Kluang's pride and joy
Kluang Rail Coffee, a kopitiam at the Kluang train station, is renowned for its coffee, teh-c, kaya and buttered toast.
Housed in a pre-war wooden railway canteen, this restaurant is where you can eat, drink, relax and watch the trains go by.
Dating back to 1938, its Hainanese coffeeshop owner Lim Jit Chiang said they were the third generation running the business.
“Our grandfather came to Malaya from Hainan Island in search of a better life and found a railway station canteen here available for rent.
“Armed with one kati of sugar and a few cans of milk, he served his first group of customers back then,” he said.
The business managed by his grandfather and father even thrived through Japanese occupation and the Malayan emergency.
“It has been 74 years now, their passion, determination and consistency has kept the canteen alive till today,” he said, adding that the family has maintained the traditional menu to this day.
The homemade kaya — an egg-based coconut jam — with thin slices of butter on charcoal toasted, steamed bread or toasted buns, aromatic coffee made from beans wok-fried with butter, salt and sugar as well as teh-c — a combination of tea with evaporated milk and sugar are staples here.
Today, the breakfast menu also has a variety of coffee and tea to suit different tastes and popular breakfast food such as nasi lemak and fried beehoon packed in small servings, placed on tables.
“The kopitiam reflects the muhibbah culture of Malaysia and this place is a meeting point for many Kluangites as they will visit the kopitiam every day, some even do it several times a day.
“We have customers from all walks of life, races, backgrounds and nationalities,” Lim said.
He added that he has customers who come by train from Kelantan, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and other places just to have a taste of the coffee here and then return home via train.
“Some former British soldiers, who used to serve in Malaya during the Emergency, had returned recently for a reunion celebration at the kopitiam,” Lim said, adding that the kopitiam was a regular refreshment point for the ex-soldiers who travelled by train.
One of the regular customers Wong Mua Heng, 52, who has tea and coffee with her friends here, has been a patron for more than 20 years.
“The bread and tea here are very special to me,” she said, adding that they come almost every day and a few times a day, on some days. “We come here regularly that we can even recognise the faces of Lim’s regular customers and also the time they will be here for a cup of coffee,” said Wong’s friend Chong Siew Wan, 51.
Chong enjoys the coffeeshop’s rustic interior and its laid-back appeal as well as its good food and drinks.
“The whole package of the food, ambience and its charm is something you cannot get anywhere else in the country,” she added.
Singaporean Lim Seng Chee, 76, made a trip to Lim’s kopitiam by train after watching an interview about the coffeeshop on television, recently.
“I took a train ride here after watching the programme, but ran out of luck on my first trip as it was a Thursday which was a rest day for the kopitiam.
“On the second occasion, it was a bit too late as the train arrived after 6pm. The kopitiam closes at 6pm.
“This time I made sure I did not repeat the mistake. The food and drinks here are so good and I will come back with my wife again,” said Seng Chee, who spent about an hour at the kopitiam before taking a bus back to Singapore.
~News courtesy of The Star~
Kluang Rail Coffee, a kopitiam at the Kluang train station, is renowned for its coffee, teh-c, kaya and buttered toast.
Housed in a pre-war wooden railway canteen, this restaurant is where you can eat, drink, relax and watch the trains go by.
Leisure: Patrons enjoying their time at the Kluang Rail Coffee.
Dating back to 1938, its Hainanese coffeeshop owner Lim Jit Chiang said they were the third generation running the business.
“Our grandfather came to Malaya from Hainan Island in search of a better life and found a railway station canteen here available for rent.
“Armed with one kati of sugar and a few cans of milk, he served his first group of customers back then,” he said.
The business managed by his grandfather and father even thrived through Japanese occupation and the Malayan emergency.
“It has been 74 years now, their passion, determination and consistency has kept the canteen alive till today,” he said, adding that the family has maintained the traditional menu to this day.
The homemade kaya — an egg-based coconut jam — with thin slices of butter on charcoal toasted, steamed bread or toasted buns, aromatic coffee made from beans wok-fried with butter, salt and sugar as well as teh-c — a combination of tea with evaporated milk and sugar are staples here.
Wake-up drink: Lim maintains the traditional way of making coffee.
Today, the breakfast menu also has a variety of coffee and tea to suit different tastes and popular breakfast food such as nasi lemak and fried beehoon packed in small servings, placed on tables.
“The kopitiam reflects the muhibbah culture of Malaysia and this place is a meeting point for many Kluangites as they will visit the kopitiam every day, some even do it several times a day.
“We have customers from all walks of life, races, backgrounds and nationalities,” Lim said.
He added that he has customers who come by train from Kelantan, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and other places just to have a taste of the coffee here and then return home via train.
“Some former British soldiers, who used to serve in Malaya during the Emergency, had returned recently for a reunion celebration at the kopitiam,” Lim said, adding that the kopitiam was a regular refreshment point for the ex-soldiers who travelled by train.
One of the regular customers Wong Mua Heng, 52, who has tea and coffee with her friends here, has been a patron for more than 20 years.
“The bread and tea here are very special to me,” she said, adding that they come almost every day and a few times a day, on some days. “We come here regularly that we can even recognise the faces of Lim’s regular customers and also the time they will be here for a cup of coffee,” said Wong’s friend Chong Siew Wan, 51.
Chong enjoys the coffeeshop’s rustic interior and its laid-back appeal as well as its good food and drinks.
“The whole package of the food, ambience and its charm is something you cannot get anywhere else in the country,” she added.
Singaporean Lim Seng Chee, 76, made a trip to Lim’s kopitiam by train after watching an interview about the coffeeshop on television, recently.
“I took a train ride here after watching the programme, but ran out of luck on my first trip as it was a Thursday which was a rest day for the kopitiam.
“On the second occasion, it was a bit too late as the train arrived after 6pm. The kopitiam closes at 6pm.
“This time I made sure I did not repeat the mistake. The food and drinks here are so good and I will come back with my wife again,” said Seng Chee, who spent about an hour at the kopitiam before taking a bus back to Singapore.
~News courtesy of The Star~
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