Cafe Society

Everytime we go to Penang we cover Georgetown on foot, north to south and east to west, often walking the same stretch of road five or six times in a single day. Yet - amazingly - we always come away with new finds.

This find isn't our own; a friend who's known Penang much longer than we have can take credit for the perfect kopi with toast and kaya we enjoyed the other morning at Toh Soon Cafe.

To label Toh Soon a 'cafe' may be stretching it a bit. The place is more of a family-owned assembly line occupying a galley kitchen that opens onto an alley crowded with tables.

At 8am on Saturday we grabbed the last two available seats, placed our order and, following the example set by the cafe's regulars, sat back to await delivery.

Malaysian kopi has its detractors, but when it's made well (and it's not always) we quite like it. Like Vietnamese coffee - about which most every tourist seems to rave - it's adulterated. Most beans that go into a classic cup of Malaysian kopi  are roasted with sugar, which caramelizes and even burns during the process, resulting in an exceedingly dark and slightly bitter brew that - like Vietnamese cafe (in Vietnam beans are also often roasted with sugar, among other ingredients) - marries perfectly with sweetened condensed milk. 

Toh Soon's kopi is not the very best in town, we think. But it's right up there.

Another element in Toh Soon's favor:before it sandwiches salted butter and a thin smear of excellent kaya (coconut and egg jam), the cafe's bread is painstakingly grilled over charcoal. It's quite an ingenious contraption they've got going in that galley kitchen, actually - an old oil drum with a charcoal fire in the center. On top, water boils for kopi. Beneath, flames brown the bread.

Sure, a toaster would be more convenient. But the result wouldn't be as delicious, and that's why Toh Soon is heaving. Untill 9am anyway, when traffic police take to the streets to enforce Georgetown's ban on curbside parking, and you're practically guaranteed a seat.

Toh Soon Cafe, alley off Lebuh Campbell just shy of Jalan Penang (across the street from from Lean Wah Silk Merchant), Georgetown, Penang. Mornings, every other Tuesday closed.

Comments

[Christelle]

I love this article, it feels very homely! :)

[Teresa Tan]

Thanks for sharing, brings fond memories to far away Vermont!

[Gastronomer]

There's a new hot-shot resto in L.A. called Street. It serves street food from around the world at a premium. Their Kaya toast is supposed to be AMAZING.

I think I'll just wait and go to Penang ;-)

[Rasa Malaysia]

My brother takes people there all the time, well, when they choose coffee and toast as breakfast vs. hawker breakfast. :)

[Kelantan Gal]

That is the best way to toast bread. So much flavour. Thanks for a "taste" through your post.

[KennyT]

This kinda open cafe reminds me of my childhood, thanks a lot for sharing.

[Chris]

Just lovely! Am hoping to be back in Pg next year, so I hope you can tell us where this gem of a place is. I'll forgo hotel breakfast for kopi and roti kaya anytime!

[Robyn]

Thanks all. These sorts of posts always elicit comments from homesick Malaysians.

Cathy - read about Street. I dunno about the concept, but if the kaya is good you should check it out.

Chris - oop. Thanks for bringing my attention to that oversight. Adding details at end of post now.

[Pete]

Fab photos, Robyn! Have you thought of getting out of the old quarter of Georgetown & exploring the suburbs? There are fabulous coffeeshop eateries in Island Glades (Delima Selera's been around since 1972), Island Park (fab wanton mee & fried koay teow at Persiaran Besi), Jelutong market (great Chinese nasi lemak), Batu Lanchang market (Nyonya kueh), Ayer Itam Market (my fave koay chiap stall), etc.

[wandernut]

Sigh, what I would do for a bite of that bread right now.

[J2Kfm]

yeah, was hoping for some good toast here, but somehow distracted by other more offerings from Penang.

there's another good toasts on the way to Bayan Lepas airport, right?

[Robyn]

Hi Pete - we've done Padang Brown and Jelutong and Balik Pulau and, of course, Pulau Tikus. The others will have to wait till the next trip!

J2Kfm - that (location of other good toast) I don't know. And yes I agree, there are too many foods in Penang to fit into just one stay, so am not surprised you missed out on toast.

[Pete]

Robyn, the place which J2Kfm referred to must be Joo Leong Cafe in Sungei Tiram. It's a large wooden house along Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah, enroute to Bayan Lepas airport. In the evenings, it's famous for seafood porridge (Teochew-style, i.e. rice grains in clear broth). My Penang work colleagues brought me there for breakfasts almost daily (since it's just 2 km away from my company's Penang office). Honestly, I think Singapore (Killiney, Ya Kun, Chin Mee Chin) does kaya toasts better than any place in Malaysia. But there's no beating Malaysian spots like Joo Leong for sheer atmosphere!

[lili]

When I was in Penang in January I discovered this place on my last morning. I considered staying another day just for more of the steamed coffee bread and kaya, and the plain kaya toast not to mention the wonderful atmosphere. Thank you for reminding me of Toh Soon Cafe!

[Sticky]

Oh My! It's official! I do have a fetish for these kinds of places.

I'm marking it down!
Great stuff, Robyn.

[violet]

Awesome blog!! Love your pictures! :)

And I've been here :)