I can't remember which documentary I watched but its content, on stalls from an old market in Kluang that moved to a coffee shop, left such a deep impression; I had to brave the downpour to check it out when I visited in November last year, despite rain being pretty heavy!
Plenty of seats but relatively packed. I did notice that many were requesting for takeaways since it was such a nice weather to sleep in on a weekend.
Spiral pink staircase leading to the upper floors; when I was young, I always hoped to live in a house with stairs. Now that I am older, I am happier with single floor apartment. And no doubt safer given how accident prone I am!
One of the things I remember well from the documentary was that the coffee stall would only get the coffee powder from this Mui Tong Mui stall in the same shop; this helps maintain freshness for every cup of coffee served.
Kopi Gao Siew Dai - meaning thick coffee, less sugar; the way I like my coffee! And this didn't disappoint with a rich, aromatic flavor that was the absolute beverage to start the morning!
Toast - from the look of it, I assumed this would be the mother of all butter-kaya toasts. I was wrong as the toasted bread had a crunchy biscuit-like texture and I very much prefer a fluffier toast with crisp edges. A pity as the kaya and butter were good.
Soft-boiled Eggs - I can't review this as these were eaten by either Jerald or my mom. I usually wouldn't have soft boiled eggs when there are plenty of other food that should be accorded priority.
Nasi Lemak - this was Jerald's order and I took a bite; there's no meat with egg being the singular protein source. Acceptable taste but not something I would purposely go back for.
Chee Cheong Fun - I was wondering what this was until someone ordered. Turned out to be chee cheong fun, which is something I can have as a snack rather as a main meal. Let's order one basic version.
I love such traditional chee cheong fun which was basic, with just vermicelli rolls, sauce and sesame seeds, as it reminded me of the childhood flavor. With two rolls at just RM 2.20, the rolls were smooth and sauce was viscous, warm and more savory than sweet.
p,s, chee cheong fun means pig's intestines although the basic ingredients have no meat. Its name came about because of the shape, which did look like intestines.
Fishball Noodle - even when it wasn't raining cats and dogs, my mom would always prefer something soupy for her meal. Hence, the stall with the longest queue, selling fishball noodle, would be her preferred choice.
After an excruciating wait of 40 minutes, we managed to secure this bowl of fish ball bee hoon noodle soup at RM 6.50. Aside from fishballs, there were also tofu puffs! Worth it right?
I found the taste to be on the bland side, with flavor coming from the shallot oil but my mom enjoyed it; commenting that it had this old school nostalgic flavor. Fish balls appeared to be homemade; tinier with a rough texture, they weren't fantastic.
Nevertheless, all we need is just a happy mom!
Beef Soup - this was another soupy dish that my mom should like but she doesn't eat beef. This stall was said to be popular and I decided to get a bowl of beef soup, sans the noodle since I had already eaten so much starch! At RM 15.00, this was my most expensive meal in the coffee shop! Beef, while tender, was gamey. Saving grace was the soup; herbal and a delicious stomach warmer in the cool, rainy weather. What I love most was the addition of salted vegetables; providing a crunchier texture that contrasted with the tender beef.
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With hits and misses, this was still no doubt a satisfyingly filling breakfast that didn't break a hole in my pocket. I believe the food would appeal to those looking for traditional taste, since many stalls in the coffee shop had decades of experience with some spanning a few generations!
Address
15, 17, Jalan Mersing, Kampung Masjid Lama,
86000 Kluang, Johor, Malaysia
Map
As above.
Pricing
Kopi Gao Siew Dai - RM 1.80
Toast - Forgot the pricing!
Soft-boiled Eggs - Forgot the pricing!
Nasi Lemak - RM 3.50
Chee Cheong Fun - RM 2.20
Fishball Noodle - RM 6.50
Beef Soup - RM 15.00
(p.s. price might have changed since my visit was in November 2022)
