A good friend recommended Choon Fatt Kopitiam in Kepong to me, citing this as her go-to spot for kopitiam fare and egg tarts in KL. She did mention that the queue and crowd can be a pain so Jien and I made sure we arrived before 12pm on a Sunday.

Despite being earlier than the regular lunch crowd, we still had to wait for an available table and seating inside was limited. Even the outdoor seating was occupied but that wasn’t an option for us since we were dining with our little ones.

I’ll be frank – service is not the greatest, especially when they are busy. Bear than in mind when you go, and make sure you order everything at once. Not by piecemeal basis. The menu ranges from your local kopitiam fare to Western selections, such as mashed potatoes, big breakfast, pasta and burgers.

I personally liked the double cheese pork burger best (RM13.90). We added an egg into the mix (RM1.50 top up) and it was good stuff. Pork loin was juicy and tender, and the cheese and egg combo gave it more flavour and richness. Definitely my go-to order when I revisit Choon Fatt.

The lady boss recommended the mashed potatoes (RM8.50) which I ordered for the kids. It was surprisingly tasty. I was half expecting the kind you get from the powdered mix but this one is made with proper potatoes. I like the Hainan tea (RM2.90) at Choon Fatt – tea flavour is strong and they don’t stinge on the evaporated milk so there’s plenty of body, even for an iced version.

What I didn’t care for was the egg tart (RM3 per piece), as the pastry base isn’t to my preference. I like it buttery and flaky, whereas Choon Fatt’s version is more solid. The egg custard is creamy and light, which is pleasant. I guess this boils down to personal preference.

The Hainan Chicken Chop (RM17.90) comes recommended so we ordered that, as well as the Classic Chicken Chop (RM17.90). I was pleased to see brown onion gravy on Choon Fatt’s Hainan chicken chop – classic style, which I prefer over tomato-based gravy. The chicken chop was a tad over-fried unfortunately.

Classic chicken chop is pretty standard – marinated and grilled, then served alongside coleslaw and fries. You get a choice of mushroom or black pepper sauce to go with your chicken chop; I picked the latter.

Local fare includes nasi lemak with condiments of your choice, wantan mee (RM9 – small) and pork noodles (RM9 – small). The wantan mee and pork noodles are from the same stall inside Choon Fatt and I thought both were decent.

Pork noodles came with plenty of pork lard so there’s good aroma and umami. They were also generous with the minced pork. The broth isn’t the porky kind, but rather, balanced out by the garlic. While the wantan mee is not bad, it errs on the sweet side which isn’t my kind of wantan mee profile. I prefer mine savoury. We ordered one to go for my FIL and he liked it because he likes his wantan mee sweeter.

The place can be humid when crowded so dress down if you’re planning to go. Seats are limited so it’s best to get there early to score a table inside. Prices are reasonable and portions are good. I’ll come back for the Hainan tea and pork burger, that’s for sure.

Bangsar Babe on Facebook Bangsar Babe on Instagram

Ambiance: 5.5/10
Price: 6.5/10
Food: 6.5/10
Verdict: Pretty good Hainan fare at reasonable prices. Best to go early.

Do you have a food recommendation? Tell us!

全發海南茶室 Choon Fatt Hainan Tea Kopitiam
41, Lorong Bangau 2,
Kepong Baru,
52100 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 012-388 2657 (Paul)
Business hours: 6.30am till 3pm
(closed Tuesday)