[Pork-free] Originating from Sitiawan in Perak, Sin Tong Hong Kopitiam 新東方咖啡店 made its mark in the Klang Valley by opening a modern-day kopitiam in the heart of PJ.
Located in Paramount Garden PJ, Sin Tong Hong Kopitiam is run by two generations of the Tan family.
We’ve visited this spot twice in the last month (and brought mum along as well) and enjoyed the traditional kopitiam (Chinese coffee shop) offerings.
Sin Tong Hong Kopitiam in PJ
Opened in October last year, Sin Tong Hong Kopitiam 新東方咖啡店 was very popular in the early months.
It’s not hard to see why. The space here is beautifully designed for a modern comfortable dining experience.
With its high ceiling, the airwell allows for plenty of natural light to bathe the space.
Rattan furniture and Chinese calligraphy pay homage to the roots of traditional Chinese kopitiams, but the restaurant is decked with creature comforts such as air-conditioning – which allows older folks to dine in comfortably.
Sin Tong Hong Kopitiam offers classic kopitiam dishes
As modern as the setting can be, the food here is unapologetically traditional (and delicious!).
The coffee (and tea) here is freshly brewed by Uncle Tan in the traditional Sitiawan-style.
We found the Kopi (RM3.50 for hot) here to be remarkably fragrant and well-balanced, with a prominent roasted aroma and mild sweetness.
It’s reasonably priced too and comparable to those served at an open-air Chinese coffee shop.
Cucur udang is packed with prawns
Our favourite cucur udang (prawn fritters) can be found at 1978 Cucur Udang (located just down the road, see our post here).
However, the ones here can give 1978 a run for their money!
At RM2.90 a piece, the Cucur Udang here is crispy with a well-seasoned batter. But the highlight is the number of fried shrimps on each piece (we counted 11 on one).
Hence, we found the fritters to be fragrant and full of prawn flavour. Our mum enjoyed this and actually prefers this to 1978’s.
Eggs, toast, and coffee, please
A key litmus test for any good kopitiam (modern or traditional) is the toast and half-boiled eggs.
We enjoyed the Hainan Kaya Toast with Kaya and Butter (RM3.50) here. The bread is soft and adequately toasted for crispiness, but the highlight is the very fragrant kaya and slabs of butter.
Half-boiled eggs (RM3.40) are often an overlooked dish, but they can really disappoint when not prepared properly (e.g. undercooked, eggs are not fresh).
The ones here truly slap as they have the perfect doneness for beautiful cloudy whites and creamy yolks. And they’re fresh!
However, we are less enthused over the Popiah (RM3.50).
Handmade noodles are good
Among the main dishes served here, the Signature Dry Handmade Noodles were the highlight.
Tossed with soy sauce mix, the noodles can be served with a variety of toppings, such as Dry Chicken Curry, Mutton Curry, and Prawn Wantons.
We enjoyed the Handmade Noodles with Dry Mutton Curry (RM16.90). The handmade noodles are remarkably springy (similar to wanton noodles but with more bite) and are tastefully-seasoned with the soy sauce mix.
While not as spicy or robust as the Malay/Indian variety, the mutton curry was sufficiently tender and flavourful – providing a good accompaniment to the noodles.
Nasi lemak and Ipoh shredded hor fun
The Nasi Lemak with Ayam Goreng Berempah (RM14.90) here was just alright.
The rice has decent santan fragrance, and the sambal is on the sweeter side. The chicken is marinated with the typical turmeric-based rub, and was adequately tender. It may not be the best nasi lemak in town, but it should suffice to satisfy any craving.
We had a similar view on the Ipoh Shredded Chicken Hor Fun (RM12.90). The soup is slightly on the sweeter side with a more prominent chicken stock base, but it lacked the umami prawn punch.
The prawns however were excellent – bouncy, fresh and flavourful as they were already brined with salt. The noodles were smooth.
Summary
We recommend the homemade noodles, cucur udang, toast, and coffee here. The other dishes we tried were just decent.
Overall, we think Sin Tong Hong Kopitiam is a great stop if you’re looking to feed a party with various cravings for local delicacies. The space is comfortable – and should be a good spot to meet friends.
It’s also an excellent spot for our Muslim friends who are looking for delicious kopitiam fare that are pork-free.
Sin Tong Nam Kopitiam 新東方咖啡店
Address: No.105&105A, Jalan 20/7, Taman Paramount, 46300 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Hours: 7.30am-9.30pm (Daily, closed on Mon)
Phone: 011-2616 1006
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