In 2017, when travelling in West Malaysia, I came across this traditional coffee named "hor ga sai" in Hokkien, meaning "tiger bites lion" (虎咬狮), in Taiping, Perak. At that point in time, the beverage was hailed as "uniquely-Taiping" as it was a specialty drink that originated and available in Taiping only. In less than 10 years' time, hor ga sai became widely available in kopitiam-style restaurants throughout Malaysia.
The Taiping-specialty coffee is made by adding chocolate powder — known as "Milo" locally due to the brand used — to traditional kopi-O. Hor ga sai is similar to western-style caffè mocha except that it uses traditional coffee and without milk. The strong flavours of both the chocolate and kopi-O are distinctive — chocolaty with slight bitterness of black coffee — in the mouth at every sip.
Outside of Taiping, variations in the use of the two main ingredients — chocolate / cocoa powder and white / black coffee — may result in different flavours of hor ga sai.
On the other hand, sai ga hor (狮咬虎) is traditional teh (black tea + sugar + condensed / evaporated milk) added with chocolate / cocoa powder.
Where to try hor ga sai? Well, most kopitiams in Johor Bahru will serve the specialty-coffee, although a trip to Taiping to try its original taste may be more rewarding.
Some kopitiams to go for hor ga sai nearer to Singapore:
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