Kafe Hailam Kopitiam @ Bandar Damansara Perdana

Angie and I were scouting around Damansara Perdana this evening for another new place to have our dinner and we came across this place called Kafe Hailam Kopitiam. Looks like a pretty popular place as they had quite a number of people at their restaurant when we arrived. It seems that this is a Hainanese Restaurant which originated from the town of Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan. I did some research on the internet while I was there and it seems to have mixed reviews and also quite a number of outlets in Kuala Lumpur.What was most interesting was that their reviews varied by outlets. I guess, this is something that they would need to take note and make their food consistent across all their outlets. Well, there were no negative reviews on their Damansara Perdana outlet and so we decided to give it a try. It is located along the same row of shops as the hotel in Damansara Perdana. I can't remember the name of the hotel though.

Kafe Hailam Kopitiam @ Damansara Perdana

Kafe Hailam Kopitiam @ Damansara Perdana

I like the way they have used the potted ferns to form a natural screen at the entrance which gives greater privacy to the patrons.

The Entrance

The restaurant, just like other Kopitiams has been divided into two sections. Outdoor seating for the smokers and indoor is a smoke free zone. All the workers here were Bangladeshis but they were pretty efficient. We took the table outside as the weather was nice and breezy. Within seconds of seating, the waiter brought the menu over to us.

The Menu

They had a very comprehensive menu. They range from Hainanese Buns, Sandwiches, Western Food, Chinese Food, Nasi Lemak, a few Minangkabau Food items and a full page dedicated to vegetarian dishes. It is good that they have a good variety for vegetarians too as this is a segment of people that are growing in numbers in Malaysia. We then decided on our orders and placed them. Unlike other Kopitiams which are self service, here the waiter takes your order at your table. No chits to be filled by customers.

The Cutlery

While waiting for the meals, the waiter came up to the table and places a small basket with the cutlery.

Hailam Special Roasted Coffee @ RM 3.20

This was the drink that I had ordered. The Hainanese Coffee was nice. I have no complaints. I would rate this 8.5/10 . Angie ordered a glass of warm water and that was charged at RM 0.80 .

Hailam Nasi Lemak Special @ RM 9.60

Hailam Nasi Lemak Special @ RM 9.60

The Nasi Lemak was good. Their rice was fragrant and nice. The sambal, was the spicy type. It was not sweet and exactly the way I like it. The rendang chicken was the best. They only use drumsticks and the flesh was very tender and juicy. The gravy was also lavish and tasty. I loved this dish very much. One of the best Chicken Rendang Nasi Lemak's in town. I would rate this 9/10 .

Fried Kuey Teow @ RM 7.80

Fried Kuey Teow @ RM 7.80

Angie ordered this Fried Kuey Teow and I did get a bite to taste it. The Kuey Teow was good too. It was more of the dry style and it had loads of prawns and cockles in it. Once again, this was more to the spicy side. It may not be the best that I have tried but it is pretty decent. I would rate this dish 8/10 .

Spicy Otak Otak @ RM 5.80

Spicy Otak Otak @ RM 5.80

Honestly I am not much of an Otak Otak fan but I really loved it here. It was very spicy, did not have the usual smell and was very well done. Strongly recommend this dish! I would rate this 9/10 .

Deep Fried Assorted Seafood @ RM 7.80

Well, this was just like any other place. I doubt if it was homemade. Most likely the usual stuffs bought from supermarkets and sold here. However for the number of items, I feel that it is slightly on the expensive side. Just another dish that your can find in other places.

On the whole, this place was quite decent. Some of the items that I would recommend here are the Nasi Lemak and Otak Otak. I did not try their Hainanese Chicken Chop but did see some mixed reviews on that dish. They also did have some Hainanese Buns and sandwiches which definitely looks good. Total dining cost today including taxes came to RM 36.75 which I feel is generally reasonable.

Address: 32-1, Jalan PJU 8/5G, Bandar Damansara Perdana,
               47820 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.

Opening Hours: 0830 - 2300 Daily

Telephone: +603 7725 4654