Kopibing: Affordable kopitiam in Starhill Gallery, serves nasi lemak & kahwin toast from RM5.90

Strolling around Bukit Bintang, I often wonder where I can grab some good yet budget-friendly grub. I mean, in such an atas area, there’s got to be some affordable eats, right? I can’t have my wallet weeping every time I jalan-jalan around Bukit Bintang. Luckily, I stumbled upon Kopibing tucked away in The Starhill Gallery.

Wandering through Eslite Bookstore, I stumbled upon a bunch of eateries and thought, “It won’t hurt to check it out.” And there it was— a kopitiam! Score! Glancing at the menu, I noticed most food options were priced at RM5.90. Just in time, my stomach growled, confirming my hunger.

What I tried at Kopibing

So, here I am, on my 9th article about kopitiams. Yeah, I actually counted. Now, you might be thinking, “Lisa, aren’t you tired of this?” Nope, not at all. I’m all about that kopitiam life. So, let’s make this article the fab number 9.

No surprises here— I went for the Nasi Lemak Banjir with Poached Egg (RM5.90). Feeling extra hungry, I decided to go all out and added the Curry Chicken (RM9.90). The tantalising fragrance of coconut-infused rice wafted through the air, instantly capturing my attention. My senses heightened as the delightful scent reached my nostrils, causing me to abruptly lift my head, drawn in by the alluring aroma.

They served the nasi lemak in this cool retro-style bowl, complete with sambal, fried anchovies, roasted peanuts, and, of course, the poached egg. Now, I’m not a big fan of cucumbers, but it kind of threw me off that it wasn’t on the plate. 

I sliced into the poached egg, and the yolk oozed out— ah, perfection. I scooped up some rice, gave it a try, and all the flavours of a top-notch nasi lemak were there. It was fragrant, the coconut milk came through, and overall, not bad. The only hiccup was that it turned out a bit mushy. Maybe they went overboard with the coconut milk, or perhaps the rice needed a bit more time in the rice cooker.

Next up was the sambal. I have to be honest, the portion was kind of sad. It looked like they handed me just a tiny spoonful. But did it pass the taste test? Absolutely. It started off sweet, then the spicy kick followed. Bonus points for the slightly chunky texture— I’m a fan of sambal like that.

I then shifted my attention to the Chicken Rendang. The broth had a thicker consistency, hinting that they went old-school with the shallots, dried red chillies, ginger, and galangal— more of a coarse chop than a fine blend. There was this crushed lemongrass bit at the base doing its thing to bring all the flavours together. I have to say, though, I’m not a fan of lemongrass in my rendang.

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Now, the rendang itself was savoury with a touch of sweetness, probably thanks to the palm sugar. It played the spice game just right, giving a satisfying kick. The chicken was tender enough to part ways with the bone effortlessly, signalling a top-notch rendang. The dance between the juicy meat and the rendang gravy was spot-on, and that natural sweetness kicked the overall flavour up a notch.

I then went for the Kahwin Toast (RM5.90) with the classic thick white bread. So, what’s Kahwin Toast? It’s a mashup of kaya and butter sandwiched between slices of bread.

The toast had a satisfying crunch, and it teamed up well with the kaya. The only hiccup was the big ol’ slab of butter— the saltiness of it took over the sweet kaya. I’d prefer if they had spread it evenly or served it on the side. Still, it made for a decent snack.

To wash it down, I ordered the Teh Ice (RM5.60). It’s a tad pricier, but oh boy, it was heavenly. It was just the right mix of sweetness from the milk and tea. And that foam on top? You know the Teh Ice is going to hit the spot when there’s foam action going on.

Final thoughts

All in all, Kopibing is a cool spot for a quick snack while you’re out shopping in the atas area of Bukit Bintang. I think they could do a bit better with the nasi lemak rice and sort out the butter situation on the toast. But hey, when it’s a budget-friendly coffee shop, you roll with the punches, right?

Expected damage: RM5.90 – RM15 per pax

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