There are places where you can relax and sit while the world bustles around you and there are places like Sin Seng Nam. On the surface, it's just your average Joe kopitiam with slightly harried waiters but below it's much, much more. It's a lifestyle that inspired all those 'lepak' kopitiam franchises of today.
Sin Seng Nam sits in the busy area of Masjid Jamek a hop, skip and jump from the LRT en route to Central Market. It's a reliable sort of place and has been since before Merdaka. Many of the people serving here, like eateries which has stood the test of time (Coliseum, Bismillah etc) have been knocking food back and forth from kitchen to table since pre-Merdeka days. I like it here because it has high ceilings with shuttered doors that lets lots of light in.
The teh si and kopi is satisfying and creamy and the half-boiled egg and toasted roti kahwin never lets me down. How to differentiate yourself from the novices is to order the bread with butter at the side. This is the old school way. Your toast will then come with kaya and a large slab of butter at the side. If not, they might slip you marge between the toast.
Other things good here are the simple fried noodles. Hokkien mee, meehoon goreng- I like to combine them both and it comes slightly wet with soy sauce with prawns and chicken slivers on top. It's just comfort food for anyone who grew up in a small town and remembers fondly their own neighbourhood kopitiams. They also serve good chops and excellent white chicken rice.
"The half-boiled egg and toasted roti kahwin never lets me down"
The white chicken rice here is so popular that if you come a little after lunch time there might be none left, only the roasted version. Come here about 11am to enjoy this as it's fresh and the rapid chopping of chicken will accompany your meal.
Sitting in Seng Nam and watching the ebb and flow of human life is one of life's little pleasures, especially if you have a good book and no real urgency to go anywhere. You can decide to just walk leisurely up Masjid India or tramp over to Central Market or take a gander at Petaling Street (eventhough I find it not that much fun after they put up the fibreglass roofing). So it's a great place to get sustenance before seeing where the day takes you. It's where you can feel the rhythm of KL's heart, beating and humming.
I have to say though the modern kopitiam franchises are convenient and some are not bad either, it's the veterans like Seng Nam that gives you the true ambience. So don't fret too much about the traffic or having to take the LRT here. It's worth the trip and this Merdeka, it's good to pay tribute to places like this, may it march on for another 52 years.
More Photos To Drool On
Slightly wet with soy sauce
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Foodster's Verdict
Sin Seng Nam
Taste
Address:
2, Medan Pasar,
Kuala Lumpur Tel:
Open:
Early morning to afternoon
Pros:
Nostalgic and the food has not changes much through the years
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