Cafes glossary

Short, plain-English definitions of the terms you'll meet when choosing a cafe provider in Ipoh.

What does kosong mean?: Kosong is a Malay word meaning "empty" or "zero," used as an order modifier in Malaysian cafes to request a drink prepared with no added sugar.
What is a brunch menu?: A brunch menu is a dining option served late morning that blends breakfast and lunch fare, featuring dishes like eggs benedict, big breakfast plates, and lunch mains popular at Ipoh's western-style cafes.
What is a flat white?: A flat white is an espresso drink topped with a thin layer of velvety microfoam steamed milk, featuring a stronger coffee presence and smoother texture than a latte or cappuccino.
What is a hipster cafe?: A hipster cafe is a contemporary urban cafe featuring industrial aesthetics, minimalist branding, and carefully curated interiors that distinguish it from traditional kopitiams and mass-market chains.
What is a kopitiam?: A kopitiam is a traditional Malaysian coffee shop where multiple independent food and beverage vendors operate stalls within a single establishment, with shared communal seating and a focus on coffee and local cuisine.
What is Arabica vs Robusta?: Arabica and Robusta are two distinct coffee species that differ in flavor profile, caffeine content, and cost, with Arabica prized for complexity and Robusta valued for strength and hardiness.
What is chee cheong fun?: Chee cheong fun is a steamed rice noodle roll, typically filled with ingredients like shrimp, pork, or mushrooms, and served with savory sauce such as soy or sweet bean paste.
What is coffee cupping?: Coffee cupping is a standardized professional tasting method where roasters and evaluators smell and taste brewed coffee samples to assess quality, flavor characteristics, and defects.
What is cold brew coffee?: Cold brew is coffee made by steeping ground beans in cold water for 12-24 hours, producing a naturally smooth and less acidic concentrate or ready-to-drink beverage.
What is eggs benedict?: Eggs benedict is a brunch dish consisting of poached eggs and creamy hollandaise sauce served on a toasted English muffin, often topped with ham, bacon, or smoked salmon.
What is espresso?: A concentrated coffee made by forcing pressurized hot water through finely ground coffee beans, typically served as a single or double shot and used as the foundation for milk-based espresso drinks.
What is halal certification?: Halal certification is an official endorsement from JAKIM (Department of Islamic Development Malaysia) confirming that a cafe's ingredients, food handling, and kitchen operations comply with Islamic dietary law.
What is Ipoh white coffee?: Ipoh white coffee is a coffee made from beans roasted with margarine at lower temperatures, resulting in a pale color and milder, less bitter taste than dark roasts.
What is kopi peng?: Kopi peng is iced coffee, a drink order formed by adding the term "peng" (iced) to "kopi" (coffee) in Malaysian kopitiam ordering language.
What is kopi-c?: Kopi-c is black coffee brewed with evaporated milk and sugar, where the "c" denotes Carnation brand evaporated milk rather than condensed milk.
What is kopi-o?: Kopi-o is black coffee brewed with sugar and served without milk, a traditional Malaysian coffee order commonly made in kopitiams.
What is kopitiam ordering shorthand?: A set of Malay and Cantonese terms used in Malaysian kopitiams to specify sugar and milk adjustments when ordering hot and cold beverages.
What is latte art?: Latte art is the creation of decorative patterns on espresso-based drinks by pouring steamed milk into the shot, typically achieved through hand control and milk texture manipulation.
What is pour-over coffee?: A manual coffee brewing method in which hot water is poured by hand over ground coffee held in a filter cone, allowing gravity to extract the flavor into a cup below.
What is roast profile (light, medium, dark roast)?: Roast profile is the color and flavor stage of coffee beans after roasting, typically categorized as light, medium, or dark, determined by time and temperature during the roasting process.
What is siew dai?: Siew dai is a Cantonese term meaning less sweet, used when ordering kopitiam drinks to request reduced sugar content compared to the standard preparation.
What is single origin coffee?: Single origin coffee is sourced from a single farm, region, or country, as opposed to a blend of beans from multiple origins, and is valued for traceability and flavor characteristics specific to that location.
What is teh tarik?: Teh tarik is a Malaysian milk tea beverage made by pouring hot black tea and sweetened condensed milk between two vessels to create froth and a smooth, blended flavor.
What is third wave coffee?: Third wave coffee is a movement that emphasizes bean origin, light-to-medium roasting, and precision brewing methods, treating coffee as a craft product rather than a commodity.