Culinary routines can use a rethinking now and again, and the beginning of the year is a perfect time to try something new. Malaysia Kopitiam, just a five minute walk from Dupont Circle, offers an introduction into lesser-known Southeast Asian cuisine.
Kopitiam translates as “coffeehouse,” but don’t think of Malaysia Kopitiam as just a place to caffeinate yourself—the menu has over a hundred different items, from traditional Malaysian satays, which pair a variety of skewered meats or tofu with peanut sauce and other spices, to stuffed lotus roots, a creation of the chef and co-owner of the restaurant, Penny Phoon. Penny and her husband Leslie hail from Ipoh, Malaysia, and have come to D.C. to spread their love of po pia and roti canai.
Don’t consider yourself an expert on the culinary delight that is roti canai? No worries; the Phoons are very intent on introducing their customers to their plethora of dishes through more than words alone. A traditional menu with prices and descriptions comes alongside a thick black binder complete with full-color images of each dish; if only it were scratch-and-sniff.
The servers are more than willing to help those new to the Malay diet pick out a few of their favorite items to try family-style. And if you still can’t decide between the char tao kuih or lo bak, Malaysia Kopitiam’s helpful picture menu also comes adorned with gems of information, such as the belief that “chewing asum gelugor (tamarind) both gets rid of bad breath and acts as an aphrodisiac.” How convenient.
Among the dishes we sampled was the Rembah udang, a delicious blend of slightly sweet sticky rice with minced chicken and shrimp wrapped in banana leaves. It fell into the $3-5 price range of most appetizers on the menu. A favorite dish was the roti-wich, a Malaysian take on a sandwich. Roti bread, now popular in Malaysia, originates from India and has the buttery, flaky consistency of a croissant with the flat, round shape of a pita. Two slices sandwich the traditional tamarind-marinated beef, lettuce and spices.
The menu also features a number of stir-fried noodle dishes, and the Singapore variety we chose did not disappoint with its interesting blend of spices and long thin rice noodles adorned with shrimp, peppers, onions, bean sprouts and even bits of scrambled egg. We also tried a vegetarian curry, which, while not quite as exciting as the other options, still made for a good dish.
The line may be blurry between what is strictly Malaysian, Indian, Chinese or Singaporean cuisine, but all that truly matters is that a good chef can cook a spicy, savory meal in a friendly environment; Malaysia Kopitiam delivers on all counts. The restaurant is partially underground—you’ll have to walk down a set of stairs from the sidewalk—giving Koptiam a cavernous but cozy feeling. The décor of simple wood-paneled walls and bamboo-looking tabletops makes the restaurant a great place for an inexpensive, quality meal without the extravagance of a high-frills atmosphere.
Malaysia Kopitiam is located at 1827 M Street NW, between 18th & 19th. For questions or to make reservations, call 202-833-6232.
