Hai Peng strives to serve unique coffee and seri kaya
Busy bees: Hai Peng’s staff busy serving the customers.
With its unique blend of coffee and seri kaya, Hai Peng Kopitiam has satisfied the tastebuds of locals in Chukai, Kemaman as well as outsiders for more than 70 years.
Established in the 1940s by Wong Sang Hai, Hai Peng, which means seashore in Hainanese, has become an iconic place, luring customers from all walks of life to sample the delicious food served up here.
The restaurant which is always packed to the brim, opens from from 6.30am to 6pm everyday except Fridays, and it is common to see regulars flocking here for their daily cuppa.
While her father started the shop in a humble wooden structure, Elaine Wong has transformed it into a modern building but maintains the essence of a kopitiam in its ambience.
Hai Peng’s legacy is in good hands as Wong was selected by her father to run the family business as she showed keen interest and passion for the coffeeshop.
Local favourite: Opened from 6.30am up to 6pm, the shop sees a steady stream of customers.
“The kopitiam is unique as we roast our own blend of coffee as well as seri kaya.
“We even have our own signature tuna sandwich, which is a hit with many,” she said.
Wong, more popularly known as Yang, said that despite the changes and developments in Chukai, the kopitiam has stood at the same spot where her father had built the shop.
“I wanted to continue my father’s dream of serving people delicious coffee and food and this has stood the test of time.
“Our customers are a reflection of unity as many races patronise the shop.
“They are united while enjoying good food,” she said.
Upgrade: Elaine has transformed the coffee shop it into a modern building.
Hai Peng’s secret of success, Wong said personified the old fashioned values of the past, where people could relate the shop to the history of Chukai.
“In short, Hai Peng is part of Chukai, having satisfied customers for many years,” she said.
Holding on to the goal of spreading her father’s legacy even further, Wong has since opened a more modern kopitiam called Sukiyang in Kuala Lumpur as well as the Valley Beans Sdn Bhd coffee factory in Kemaman.
“I want to continue the love my father had for coffee,” she said.
~News courtesy of The Star~
