Last December, halal kopitiam Kedai Kopi opened its first branch in Clementi. The coffeeshop is a partnership between homegrown F&B chain Tenderfresh and kopitiam operator Kimly.

Come mid-June 2021, it will open its second outlet, this time in the East at Haig Road. Located beside the Muslim Converts’ Association of Singapore, it will have nine halal and Muslim-owned stalls.

This includes new concepts like Mala Mama, a mala soup stall by lobster roll specialist Pince & Pints, which is opening a hawker stall for the first time. According to Kedai Kopi’s Facebook post, the stall will serve “a variety of fresh ingredients blanched in a special peppercorn base broth and served with their signature sauce”.

Another exciting new tenant is Nenda’s Fritter, formerly known as pasar malam stall 100% Muslim Owned Pasar Malam Food, which has been selling Goreng Pisang, Keropok Lekor and Keledek Goreng for over 20 years. As pasar malams currently cannot operate due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the family-owned business has decided to rebrand itself as Nenda’s Fritter and set up a permanent location at Kedai Kopi.

The kopitiam will also have a zi char stall called Rasa Sedap Seafood, which is run by a “former group executive chef for a F&B group that runs more than 30 zi char stalls across the island”. He will serve up halal zi char fare like Salted Egg Butter Crab and Tiga Rasa Barramundi.

Rounding up the rest of the tenants are well-known brands like Crave Nasi Lemak & Teh Tarik with its first hawker foray, western stall Tenderbest, halal bak chor mee concept Mee Bagus, Tenderfresh’s fusion hawker stall Hawkerman and a new Tenderfresh concept called Pasta Pizza, which is a “lower-priced extension” of its current Western food menu that serves a la minute mod Asian fusion pizzas and pastas.

There will also be a drinks stall called Toko Ngopi, which offers a regular kopi and teh menu on top of bubble tea-style beverages like a “colourful roasted oolong tea series” and a Bandung Grenade, which is also available at Kedai Kopi’s Clementi outlet.

In a report by The Business Times dated today (May 11), it was also announced that Kimly is acquiring a 75 per cent stake in Tenderfresh for $54 million, which will be paid in cash and the issuance of new shares in Kimly.

Kedai Kopi Haig Road opens circa mid-June 2021 at #01-01, 12 Haig Road, S430012. www.facebook.com/kedaikopihaigroad.

Photos: Kedai Kopi