This brand-new Malaysian eatery and coffee shop in Indiranagar offering only breakfast and lunch menus, is now the talk of the town

A couple of weeks ago, when a friend returned from Singapore with a jar of kaya jam — a mix of pandan-coconut and salted butter — and made us the famous Kaya Toast, we devoured the entire jar in one sitting, leaving us craving more of that Malaysian breakfast classic. On remembering that Kopitiam Lah, a recently opened viral Malaysian eatery and coffee shop in Indiranagar, serves this very dish — and so much more, as we found out during CRED’s food trail — we knew it was time to revisit.

True to the rich tradition of Malaysian coffee shops known as kopitiams, Kopitiam Lah offers a delightful cross-cultural culinary experience. The name itself is an interesting blend of languages — ‘kopi’ means coffee in Malay, ‘tiam’ is the Hokkien word for shop. On our first visit here, we enjoyed their Curry Laksa, Nasi Lemak, Char Siu Pork and Ayam Goreng Berempah (Fried Chicken). This time, we set out to explore their vegetarian offerings eager to sample both their breakfast and lunch specialties.

As we arrived at Kopitiam Lah, we were welcomed by its charming ambience. The open-air seating area is accented with deep green highlights and rich wooden furniture, bordered by traditional grill gates with intricate metalwork. Inside, the atmosphere takes on a sophisticated vibe with Malaysian tiles from Kuala Lumpur, vintage artefacts and an open kitchen where we spotted head chef David D’Souza preparing our much-anticipated Kaya Toast. The outdoor drizzles made the moment perfect for warming up with a comforting cup of Teh, Malaysian tea with evaporated and condensed milk and a chilled, classic Iced Kopi. We paired our drinks with a Sambal Egg Puff and a fluffy Malaysian Swiss Roll, both of which were perfect light bites to savour.

Soon, Satay — smokey grilled mushroom skewers served with peanut sauce, crunchy rice cakes and a refreshing mix of pickled cucumber and onions — arrived at our table. This vegetarian take on the classic dish was wonderfully aromatic and paired beautifully with the nutty richness of the sauce. We obviously had to order the Wantan Mee Soup for mains and the poached wontons and noodles in this delicate broth, with pak choy and aromatic shallot oil was worth all the hype it gets.

Although we technically relished a dessert at the beginning of the meal, who is to stop us from having more — especially when a Roasted Banana & Hazelnut Rose Cookie is on offer! Think roasted banana confiture topped with a creamy coconut creme brûlée, caramelised hazelnuts and hazelnut praline ice cream on the side of a crispy Malaysian rose cookie adding a delightful crunch to this decadent, beautifully presented finalé.

Meal for two: INR 1,800 onwards. At Indiranagar.