It’s Saturday, a day when we are supposed to rest…or is it Sunday. Maybe, for some, Saturday is to continue what started on late Friday evening, towards night. It is the time where many have been tuned in to the fact that they have to “de-stress” from the week’s work that was. In the 1970s & ’80s, it was known as “let your hair down”, even for those with little or no hair.

So, Friday evening, heading on towards night; you probably will see “the happening places” in the cities full. “Full” may not be too efficient a word; more like squished, cramped and bursting at its seams, because everybody who thinks they are somebody or want to be “somebody”; wants to be see in these happening places. It is so jam-packed that de-stressers / customers / guests / patrons (whatever they choose to go by as), are willing to stand all night long, sometimes at the passages, hallways (even next to the toilets), right out on to the streets / curbs / sidewalks. And believe it or not, there is no stress there at all. Maybe, when they get the bill, they may get a wee bit stressed.

Topics of conversation will range from almost anything: what happened at the office, to food, to more of whatever happened at the office, to sports and dressing / clothes, cars, fashion, to more of what happened, is happening and / or suspect is going to happen at the office. Sounds familiar?

True that this is not for everybody. The rest of the stressed people, those who are either less “with it” or not “with it” or without(?) may go to places where stars light up when bucks come in, cafes, teafes (tea version of cafes), mamak (1) (some call themselves “bistros”. You are sure to get some of the best local food in town). Let’s not forget the kopitiams (2) and the upmarket term “restoran” (Bahasa Malaysia for restaurant). Back in the good ol’ days, they were known as “coffee shops” or “Kedai Kopi” in Malaysia. Calling them restaurants or “restoran” is keeping abreast with the times.

Some of the best coffee drinks can be found at these local restaurants. They don’t have fanciful names so they don’t cost an arm and a leg; though they are millimetering their way towards that direction.

Some of these coffee shops or restaurants are giving the big boys (the ones with the moolah to splash on advertising) a run for their money. They have real air-conditioners as permanent fixtures. It is getting rarer to hear, “Anneh, (5) on the fan”, or “bos, buka kipas” (6) (not literally buka-ing the kipas as the direct English translation is “open fan”).

The best local iced coffee or “kopi peng” or “kopi Ais” (7) is served by the New Apollos restaurant in USJ 4, Subang Jaya. This is after surveying a few of the local restaurants in the area. It could change when I add on more restaurants to the list.

The “kopi Peng” at New Apollos does not have that over-powering taste found in many of the local iced-coffees. Not too sweet, too; for those watching their sugar intake. I prefer mine to be “kau” (strong).

I am going to send the car for a wash ‘n vacuum now. Then I will go for a coffee fix. Stumbled across a little cafe in town called, “Benson Brew”. By little, I mean “little”. Sort of charming like the little cafe I experienced in Perugia, Italy.

Let us know what your thoughts are. We’d love to hear your experiences from around the world since there are readers from over 90 countries tuning in to this blog.

Anytime is a good time for a coffee.

NOTES:
1. Mamak means a person of Tamil Muslim origin or descent living in Malaysia or Singapore.
2. Kopitiam is a coffee house serving traditional Malay and Chinese fare.
3. Restoran is Bahasa Malaysia language for restaurant in English.
4. Kedai kopi is Bahasa Malaysia for coffee shop in English.
5. Anneh means elder brother in Tamil.
6. Buka Kipas means “Switch the fan on” in Bahasa Malaysia.
7. Kopi Peng: Kopi peng [pronounced ‘ko-peeh peh-eng’]. Iced coffee with condensed milk. ‘Peng‘ means iced in Chinese.
Kopi Ais is iced coffee in Bahasa Malaysia.