Killiney Kopitiam, Singapore

Killiney Kopitiam is serious. It's serious about it's coffee which is a blend of Columbian arabica beans and Indonesian robusta beans. It's also very serious about it's kaya jam, which is made daily in the store. Kaya is as synonymous with Singapore eating, as Killiney Kopitiam is synonymous with Kaya.



This humble little kopitiams beginnings back in 1919 were as a little shop serving well brewed coffee & tea, with charcoal grilled kaya toast. Then a gentlemen by the name of Mr Woon, a regular to the shop, loved it so much he bought it in 1993 and renamed it Killiney Kopitiam. We both start with a kaya and coffee.



The toast is nicely grilled, while still being soft on the inside. The light green kaya is full of coconut flavor and the sweetness being mellowed by the slices of cold butter. The eggs at Killiney are small, and extremely fresh. The eggs come out in their shell with a small bowl to crack them into. There's something quite satisfying of cracking these soft eggs into the bowl, the way they cascade from the shell, with their big, bright orange yolks. We have a little of the dark soy, and some white pepper on top. I like to dip my toast into the egg, then savor any remains with a small spoon (or just order more toast!).

The Killiney menu today has expanded, with a range of local delicacies. We also try the little Nasi Lemak parcels. We see a stream of these going out the door with take-away coffees, what an awesome fast-food breakfast. Little banana leaf parcels filled with aromatic steamed coconut rice, dried fishies and sambal.



We also try the chicken curry with French bread. This is an old breakfast classic, that Mr Woon is trying to revive. Chunks of bone-in chicken leg are simmered in a rich curry broth, with some potatoes adding a nice bit of body. There is then some crusty French bread on the side, which we just tear off and dip into the broth. Definitely not a light start to the day, but a damn fine start!



We finish off with a couple of iced-milo drinks. Light and frothy, over loads of ice. Seems to ease the tummy just nicely ...

Killiney Kopi Tiam
67 Killiney Road
Singapore 239525
T: 6734 9648


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Breakfast at Suk 11, Bangkok

Being on holidays ... sleeping in ... aah, so lovely! But we found ourselves wanting to get up when staying at Suk 11, as to not miss out on the morning breakfast. We would always head downstairs just in time, and it was always so nice looking down into the communal area that was bustling with morning madness, coffee's, breakfast, check in's and check outs.



We'd go straight for a tea and a plate of the daily offerings. Today we have little banana's, sticky rice parcels with coconut braised banana and a little cup filled with taro, black rice and corn swimming in a sweet coconut milk.



I could never resist a slice of toast with Thai-ya. What we were calling a Thai version of Kaya jam, that was made with coconut, sugar and Thai tamarind tea.



Always a good start to what was always a great day in Bangkok!

Kaya Toast, Singapore

Kaya ... sweet, sticky and fragrant. It's a jam like custard made from eggs, sugar & coconut flavoured with pandan. Traditionally it's served between 2 slices of toasted brown bread with a slice of cold butter. This is then eaten with some super soft-boiled eggs and a coffee.

Our first Kaya experience is Tong Ah Coffeeshop, out in the middle of Chinatown in a charming corner building that has been doing this for years! Initially they started out just selling coffee powders. Their coffee is still let to sit for a few weeks to mature the fragrance before being brewed.... and superb it was!

We both have the Kopi-O which comes with a little sugar and condensed milk. It's a dark, thick brew with just the right amount of sugar and a good splash of condensed milk.. this comes out with some soft boiled eggs and a couple of slices of Kaya toast.

They do use white bread here instead of the traditional brown, but it's sliced nice and thin and well toasted. Once the eggs are cracked open, revealing their gooey and runny deliciousness, it's time to start dipping the toast... and also order another coffee! We were buzzing for hours after 2 coffee's each.

The next morning we try Ya Kun Kaya Toast. It's like an institution in Singapore .... the first opened in 1944 and is still owned by the original family. They run the biggest of Kaya Toast chains in Singapore, although still manage to have that little kopitam feel, without feeling at all commercial. They do a couple of sets, including kopi, toast and eggs. We both go for the traditional but also have to try a portion of French toast with Kaya.

They use the traditional brown bread here ... it is meticulously toasted and re-toasted until it's deliciously crisp. The Kaya is nice and thick, and the slice of cold butter big enough to taste with every bite... the eggs are sent out already cracked, so a little white pepper and soy and you're ready to go. The French toast wasn't too exciting, we'll be sticking to the original! and the Kopi-O is sweet and rich, we'll be racing all morning .. again!

After dinner at Gluttons Bay, we sniff out the busy Roti Kaya Fondue stand... this was a must on our Gluttons list! The toasted brown bread is cut into little fingers, with a pot of soft butter and warm Kaya for dipping.... I feel like a little kid again!

Not really Kaya 'Toast' but I thought worth a mention ..... a little Japancake we picked up outside one of the MRT station, filled with, of course, Kaya. Pretty tasty!


Tong Ah Coffeeshop

36 Keong Saik Rd

Chinatown

6:30am - 10pm Closed alternate Wednesdays

Ya Kun Kaya Toast

18 China St

#01-01 Far East Sq

7:30am - 7pm Mon-Fri, 8am-6pm Sat-Sun, Closed Public Holidays

Roti Kaya Fondue
8 Raffles Ave

#01-158 Esplenade Mall

Makansutra Gluttons Bay

5pm-2am Mon-Thur, 5pm-3am Fri & Sat, 4pm-1am Sun