JB Eat: Uncle Five Coffee @ KSL City Mall

Rick

Jan 2

Uncle Five Coffee is a Nanyang Kopitiam chain in Johor, Malaysia, serving "Taste that Belongs to Malaysian". It opened its KSL City Mall branch, near the basement exit, at the end of 2023. Located outside the rear entrance of KSL City Mall, the kopitiam is accessible without having to go into the mall and is opened before 10am to serve breakfast.

As expected of a Nanyang Kopitiam, Uncle Five Coffee serves both Singaporean and Malaysian delights. Although the restaurant serves "Taste that Belongs to Malaysian", there are Singapore Fried Prawn Noodle and Hainanese Chicken Rice on its menu too. Other than toasts, nasi lemak, mee hoon kueh, various noodle and rice dishes, etc, there are vegetarian, western and spaghetti dishes too.

They have a special menu where certain dishes are available only on specific day and time — e.g. Hainanese Chicken Rice is available only from Friday to Sunday from 10:30am onwards.

Uncle Five Coffee serves nice traditional white coffee (premixed without sugar). The kopi-O that is thick, aromatic and non-bitter — preferably not to add any sugar.

Uncle Five Coffee @ KSL City: Traditional kopi-O

The Fried Xinghua Bee Hoon with seafood (海鲜炒兴化米粉) is one dish that is seldom seen on menus of most Nanyang kopitiams. The famous rice vermicelli, from Xinghua of Putien (莆田兴华), is stir-fried with squids, prawns, egg, mushroom and vegetables. It is a simple dish yet it‘s tasty and flavourful. The squids and prawns are also not overcooked. This dish is yummy, will go for it again.

Uncle Five Coffee @ KSL City: Fried Xinghua Bee Hoon with seafood (海鲜炒兴化米粉)

The Penang Char Kway Teow (槟城炒粿条) is fried with yellow noodle and large flat kway teow —similar to Singapore-style char kway teow — but with prawns, fishcake slices, egg, beansprouts and spring onions like any Penang-style char kway teow. The dry-style noodle dish is delightful and not too oily.

Uncle Five Coffee @ KSL City: Penang Char Kway Teow (槟城炒粿条)

The yam cake is served just-fried and piping-hot with spicy sambal chilli and garnished with crispy fried shallot and spring onions. It is nice as a side dish — best to finish it before it turns cold.