christmas nostalgia

It's 9:35AM on Christmas morning. Wishing we had a kopitiam next door.

Killiney Kopitiam, since 1919.

Killiney Kopitiam in Singapore reminds me of hanging out with my grandfather when I was a kid. When the world was younger and we all ate two eggs every morning. And slabs of butter.

A cup of kopi, some bread toast and two soft-boiled eggs. S$4.40

The perfect eggs. Sprinkle with white pepper and drizzle with dark soy sauce.

Charcoal-grilled bread + sweet kaya jam + cool butter = warm fuzzies.

Blast from the past.

Order here, pay here: a well-oiled machine.

White tiled walls + Formica tabletops + wooden stools = a walk down Memory Lane.

Check out the old-school menu. Printed by an inkjet and laminated in plastic. Indestructible.

And the wall decor has a sense of humor.

My grandfather told me these jokes.

Verdict: Killiney Kopitiam is an awesome nostalgia trip. But more than that, their kopi and kaya set are excellent. I could feel almost a century of doing something exactly the same way because your elders told you so and no arguing-- in short, tradition-- permeate every aspect of their operation.  The result is a very consistent and comforting product that does not skimp on quality. A few people are calling their prices highway robbery, but the food and beverages at Killiney Kopitiam are really better than what others are offering at the same price.

Compare it to...

A cup of kopi, some kaya toast and two soft-boiled eggs. S$4.20

The kopi was delicious, but the eggs were undercooked and the kaya toast was like a Japanese plastic food display.

I used to be happy with Toast Box, dammit. My standards have been raised once again, arghhh!

Go to the flagship store of Killiney Kopitiam on Killiney Road, of course. The mothership is always the best.