Attention JB-goers: Malaysia’s famed Oriental Kopi is now in Singapore. After a two-month-long wait – its original launch was planned for September – Oriental Kopi’s first Singapore store is finally open in Bugis Junction. Founded in 2021, the chain gained massive popularity for its polo buns, toasts, Portuguese egg tarts, and Nanyang dishes. We head down to find out how it fares compared to our experience across the causeway.
Decor-wise, the Singapore outlet is pretty uniform with most Oriental Kopi stores, sporting kopitiam-inspired motifs, marble tabletops, vintage flower tiles, and rattan chairs. The eatery occupies quite an expansive space too, sitting around 100 guests.
Most folks are probably curious about how the prices here compare to that of Malaysia's outlets. While some items like the signature Oriental kopi are similar – it costs $2 here and RM6.80 (about $2) in Johor Bahru’s Mid Valley shopping mall – others are almost double in price. For instance, the polo bun costs RM7.90 (about $2.30), while the same thing here will set you back $4.60.
Must-try items on the menu include the Oriental Kopi ($2), which is a special blend of Hainanese coffee brewed with three types of beans: Arabica, Robusta, and Liberica. For something different, go for the iced Oriental Mocha ($4.20), an overflowing tower using the same coffee blend mixed in with chocolate for a more decadent taste.
You’ll likely also see one of the Oriental polo buns ($4.60) on every table. These come pre-cut with two slabs of ice-cold butter and condensed milk, and they’re as warm and crumbly as we remember. Our hopes were on trying the famed Portuguese egg tarts, another of its signatures, but they were unfortunately unavailable. It’s said that the tarts are baked fresh daily using French butter for extra richness.
Oriental Kopi also takes pride in its breakfast toasts, which are all cut to a precise thickness of 1.8 centimetres. While the traditional kaya butter toast ($2.60) is nothing to shout about, what takes us by surprise is the Curry Double Lava egg toast ($4.60). You’re meant to break apart the runny yolks over the fluffy toast then dunk it in curry – a simple combination, but it works.
Apart from breakfast items, Oriental Kopi also serves up an extensive range of Nanyang dishes, all of which can be found across its Malaysia outlets. Dig into hefty portions of nasi lemak with fried chicken ($9.50), Penang char kway teow ($7.50), prawn meehoon mee ($9.50), and more. In particular, the char kway teow stands out, boasting a subtle char with springy noodles that hold a bite.
While the prices here are mostly a step above Malaysia’s, we’d say the quality generally measures up, plus you get to skip the causeway chaos. Extra credit goes to the generous servings for the main dishes which come in under $10 each, making it a value-for-money find in the heart of town. Just a word of caution: you might want to wait for the queues to die down before paying a visit.
Find out more about Oriental Kopi Singapore here.
Oriental Kopi is open daily from 10am to 10pm at 02-50, Bugis Junction, Singapore 188021.
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