Which restaurants, you ask? Does the PappaRich restaurant franchise ring a bell?
The 60-year-old Negeri Sembilan native was the founder of that particular chain. While he may have sold off his PappaRich stakes back in 2019, Tan has not been idle and instead has been cooking up something new in his kitchen!
Rich Kopitiam is his latest pride and joy, a humble but classy establishment located in 1 Utama Shopping Centre in Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Launched in the middle of last year, the restaurant has received rave reviews from critics and customers alike, especially for its very Malaysian menu.
FMT Lifestyle recently spoke with Tan and savoured some of Rich Kopitiam’s tasty offerings. “I have been in the restaurant business for about 20 years now,” he shared – although his love for eating has been around as long as he has!
Why did Tan return to the business after selling off PappaRich? “It is my vision and mission to make Malaysian food my life’s legacy,” he said, explaining that his wish is to bring local food culture and businesses to the global stage so they will be as recognisable as brands such as Starbucks.
But why food at all? “I like to eat lah!” he replied with a laugh. “Everybody here in Malaysia likes to eat, especially good local food.”
Tan shared that the recipes used in Rich Kopitiam’s kitchen were obtained from experienced hawkers from all over the country. For instance, “when I went to Penang to eat, I found ‘sifu’ (master) hawkers there. And I learnt how to cook food like they do”.
Believing that good food requires balanced tastes and flavours, he is adamant about using only natural ingredients when cooking: “If you use artificial ingredients, it just won’t be as good.”
This is why the dishes served at Rich Kopitiam are prepared with fresh Malaysian herbs and spices like lemongrass and ginger.
He pointed to the restaurant’s signature nasi lemak ayam berempah, saying the chicken is prepared in-house using nine spices.
With the classic components of fried groundnuts, anchovies, hard-boiled egg and fragrant nasi lemak, the cherry on top has to be the chicken, redolent with spices and cooked to perfection.
Also on the menu is Tan’s beloved char kuay teow – and the version here is arguably one of the best outside of Penang.
Soft and springy, it has just the right amount of moisture, and is made even more palatable with an addition of an egg, done sunny-side up, on top.
For maximum enjoyability, do mix the yolk in with the noodles!
Speaking of noodles, the yellow variety in curry mee often gets a bad rap for having a slight chemical taste. Fortunately, this is not so at Rich Kopitiam – instead, you get a piping-hot, spicy broth with bouncy, flavourful noodles free of any “ick” factor.
Looking for some light snacks? Try the restaurant’s egg tarts, but do hurry as they tend to sell out quickly! With a light, flaky crust and creamy, custard-like centre, these are a perfect treat at any time of the day.
And you can’t go wrong with the classics, so do give Rich Kopitiam’s kaya butter toast a try. Meanwhile, the kopi ice is a love letter to coffee aficionados out there: chilly and refreshing with a nice, balanced flavour.
Overall, Rich Kopitiam’s menu does justice to Malaysian customers’ taste buds, courtesy of Tan’s high standards and love for food.
Rich Kopitiam
LG603, Old Wing,
1 Utama Shopping Centre,
Bandar Utama,
Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Business hours: 9am-10pm daily
Contact: 03-7499 3705