MariMari Kopitiam: Muslim-friendly Ipoh-style coffee shop with chilli pan mee & mui fun
Kopitiams are among my preferred dining options, so I was delighted when a reader recommended MariMari Kopitiam as a must-visit eatery. Situated in Kota Damansara, this coffee shop was inspired by the PappaRich franchise. So, I invited 2 friends to join me in savouring all that this kopitiam has to offer.
The reader pointed out that this place is Muslim-friendly and famous for serving the finest Ipoh coffee in PJ. I found this claim to be rather bold, especially since I’ve been a regular at a similar. kopitiam that also prides itself on serving the best Ipoh coffee.
Upon my arrival, I noticed that the restaurant was surprisingly not crowded, even though securing a parking spot was quite a challenge. Nonetheless, we decided to give the place a fair chance, so we surveyed the menu and placed our orders.
What I tried at MariMari Kopitiam
The 3 of us collectively decided to order noodle dishes.
The first dish to arrive was the Dry Egg Noodle with Curry Chicken (RM13.50). It consisted of egg noodles tossed in soy sauce, served with bak choy and curry chicken.
The egg noodles were springy and coated well in soy sauce, which in my opinion was nothing special. The curry chicken, however, introduced a delightful burst of flavour. The umami-like flavour of the thick curry paired well with the egg noodles. The chicken was tender as well, easily falling off the bone, even while I was using chopsticks.
Would I reorder it? To be frank, only if there were no other options that appealed to me.
My friend, on the other hand, decided to have the highly-recommended Char Kuey Teow (RM9.90). I must say that the dish looked very appetising when it arrived.
The kuey teow possessed a satisfactory smoky essence, although he noted that the dish might benefit from a stronger wok hei presence to enhance the overall flavour profile. It also had a decent amount of fishcake, taugeh and prawns. Again, nothing too special about it.
His conclusion? It wasn’t the most enticing serving of char kuey teow, but he wouldn’t hesitate to order it again for its cost-effective appeal.
Lastly, the Wat Tan Hor (RM13.90), more commonly known as wok-fried hor fun in silky egg gravy. This dish featured kuey teow noodles in an egg-based gravy mixed with fishcake, chicken slices and prawns.
Although the soup didn’t have an abundance of eggs, it retained a pleasing thickness that paired well with the evenly-cooked noodles, which absorbed the broth nicely. On the contrary, the chicken slices were a disappointment. It seemed as though they had been prepared and then left in the soup for an extended period, resulting in a soggy, undesirable texture.
You may be curious, what’s the final verdict on the wat tan hor? It was, as Gen Z would say, quite “mid”. It wasn’t bad, but not great, either.
Final thoughts
Sad to say, I won’t be returning to MariMari Kopitiam. There are other kopitiams which truly meet my expectations, and, regrettably, this one fell short. The 3 of us didn’t experience that distinctive charm that many kopitiams offer.
I did notice that this place is one of the few that caters to Muslim diners, as most eateries in the area serve dishes with pork or are non-halal in general.
Expected damage: RM5 – RM20 per pax
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