely recommend this. And for those who prefer just plain ole’ nasi lemak, they’ve got that too. Simple, but packed with wholesome flavour to kickstart your mornings.
For those who don’t take rice in the mornings, Oriental Kopi has several options of noodle dishes – and a must-try is the Mee Siam. The mee hoon is cooked well and packed with Siamese spices for extra oomph. It’s delicious in itself, but you can enhance the flavour by adding some lime juice. You’ll experience a different level of flavour after squeezing the lime over the noodles – sweet, savoury and tangy flavours all in one go!
Another common breakfast at kopitiams is roti bakar – and good thing Oriental Kopi is known for their homemade thick bread. Their breads and buns are baked over a medium fire while being continuously rolled back and forth, ensuring that all sides are roasted evenly and turning the bread brown and crispy. You can taste the rich flavour of crunchy and fragrant in each bite thanks to a selection of delectable ingredients.
We recommend trying their Polo Bun, which is also a signature dish here. Freshly baked with a crusty top and served with slices of butter, you can enjoy this tasty bun as it is, or drizzle some honey or condensed milk as toppings.
Apart from their mains and buns, a must-try item is their egg tarts, as mentioned earlier. Oriental Kopi has a record of making the thickest egg tarts and also having sold the most number of egg tarts. So, the egg tarts here are no joke!
The Oriental Egg Tart has an exceptionally crispy and flaky texture since it is freshly produced every day and baked at high temperatures. Together with the copious amount of golden caramelized egg filling, it is fragrant with eggs, imparting a sweet but non-greasy, crunchy, and flavorful taste. Every bite is filled with goodness and has a flavorful egg custard undertone.
The drinks offered are pretty standard, like at any other kopitiam. There’s coffee, tea and non-caffeinated beverages too. But of course, coffee is a must-try here because they have Oriental Kopi, Oriental Classic White Coffee, Oriental Roasted White Coffee and many more options. Their coffee is indeed aromatic and each sip is such an indulgence. Their teh tarik and Milo ice weren’t that bad either.
Overall, our experience at Oriental Kopi was good, but it’s not something we would frequently wait in line for. Although you do get to eat in the comfort of air conditioning and spacious seating, the prices are rather high considering that the food is largely standard kopitiam fare. You’ll have to spend at least RM15 on most of the mains; and the drinks cost double that of a kopitiam’s.
Anyways, do give this place a try – especially for their gorgeous and tasty egg tarts.
