Moonlight Hor Fun and Butter Kopi by Kung Fu Kopitiam, Ipoh, Malaysia

Moonlight Hor Fun and Butter Kopi

by Kung Fu Kopitian, Ipoh, Malaysia

Besides white coffee, which originated in the city, Ipoh, Malaysia's most iconic dish is hor fun, a Chinese noodle dish made from flat rice noodles stir-fried in a wok with chicken, prawns, and kale. In Ipoh, the most famous version of this dish is moonlight hor fun, which is served "dry" (without broth), tossed in dark soy sauce, and finished with a raw egg cracked on top.

moonlight hor fun by Kung Fu Kopitiam, Ipoh, Malaysia

The dark soy sauce gives the dish a sweet, smoky sort of "wok hei" flavor, and the egg (which represents the "moon") gives the dish an extra creamy texture that helps balance all of the flavors.

I also ordered the butter kopi, a small mug of strong, rich, hot kopi-o served with a slice of butter to stir into the coffee in the place of milk or cream. This created a delicious smooth, rich, fatty coffee drink with just a hint of saltiness. It's definitely not something I'd have every day, but I wanted to try it while I was in Ipoh.

butter kopi, or hot white coffee with salted butter by Kung Fu Kopitiam, Ipoh, Malaysia

Location

Kung Fu Kopitiam is located inside a historic 1928 building that once housed the Perak Ku Kong Chow Association, a Chinese clan association founded by immigrants from southern China, primarily what is now Guandong.

Like many Chinese associations in Malaysia, it was established in the late 19th or early 20th century, when large numbers of Chinese migrants arrived in Ipoh during the tin-mining boom. These newcomers often formed clan or regional associations to support one another in a foreign land. The associations helped members find work, provided accommodation, settled disputes, and offered social welfare and funeral services. They also preserved cultural traditions, dialects, and religious practices from their home regions.

Kung Fu Kopitiam located at 39, Jalan Panglima, 30000 Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia, easily reached on foot from anywhere in the small old town area of Ipoh.

Kung Fu Kopitiam in Ipoh, Malaysia's old town