Coffee and Toast with Kaya at Tanjung Tokong, Penang

Driving up and down along Jalan Tg. Tokong for 5 years, and I didn't realise that there was a shop making kaya in the traditional way and also preparing their own Hainanese coffee mix, not until Criz blog about it.

Ah Wang Cafe is located in place some sort like a food court in between some blocks of flats. It is just at the inner corner of the makan area, you can't missed it especially with the big signage.

It main serves hot and cold drinks, beers and toasted bread. Their signature coffee sold is the Hainanese 'Kopi', which fresh brew in the traditional cotton beg. The cup that I ordered had the bitterness and aroma of the coffee beans been stir fried, but it lack the creaminess of being fried in butter. I could see not much oil was on the surface of the 'kopi'. But still it was a good cuppa compared to the 'kopi' served by many coffee shops.

At Ah Wang, the main or core product is the breakfast and tea time favourite, roti bakar (toast bread) with butter, kaya or both (roti kahwin). The toast is crisp on the surface and slightly soft on the inside, and best taken immediately when served. Too much lingering and the toast would turn stale or no long crisp. The toast could also be enjoyed being dunking it in the coffee, what whatever drink of the moment, but not beer. OMG! The toast is spread with suffice amount of butter and kaya (coconut, egg & caramelised sugar jam), and yet is not too sweet nor oily.

Gill Gill enjoying her cup of teh-susu (tea with milk) and eying the toasts.

I would also like to highlight the Kaya (coconut & egg jam) at Ah Wang. The kaya is made the traditional way of double boiling (cooking with steam), stirring and finally touch up (coloured) with caramelised sugar. That is how my mom made it and that is how I like it, lumpy, sweet, fragrant and full of texture. Because we human are always attached to our memories, I still think my moms' kaya is the best, the creaminess from the coconut milk, the aroma and richness from the egg yokes, the sweetness from the sugar and fragrant and colour of the caramelised sugar(not artificial colouring). I still have the double boiler that my mom used to prepare her kayas in.

Overall, I would give Ah Wang Cafe:

• 3.8/5 for value
• 3.5/5 for taste
• 4/5 for service
• 3.5/5 for cleanliness
• 3/5 for atmosphere
  
  
  
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