Once in a while you encounter little food cafes in Singapore that's a gem and worth boasting about. The Old Malaya Cafe is one such place serving up Malaysian local food such as Penang Prawn Noodles, Ipoh Hor Fan, Penang Laksa, Chicken Rice Balls, and Poh Piah.
Previously a cheap meal in town would mean a trip to a Food Junction or Food Republic outlet. Certainly both food courts would give a wide selection of local food options all under $10 however one would have to deal with food that seem to be mass produced rather than cooked with passion by the original stall owners.
I go to The Old Malaya Cafe each time I am shopping at 313 Somerset Orchard and I have tried the Roast Chicken with noodles, the Ipoh Hor Fan and the Poh Piah. All dishes are cooked simply and to perfection that there is no room for complaints. I particularly like their Poh Piah which is essentially a wrap filled with carrot, turnip, egg, prawns and mixed with chili, garlic (optional) and black prawn paste. To me this is probably one of the healthiest local food choices apart from Yong Tofu. The Poh Piah here probably gives Qi Ji a run for mony if you are the sort preferring your Poh Piah not too sweet. What's lovely about The Old Malaya Cafe is the cozy setting and of course a great plus are be the prices - where a meal would start from only $3.80. A gem of a diner indeed in an increasingly expensive Orchard Road.
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| The Old Malaya Cafe Poh Piah |
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| The Old Malaya Cafe Ipoh Hor Fan |
