Ipoh Kopitiam serves authentic Malaysian delights curated by chef Kenji Tang, featuring favorites like tender Hainan Chicken Rice, flaky roti canai, and sweet kaya toast, all served in a cozy, bustling café that's always worth the wait.
"If you’re roaming around Alhambra for lunch, you can generally expect to walk in anywhere and get a table—except at Ipoh Kopitiam. This Malaysian spot is one of the most popular restaurants in the neighborhood, and come lunch or dinner rush, you’ll almost certainly get put on a waitlist. But stick it out, because the food here is good and different from what you can find elsewhere in the area. Everyone here is eating Hainan chicken, and while it’s definitely good, our go-to order is a side of flaky roti canai with chicken curry and the char kway teow. This massive plate of flat, stir-fried noodles is filled with crispy, crunchy vegetables and plump shrimp that pop in your mouth with each bite." - brant cox, sylvio martins
"Malaysian and Singaporean flavors haven’t made large inroads in San Gabriel Valley, which tends to favor Cantonese, Sichuan, and other Chinese regions. Still, the melting pot of Peranakan and Malaysian flavors that trickled down into Singapore offers a compelling set of flavor-packed dishes like nasi lewak, Hainanese chicken rice, and roti canai from chef Kenji Tang, who hails from Ipoh, Malaysia. By morning, there’s classic kaya toast with kopi, plus beef rendang and the ever-popular bat kut teh, an herbal pork soup influenced by Hoklo and Teochew communities. Expect long waits during prime meal hours." - Eater Staff, Matthew Kang
"Is there ever not a wait at this friendly Malaysian café? Chef Kenji Tang has something of a hit on his hands, and day or night, the line to get in can be as dense as the takeout tickets that pile up on the front counter. Tang fills a void with a fairly succinct menu of well-known Malaysian favorites that stand out in a region known more for its Chinese restaurants. Everybody orders the tender Hainanese chicken, served with a trio of dipping sauces and a dome of seasoned rice. Chicken curry showcases Tang’s ability to layer finely tuned spices – order it with flaky, buttery sheets of roti canai. Best of all might be the char kway teow, flat rice noodles seared in a blistering hot wok and tossed with scallions, Chinese sausage and bean sprouts." - Michelin Inspector
"Chef Kenji Tang fills a void with a fairly succinct menu of well-known Malaysian favorites that stand out in a region known more for its Chinese restaurants. Everybody orders the tender Hainanese chicken, served with a trio of dipping sauces and a dome of seasoned rice." - The MICHELIN Guide
"Chef Kenji Tang fills a void with a fairly succinct menu of well-known Malaysian favorites that stand out in a region known more for its Chinese restaurants. Everybody orders the tender Hainanese chicken, served with a trio of dipping sauces and a dome of seasoned rice." - The MICHELIN Guide
