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Restaurant: Killiney Kopitiam
Cuisine: Haianese Coffee Shop (Singaporean)
Meal: Breakfast
📍: Singapore
67 Killiney Rd, Singapore
Owner: Woon Tek Seng
Story Time
Opened in 1919, Killiney Kopitiam is the oldest Hainese Coffee Shop in Singapore. Since then it has opened branches all over Singapore.
It was a few days before Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour and I had arrived to Singapore to (hopefully) attend the concert (there was a 50% chance my tickets were not real. You can see that dramatic story here ——-> Youtube Short
I digress.
So I LOVE traditional Singapore breakfast of soft-boiled eggs and kaya toast with kopi. So when I found out the ORIGINAL store was only a short walk from the friend’s house that I was crashing at, there was no way I would miss out on this chance.
Video Review
The Ambiance:
I arrived right when the breakfast rush was dying down and a bit too early for lunch so there was luckily no queue. The shop is simply decorated with wooden tables on both sides of the small shop, bright coloured plastic bowls, plates and utensils. It feels, casual, local, no-fuss. The poster-sized menus are on the walls on both-sides below the wall fans. A first-come first-serve style with their tables. You order right at the back of the shop with the menu at the ordering station. The whole vibe is a bit of a no-fuss, sruvival of the fastest vibe which I love when you’re travelling. It’s no luxury establishment like the Four Seasons, but it’s got character and grit, like their coffee. The biggest thing for me is it’s no-fuss. The ordering station is clear, the place is clean. People who come here isn’t here for the service, air con or decour, they’re here for the food, which sure delivers.
I found a table and reserved it quickly by placing a package of tissue on the table signalling that it’s now been “reserved” and lined up right away to order.
How to Order:
Just like fast-food in America but with an Asian twist:
- Find a seat and “reserve” the seat with a package of tissue or personal item
- Figure out what you want to order (menus on the side of the 2 walls)
- Head to the cashier in the back of the restaurant, order and pay
- Take your number and place it on your table
- Wait for the food at the table
- Once you finish, someone will clean the tables so you can leave!
Our Order:
This was my order:
- Kopi C $1.60SGD (1.18USD)
- Kaya Toast $1.20SGD ($0.89USD)
- 2 Soft Boiled Eggs ($0.90SGD/Egg) $1.80SGD ($1.34USD)
- Laksa $4.70SGD ($3.48USD)
Kopi C (with less sugar)
Kopi is a Malay term for coffee. Brewed very strong usually served with sugar and condensed milk. When I say strong, I mean be prepared to be happily up for 3-5 business days. But not as strong as vietnamese coffee, which would have you up for 5-8 business days. I suggest you order and drink this before noon as it is more caffiene than a shot of espresso.
The one I ordered was a Kopi C which is coffee with evaporated milk and sugar. Siew Dai means less sugar.
Again, the coffee is strong! Make sure you’re not having it late in the day if you’re not use to super strong coffee and please eat before drinking, your jitters will thank you.
The coffee had a dark, robust, roasted, nutty flavour without the burnt flavours coming through. It was thicker than your average coffee, probably from the evaporated milk. The creaminess that came after the nutty, bold flavour was OFF THE HOOK.
Kaya Toast
The toast was perfectly toasted with a crunchy, golden exterior, still warm and slighty soft on the inside.
The mild sweetness of the coconut jam comes through which paired nicely with the creamy, cold slab of butter. It was warm then cold, crispy, but soft, sweet and creamy all coming together. And as it starts to get a bit too sweet, a swig of the coffee offsets the richness of the butter and cuts the sweetness from the kaya (coconut jam). As I bite into it, I can hear angels singing from above. I guess this is what a little slice of Heaven feels like.
Soft Boiled Eggs
The 2 egg came soft boiled placed in a boil where you crack into it. The eggs were cooked so they whites were just set. White pepper and Malaysian soy sauce (thick, dark soy sauce that has a hint of sweetness) is added to the eggs and (optional) mixed together. The texture is like a soupy custard.
At first sip, the eggs are creamy and savoury with a hint of sweetness. The fragrance of the white pepper comes through bringing out the umami-ness of the eggs. Unlike black pepper, white pepper is much more subtle in flavour and compliments the flavour of eggs perfectly, enhancing the savoury profiles of the yolk all the while cutting out the richness.
Then dip the toast into the eggs and bite into the crunchy exterior of the toast and egg mixture, where it’s a holy union of sweet and savoury. An explosion of creaminess permeates the tastebuds. The opposing textures, temperature and flavour profile satisfy every craving you would want in a breakfast.
And then wash it down with that nutty, bold, STRONG coffee.
Ugh, I’m craving this as I’m typing right now. Contemplating if I should just fly back to eat it.
YOLO.
Laksa
I’ve been on a search for a good laksa while in Singapore and so when I saw it, I had to order it. The soup in this version is thick like a western soup instead of it being broth like. The coconut milk comes through right away then the spice hits you. I does kick a little, for mild spice lovers, this would be a low medium in spice.
The shrimp paste is mild but it does come through.
What I loved about this dish was how the soup clung to the noodles and the additional flavour from the fenugreek that was put on top. The soup had a nice balance and wasn’t overly salty which didn’t leave me thirsty afterwards.
Anyone liking a soupier laksa, this one is not for you.
Shorts/Reel Review
Service:
The service is efficient, someone is in the back taking your order, they don’t yell or scream but when it’s busy, make sure you know what to order. The man was assertive with a look of distain and slight eye-roll frustration if you start deciding there.
The service is efficient and even the people bringing you the food or cleaning your plates is quick and the moment they appear, they just disappear.
Final Words:
It’s been a number of years since I’ve had a kaya toast breakfast so I can’t tell you if it’s the best I’ve had. But as I type this review now, I am tempted to fly back to Singapore and go back for that toast and coffee combo.
Who Should Try:
- people who love sweet and savoury things
- strong coffee lovers
- people who love coconut milk, shrimp and spice
- If you are use to fast food, cha chaan teng’s and foods generally very salty do NOT come here. The flavours here pack a punch in flavour, but seasoning wise it’s balanced almost slightly below that line, so either pack on the thick soy sauce or try out another place.
My Uncertfied Rating:
Out of 10:
Ambiance: 7
Food: 9
Service: 9