Ali, Muthu & Ah Hock, unity in name and beyond

A heart-warming screen welcoming customers in the Malay, Tamil and Chinese language greets customers of Ali, Muthu & Ah Hock, leaving no room for doubt that Malaysians from all walks of life can make this little Kopitiam, their home.

Stepping into the cozy interior of the Kopitiam takes one right back to the colonial times, with the unity and multiracial concept the nation is renowned for, stamped all over the place.

For the untrained, modern onlookers’ eyes, the shop's partially run down look, may seem outdated, but the chipped paint of the walls and the label-free condensed milk tins which hold pencils and order lists, were deliberately placed by the owners -- Ernest Ong, Colin Soh and Bruce Wong -- to create a vintage feel.

Ong explained that although it was opened in Jalan Balai Polis near Petaling Street only on March 22 this year, they had wanted to create a very local place with a rustic touch that all Malaysians can relate to.

This was the second outlet after its first one in Oasis Ara Damansara.

“When we chanced upon the building, we wanted to keep it original and localise it. Hence, we kept the walls as it is and added Malaysian touches here and there.

“We also picked three very common Malaysian names, Ali, Muthu & Ah Hock and named the Kopitiam as such. It is something that all Malaysian can engage with,” explained Ong.

The selection of furniture in the Kopitiam, speaks volumes about the Malaysian concept that all three owners were aiming for.

One part of the Kopitiam is decorated with mamak stall style tables and long benches on cement flooring while the other side is filled with Chinese style marble tabletops and stools on tiled flooring.

The wall is adorned with the portraits of Ong, Soh and Wong, all dressed in traditional Malay, Chinese and Indian attires, each playing a traditional musical instrument.

Multiple black and white photos in different shapes and sizes, are also hung on the wall.

“Those are just some random black and white photos that takes one years back. It is to keep the 'old feel' of the place, alive," said Soh.

The food meanwhile is displayed in a Malay style glass food display counter which showcases an array of local delights such as Chee Cheong Fun Nyonya Laksa and Mee Goreng.

With names such as 'Mee Goreng Muthu' and 'Nasi Goreng Ali', Wong said the food is a hit with not only the locals, but also tourists and students alike.

Ali, Muthu & Ah Hock's best selling and most famous dish to date is the ever famous Nasi Lemak.

The fluffy rice served with a sambal that has just the right hint of spiciness, crispy ikan bilis (anchovies) and a succulent piece of fried chicken, it is no wonder that everyone who had a taste of the Nasi Lemak, will have only one word for it. Sedap!

In a fast-paced world where the old is rapidly being replaced with the new and modern, the trio behind Ali, Muthu & Ah Keong, certainly deserve praises for attempting to reignite our tradition and keep it alive in every Malaysian's minds.