Diam diam la .. "no rat nests found"

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While Malaysia is not short of coffee shop chains, few are as popular as Oriental Kopi.  The brand, which was first established in 2021, currently has 14 outlets and two merchandise stores scattered across Johor Bahru, Kuala Lumpur and Selangor.  And now, it has expanded out of Malaysia to have its first overseas outlet in Singapore.   The 100-seater eatery is located at the bustling Bugis Junction and will open its doors to the public on Wednesday (Nov 27).  While I've never dined at Oriental Kopi myself, I've heard plenty of good reviews from friends who frequent Malaysia. So, I was eager to see for myself how good the food and drinks were.    Egg tarts, nasi lemak, kopi and more  The Singapore and Malaysia menus are exactly the same, so you can enjoy the establishment's classics regardless of which side of the Causeway you're at.  We were also told that the outlet's chefs in Singapore had been sent to Malaysia for training to ensure that the quality of food and drinks would be maintained.  Here, you have to try the eponymous Oriental Kopi (from $2), a full-bodied Nanyang-style brew made from a "golden ratio" of top-quality Arabica, Robusta and Liberica beans.  Popular drinks here include the Oriental Kopi (left) and Oriental Mocha (right). PHOTO: AsiaOne/Melissa Teo Diners can enjoy this hot or cold — we got the iced version ($3.50), which was extremely aromatic.  Another recommended drink we had was the iced Oriental Mocha ($4.80), which was a blend of coffee and chocolate.  I much preferred this to the Oriental Kopi thanks to the chocolatey elements.  One of Oriental Kopi's must-try menu items is the award-winning Signature Egg Tarts (two pieces for $5.20, six pieces for $15.60).  These are handmade with premium French butter and have even been lauded in the Malaysia Book of Records for the Thickest Egg Tart and the Most Number of Egg Tarts Sold.  Oriental Kopi's famous egg tarts, which are handmade with premium French butter. PHOTO: AsiaOne/Melissa Teo In general, there are two types of egg tarts — Portuguese-style with a flaky pastry crust and Hong Kong-style with a shortcrust pastry shell.    Oriental Kopi's rendition is Portuguese-style, which I much prefer.  While I really enjoyed the custard, which was silky and subtly sweet, I found the pastry crust a tad too soft for my liking.  However, my dining companion and colleague thoroughly enjoyed the pastry and finished her share despite being full.  Another popular snack is the Oriental Polo Bun ($4.60), which comes served with a slab of cold butter and a small glass of condensed milk.  If I wasn't watching my weight, I would have wanted to order five more of these delicious polo buns. PHOTO: AsiaOne/Melissa Teo According to Oriental Kopi, the buns have earned themselves a spot in the Malaysia Book of Records for Most Number of Polo Buns Sold.  And I can see why because when you combine the butter and condensed milk with the crisp buns, it's a sinful match made in heaven.  A coffee shop isn't complete without kaya toast, and we got to try the Traditional Double Butter Kaya Toast ($2.60 for two slices).  Look how nicely toasted the kaya toast is! PHOTO: AsiaOne/Melissa Teo This was another indulgent snack thanks to the slabs of butter and fragrant homemade kaya wedged between the crisp toasted bread.  My only gripe was that the sliced bread was a tad too thick for my liking, but that's more of a personal preference.  Oriental Kopi doesn't just have snacks and drinks — it sells main dishes too.  I ordered the Oriental Fried Chicken Meat Mee Siam ($9.50), which came with fried chicken, a runny egg and cucumber slices atop a bed of stir-fried bee hoon.  Look at the beautiful runny egg on top of the mee siam. PHOTO: AsiaOne/Melissa Teo I'll admit that I was a tad disappointed by the noodles, which were a little bland. However, the fried chicken was excellent and well marinated.  On the other hand, my colleague ordered the Oriental Signature Nasi Lemak ($9.50) and we both agreed that this was one of our favourite dishes out of the lot.  The nasi lemak was one of our favourites! PHOTO: AsiaOne/Melissa Teo It was a simple plate of nasi lemak featuring rice, a piece of fried chicken, peanuts, ikan bilis, sambal, sliced cucumber and an egg.  But all the different elements were prepared well, especially the crispy fried chicken — I couldn't stop eating it!  If you want to enjoy a piece of Oriental Kopi from the comfort of your home, you can do so by purchasing something from its extensive range of merchandise.  This includes boxes of coffee, tea and hot chocolate ($6.50 to $8.20), bottles of nasi lemak sambal ($5.50) and bottles of traditional kaya ($3.50).  There are also instant packets of the brand's traditional pan mee ($1.80 to $2.30).  Final thoughts  a The interior of Oriental Kopi at Bugis Junction. PHOTO: AsiaOne/Melissa Teo As someone who enjoys Malaysian-style coffee shop food, overall, Oriental Kopi's first Singapore outlet has lived up to my expectations.  I do feel that the menu items are a tad pricey. That said, the price range is about the same as some other popular coffee-shop chains here. And if you don't have the time to cross the border and get your fix, this would be a great solution. Address: 50 New Bugis St, #02-50, Singapore 188021 Opening hours: 10am to 10pm 

An elderly man was on board a Singapore Airlines flight from the US to Singapore when he allegedly molested four women between 3.15am and 5.30pm on Nov 18. Indian national Balasubramanian Ramesh, 73, who is accused of molesting one of the women four times, is said to have targeted the three others once each. He was handed seven molestation charges in a district court on Nov 25. Court documents do not disclose if the women were the carrier’s passengers or crew, and they cannot be named due to a gag order to protect their identities.   Balasubramanian is accused of molesting the first alleged victim at around 3.15am, and his second alleged victim about five minutes later. He allegedly molested the second woman three more times between 3.30am and 6am on Nov 18. He is also said to have outraged the modesty of a third woman at around 9.30am and allegedly molested the fourth woman at around 5.30pm that day. He is expected to plead guilty on Dec 13. For each count of molestation, an offender can be jailed for up to three years, fined or caned, or receive any combination of such punishments. Balasubramanian cannot be caned as he is over 50 years old.