Kemaman Classic Coffee in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur
I am a coffee-holic. I love my coffee and I love the local coffees served at coffee shops. When I was in Kuantan some time last year, I even drove up to Kemaman to try the famous coffee there. So, one day when I drove past Jalan Telawi in Bangsar, I was pleasantly surprised to see this shop proudly calling itself Kemaman Classic Coffee.
I had to stop and try it, so I did. It is located in the row of shops facing the houses on Jalan Telawi. Parking is a hassle because of the limited bays available but in the evenings, when traffic is lighter, you do see cars double-parked right in front of this shop to have a drink and a bite to eat.
We had to try the coffee of course. I remembered that the coffee I had in Kemaman was nice - thick and fragrant. We ordered the large cup which came in a mug and cost RM2.50. The coffee is thick and has milk added (although you can order coffee without milk). However, I felt it was not fragrant enough. It is passable though nothing super special.
Then, I saw that they had Keropok Lekor on the menu so of course I had to have it! What is a Terengganu food joint without Keropok Lekor? Keropok Lekor is essentially fish meat mixed with flour and salt, then rolled into lengths and boiled then fried. It is an East Coast delicacy and one that I love.
This plate cost RM2.50 which is not all that expensive really considering the rising prices these days. They come to you piping hot and are crispy around the edges and nicely soft and chewy in the middle. It is not super salty too. The only thing that disappointed me was the chilli sauce they served it with. It came from a bottle. I like the traditional home made ones for Keropok Lekor which is very liquid and sweetish to taste.
My dining partner had the Nasi Lemak Rendang for RM6.90. I thought it was quite worth it. The rice was quite little though so if you are a large eater you might have to order extra rice. The rice was fragrant with the smell of coconut milk without being cloying and it was served with a nice dollop of sambal ikan bilis and a chicken rendang drumstick, with the usual nasi lemak condiments of an egg, fried ikan bilis, fried ground nuts and cucumber. It was all very tasty.
I had the Tom Yam Chicken Mee Hoon noodles for RM5.90. It came in a little claypot and I was initially quite disappointed. However, it was very fragrant and the soup was nicely sour and spicy without being over spicy. The mee hoon noodles were not a lot so again it will not appease large eaters although it was ok for me. The chicken came in tiny little cubes which I found terribly disappointing. It would have been better if it was in slices. I also initially thought there was very little chicken but later found that there was more right at the bottom of the pot. It is nice on a cold day and I suppose it’ll do for a light meal but isn’t super special.
I don’t usually drink coffee at night, so I’d like to go back one day in the morning to have a hot cuppa coffee and maybe some traditional breakfast of toasted bread and half boiled eggs. Kemaman Classic Coffee is everything a coffee shop is with cafe prices. I did notice that there was a sizable crowd having drinks and chatting while I was there so perhaps it will be around for a while. There are other branches in Puchong and Petaling Jaya too so if you like traditional coffee, try this one. I prefer it to all the white coffee varieties as I like my coffee nicely roasted!
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