Ipoh Town Kopitiam Review: Famous Choy Kee Egg Tarts, Curry Toast And More At Jewel

Ipoh Town Kopitiam is a new Ipoh-inspired eatery in Jewel

Those who frequent Jewel Changi Airport now have another makan spot to add to their list: Ipoh Town Kopitiam. The new cafe offers Ipoh-style dishes and light bites, including the famous Choy Kee Bakery egg tarts!

Food at Ipoh Town Kopitiam

Ipoh Town Kopitiam is a new concept by two sisters who were born and raised in Ipoh, Malaysia, where they helped their mother sell various dishes in a market. The casual eatery is a nod to their childhood, so you’ll find lesser-seen dishes that are unique to Ipoh on the menu.

For mains, there’s the Ipoh Chicken Prawn Hor Fun ($12.90++), where hor fun noodles, imported directly from Ipoh, come with shredded chicken, fishballs, and prawns in a light broth. Here, we got the Premium Chicken Scallop Hor Fun ($17.90++) instead, zhnged up with two giant scallops.

While the scallops and prawns were undeniably fresh and sweet, and the rice noodles were silky-smooth, I found the soup rather bland. Nonetheless, those with a lighter palate may enjoy it.

If you want something more decadent, try their Ayam Berempah ($11.90++): fragrant coconut rice with a deep-fried chicken leg, served with a hard-boiled egg, peanuts, anchovies, cucumber slices, and a sweet sambal.

Though well-marinated and flavourful on the outside, the fried chicken was a tad dry and greasy in some parts.

The rice wasn’t as lemak as I’d like, but perhaps this was intentional, as the other condiments were fairly rich and heavy. I enjoyed pairing each scoop of rice with the crispy chicken skin and sweet chilli sauce on the side.

Ipoh Town Kopitiam offers dim sum and light bites too, if you’re not up for a full meal. For example, there’s an interesting Dan Gui Siew Mai ($4.90++), served as a trio.

I’m not big on dang gui, so I was taken aback on my first bite of this siew mai—the herbal taste was rather overpowering. Nonetheless, if you love the flavour of Chinese angelica in your food, you’ll definitely enjoy this dim sum.

The Fragrant Curry Toast with Boiled Eggs ($4.90++) is another item worth trying, especially since it’s not commonly found in Singapore.

You get a plate of brown toast drenched in an Ipoh-style curry, topped with two runny eggs. I enjoyed the hearty combination of the slightly spicy curry with the crispy toast and rich yolk but wished the sauce was served in a separate bowl as the bread became soggy quickly.

On to the star of the show: Ipoh Choy Kee Egg Tarts ($2.40++). Choy Kee Bakery, a popular Ipoh name that’s been around since 1980, has partnered with Ipoh Town Kopitiam to offer their signature egg tarts.

The bakery is said to draw long lines in Ipoh, so fans will be pleased to know that they can find these famous tarts here in Singapore!

This egg tart had an old-school flavour with a distinct vanilla essence taste. Though on the sweeter side, the custard within was undeniably smooth and creamy.

Unfortunately, the crust was paler than I’d expected—I wished it was flakier and crispier, similar to the ones offered at Mother-In-Law Egg Tart.

There’s also the Rendang Pie ($3.50++) if you prefer savoury tarts.

While the meat filling was delicious, I found the crust a tad sweeter than I’d liked. It was also very crumbly, so I’d recommend breaking into it with a fork instead of eating with your hands.

No Ipoh food experience is complete without a cup of white coffee, which you’ll find here in the form of the Ipoh “Overjoy” White Coffee ($3.90++ for hot, $4.90++ for iced). “Siew dai” or “kosong” is what I gravitate towards for my morning kopi, so I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this sweetened iced coffee.

Prepared with a traditional recipe where the beans are roasted with margarine, this strong brew boasted the perfect amount of condensed milk to bring out the rich and aromatic notes of the coffee.

Ambience at Ipoh Town Kopitiam

The modern-looking “kopitiam” sits in Basement 1 of Jewel, a six-minute walk from Changi Airport MRT Station.

Being in full view of the water fountain made my experience a pleasant and relaxing one, but the dining area wasn’t the most spacious. Tables were packed side by side with limited room in between, so it wasn’t the best spot to sit and chit-chat especially during peak meal times. I’d recommend visiting between 2pm to 5pm for a teatime break when it gets less crowded.

The verdict

Despite some misses, Ipoh Town Kopitiam scores for its wallet-friendly food, delicious coffee, and convenient location. It’s worth a visit if you want a light pick-me-up before or after catching a flight!

Another local cafe worth checking out is Great Nanyang Heritage Cafe, which offers curry chee cheong fun and milo toast in the heart of Orchard. Else, in other food news, Pasir Ris Mall has opened in the East with 60 eateries!

Address: 78 Airport Boulevard, B1-299, Jewel Changi Airport, Singapore 819666
Opening hours: Daily 11am to 10pm
Website
Ipoh Town Kopitiam is not a halal-certified eatery.

Photos taken by Hor Kia Ee.
This was a media tasting at Ipoh Town Kopitiam.