Kopitiam Lunch @ Old Market Sq Cafe, Medan Pasar, Kuala Lumpur

It was a sad day when Cafe Old Market Square was closed in 2013, but luckily for us, the new owner took heed of its value and charm and despite renovating it, it has a very authentic and old-fashion vibe which is like  time capsule. But looks aside, the food here is rustic, honest and good. And since it has been years since I have been there, me and a group of colleagues decided to have our lunch here. 

Rustic

The usual suspects in a kopitiam is present. With my band of 4, we ordered our respective mains. 2 of my friends got some chee cheong fun items, one of them ordered a plate of rojak noodles and I had the chicken chop, which the establishment is famous for.

A line building up at the chee cheong fun counter

There is a method in ordering your rice noodles. You start off by picking an assortment of side items at the stand such as fish cake, tofu and vegetables. Once you are satisfied with the selection, you can pick the size of the portions of your rice noodles. A portion of chee cheong fun was for RM1.20, and the vegetables were for RM1.50 a portion. The other seafood items varied in prices. 

An assortment of goodies

When it was all said and done, the plate was then smothered with sweet sauce and sesame seeds. Fried shallots were added in for good measure. You can opt for an everything plain plate. But that would be boring right? Not to mention very carb heavy.

Tada!

This was a substantial plate and has alot of flavour. The sweet sauce was well balanced and the chilli sauce added some edge to it. It is not overly spicy but if heat is not your thing you can choose to omit it. We do agree however that the chee cheong fun does feel similar to a close cousin, the kuey teow texture-wise. Still was good though.

A plate full of nutty lava.

The rojak was authentic and has all the elements needed to make it a must have. A spicy sauce loaded with nuts enveloped all the ingredients, so much so you cannot really see anything. And that is a good thing. Pasembor shops are now very stingy with their sauce. 

One of the peanut sauce drenched fritters

The fritters were well fried and had the right chewy texture. I would like to say they were cooked till golden brown, but as the sauce coloured the fritters, I will reserve my comments on the same. This great plate was reasonably priced too as it just stood for RM5.50. Not that easy to find such pricing in the big city. 

Chicken is on the menu today, and soon to be in my mouth. 

And of course, there was my chicken chop. I liked the golden brown breading that encased the chicken. However, some parts had more breading than I liked it to be. Still, it was excellently fried, as it was not greasy and the mushroom sauce really hits home at the nostalgia factor. It came with a side of fries and baked beans, which is nothing to shout about. And it standing at RM15.10, it was still a substantial lunch.

Another angle of the interior

This is a place worth visiting. Even if you do not feel like having a meal, just come over for a drink and experience the environment. Loaded with history and full of rustic charm, Cafe Old Market Square is a place you can get some serious old fashion eats at a reasonable price right in the heart of the city. 

Front of the house. You cannot miss this red sign. 

Located near the Malaysian Bar Council Office, Petaling Street and also behind Dataran Merdeka, the walls of the building has seen many may not in a lifetime. And if you do decide to come, the address is as follows: 

Cafe Old Market Square 

2, Medan Pasar, 50050 Kuala Lumpur