If you only have 6 hours in Malaysia, then just make sure to visit either a mamak or a kopitiam for your meals. While the mamak is typically run by Malaysian Indian Muslims, the kopitiam is frequently associated with the Malaysian Chinese. Since we are in Malaysia, the latter has a lot of them being Halal-certified. Tea Garden is one of them.

As in many kopitiams, you can expect the usual menu of in-house coffee, tea and their toast with half-boiled eggs. You cannot go wrong with these selections. At Tea Garden, I like that they offer a vegetarian menu. I feel that the Halal Vegetarian menu is worth delving into, as Malaysians could explore more of this type of cuisine. Some may argue, perlu ke Halal? Sayur je kan. Well, it is to further reassure muslim patrons that there is no alcohol or syubhah substances in the dish. Takdelah, bila cakap pasal Vege, the only thing you could think of is boiled tempeh or green leafy vegetables. I mean, it is 2026. Surely, we should learn more about vegan and vegetarian needs among our multi-ethnic communities.

At Tea Garden, I ordered a rice pumpkin porridge. It tasted very nutritious. I seasoned it with a bit of white pepper and soy sauce. It was piping hot, but I really enjoyed it.

Mr Husband ordered their Char Kuey Teow (CKT), and my daughter had their Assam Laksa. The CKT was delicious, but the Assam Laksa tasted very sour towards the end. Since it was already evening, I did not have their coffee or tea. Maybe I will come back for it later. But I did have their iced lemon tea, which is a replica of what I had in Hong Kong. It wasn’t like our instant iced lemon tea. Their butter and kaya toast is, of course, a must-have in any kopitiam.

I look forward to future visits to Tea Garden. I wish to try more of their vegetarian dishes and, of course, their beverages.