#2: The Disappearing Coffee Houses of Malaysia

Kopitiams are a waning vestige of Malaysia's dining past. These are classic coffee shops that serve a hodgepodge of Chinese and Malaysian drinks and dishes with flecks of British influences. Decades ago, their dark coffees (called kopi), chicken chops, and kaya (coconut jam) toast were all the rage, especially in Malaysia's capital of Kuala Lumpur. But nowadays, kopitiams are few and far between, and many have been forced to shutter. This episode, we learn how kopitiams first came to be from Anisha Chai, a researcher at Sunway University, Malaysia—a heady mix of Chinese traditions and British colonialism is involved—and hear an inter-generational story of one famous kopitiam's woes about its murky future. (Connect with us and subscribe to our newsletter at takeabaopodcast.com, or on Instagram @jun.and.tonic.)