Finding a kopitiam has been a-must activity since I set my foot on Bangka island around last year. In certain places where the traces of Chinese immigrants can be found, you can almost be sure that the trail of good coffee follows. This joyous moment happened as well during my visit to the Chinatown area of Padang and this very kopitiam is said to be one of the famous in the city. Let us meet Cici Yance, the owner of Kopitiam Nan Yo Baru ‘Liong’.
As the wife of the second generation owner of this homey kopitiam, Cici Yance has been running the show solo lately. Her husband’s ailment prevented him to be involved fully in the business again. Much to my surprise, Cici Yance served seven of us with warm welcome and swift service. After all, the rush hours had passed.
For me, it’s also the chance to taste one of the local’s best aside from the coffee. Due to its Chinese heritage, Nan Yo Baru also serves noodles and dumplings but I had to skip it for now even though the very thought of it made me drooling. This time I chose Lontong Cubadak or rice cakes with young jackfruit, sweet nut paste, bean curd, other vegetables, and a hard-boiled egg with curry soup. To refresh myself again against the very hot day that day, I had myself Cici Yance’s iced coffee and milk.
This particular rice cakes dish has many different version. For example, my breakfast the last time I visited the regency of Lintau on the far eastern part of West Sumatra was the combination between bubur or roughly cut rice cakes with young jackfruits only. While this one here has a more colorful combo and a rare treat for my tummy!
As for the coffee, Cici Yance said that she uses a particular robusta beans from Sungai Penuh area around the foothills of Kerinci mountain in Jambi province territory and she does it the Singaporean kopitiam way by boiling the coffee inside a sieve and the unique long kettle. Too bad that time I didn’t taste the real hot coffee but after all, the iced version was also a formidable choice. A friend of mine regarded highly the taste of his cuppa for only like IDR 6,000!
Well, it was a short visit and no matter how pleasant Cici Yance’s hospitality was, we only talked a bit but my journo friends bought some coffee beans to be taken home. One of them even asked Cici Yance to teach how to brew it and she’s more than willing to do so.
So, now I know where to find good coffee and perhaps next time I’d be able to also visit another coffee watering hole of my friend’s girlfriend’s relatives also in Padang. It’s a good thing that naturally the Chinese families have this particular fondness with coffee everywhere and they share the fun with us in an affordable way. I am indeed, thankful.
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NAN YO BARU ‘LIONG’ – PADANG, INDONESIA
Halal-friendly
Must eat: All kinds of coffee, rice cakes dishes for breakfast
Spend: IDR 10,000 – 15,000 / person
Address: Jalan Nipah no. 22, Padang –
Telp: +62.751.28529
Opening hours: Everyday, TBA
RIAN FARISA 