Kopitiam by Chandy's

This is a review comprised of 2 visits and on both visits, Chef Chandy greeted and welcomed my wife and I as if we hadn't been back home in ages.

Call it charm or PR, we felt his connection and that was a good start to our experience.

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On the 1st visit, my wife surprised me by bringing me here as she knew how much I love Malaysian cuisine and how immaculate their Kaya toast (coconut & pandan spread on bread called Roti Bakar) with Old Town Coffee combo is.

We asked the Malaysian chef, himself, what he would recommend for a not-so heavy afternoon snack as we had just stuffed our faces with a not-so pleasing lunch (for another review).

He suggested the Roti Bakar Pisang (coconut pandan with banana inside a crepe then fried), Bubur Pulut Hitam (the Malaysian counterpart to the Philippines' "champorado"), the Mixed Bao (red bean, custard, & kaya), and our choice of coffee.

We were just too excited that we just ordered them all on top of an additional Kaya Pandan spread upon learning that they make their own from scratch.

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2 weeks went by and my wife and I returned now knowing that we should arrive with an appetite that needed satiating.

Lunchtime was packed (not surprising) & we had to wait for a couple of minutes before being seated.

This little restaurant was filled with people who seem to love chef and its staff so much that we knew these were all loyal patrons who had fallen in love with their journey of food that led them here.

When we sat, we noticed some specials on the white board which I'll get to in a bit.

My wife ordered the Nasi Lemak Beef Rendang; while I had the Hainanese Nasi Ayam Panggang (Hainanese Chicken) with the Curry Laksa to share.

My wife's dish made our list of "notable MUST-HAVE dishes at our favorite restaurants" in the UAE (and I envied her order).

The Hainanese Chicken was so tender and we could tell that whoever was in-charge of cooking that took their time and prepared it with love.

That Curry Laksa? FIRE! Not only did it give flashes of Asian spices I've been looking for, but by God did it make break into a sweat with the spice level (which I loved).

Now, about those specials, they were desserts which were the Pandan Layer Cake (which was a pandan-flavored gelatin cake) and the Pandan Swiss Roll (which was a small piece, but that coconut-butter or custard filling was magical).

My wife and I had a difference of opinion with the Layer Cake, but we both agreed that the flavor was there. It just wasn't what she had expected as she thought the glistening exterior was a pandan-flavored frosting.

As for the Swiss Roll, my wife stopped herself before she could have the entire piece without leaving some for me.

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Kopitiam by Chandy's is a true gem in the UAE that we believe we need more of: a passionate chef and his team aiming to make a community united by not just good food, but great food made with love.

Make sure to pin its location for whenever you have no idea where to eat, but want reasonably-priced food from Malaysia.

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Here are our scores per food item:

Old Town Coffee u003d 3.5/5 (I love this brand, but I prefer the Caramel variant more)

Roti Bakar u003d 4.5/5

Roti Bakar Pisang u003d 4.5/5

Bubur Pulut Hitam u003d 4/5

Nasi Lemak Beef Rendang u003d 5/5

Hainanese Nasi Ayam Panggang u003d 4.5/5

Curry Laksa u003d 4.5/5

Pandan Layer Cake u003d 3.5/5

Pandan Swiss Roll u003d 4.5/5

This place offers nostalgic delicious food that I first experienced in Asian countries the likes of Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore.

Delicious and reasonably priced, this place offers a decent variety of dishes and beverages. We found this place when we were looking for toast with butter and kaya. We did not really look up the entire menu the first time we went, so we were very pleasantly surprised on first seeing their offerings.

This place is located along Al Falah street and has paid parking available in the immediate vicinity. In the weekends the place can get a little busy, so it is advisable to call and book ahead so you are guaranteed a table when you arrive.

The staff are welcoming and attentive but do not hover. We also had the pleasure of meeting Chef Chandy who is a lovely man, who will actually take guests through the menu and can recommend dishes when you are undecided.

If you are feeling some nostalgia for some of the items on their menu or just want a delicious and satisfying meal, give the place a go and hopefully be transported back to fond memories that you associate with the dishes on offer, or even create new ones.

I’m actually surprised to find Roti Jala in Abu Dhabi when it’s difficult to find in Singapore!

The silkiness of the roti Jala and when dipped into the curries just have it a very nice touch. Only complaint I have is that the curries are too little ???? this dish by itself is worth a 6 star.

I’m not a big fan of the prawn noodles. though - it’s spicy, so suits my taste. But the soup is on the bland side and doesn’t give the oomph that comes with the typical Penang prawn Mee (I’m from Penang so I should know). But having said that it’s good try since this is Abu Dhabi and it’s not going to be easy for the chefs to prepare huge pots of the lovely prawn Mee. For this dish, I give it a 3 star.

First time to try Malaysian cuisine. I enjoyed eating our food. Love love love the nasi goreng. Highly recommended.

What a delightful experience. Located on Al Falah street with plenty of parking in the daytime the restaurant is easy to find. Stopped for lunch after reading the wonderful reviews and I must say that the reviews were spot on. Seating is limited but as we we're early we found a table quickly. The tables were filled in quickly while we we're there . Personalised attention and suggestions by the ebullient and enterprising Chef Chandy made the experience even more memorable. With plenty of staff catering to orders freshly prepared, service is quick and unobtrusive. At our splendacious lunch we tried the fluffy,melt in mouth Roti canai , the much spoken about saporous Curry Laksa,washed down with the refreshing iced barley ais and topped it off some tea. Certainly a must visit restaurant for the hungry and the epicurean!

Food is absolutely delicious. The menu was well explained to us by the chef. My dish was prepared according to my palate.

Will surely visit again ????????

Love the food and its originality in cooking style with local Msian/Sporean taste. Service is great and the chef is somehow always around to engage and share cooking philosophy.

The price is affordable and the chef was accomodating to our request. The place itself is small so better to go on a date that is not busy.