By PHUBIEYAS AHMAD
KUALA TERENGGANU, Oct 18 – Uncle Odi Kopitiam is building its identity around a combination of Johor and Terengganu flavours, serving familiar Johor dishes such as lontong, nasi lemak and mee bandung. The menu also includes ayam penyet, alongside Terengganu favourites such as laksa, laksam and traditional kueh, giving customers a wider choice of meals and local treats.
Located at the old bus station in Kuala Terengganu city centre, the Malay-owned business operates from Kedai 2, No. 1956, Jalan Sultan Zainal Abidin, 20100 Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu. Its food is prepared fresh daily, with traditional preparation methods forming an important part of the business’s appeal.
Speaking to TNS NEWS, Tengku Ahmad Rosdi Tengku Abdullah said Uncle Odi was established to showcase dishes from both Johor and Terengganu while strengthening the Bumiputera presence in the kopitiam sector.
A Menu Spanning Johor and Terengganu
The kopitiam’s menu brings together popular dishes from both states.
From Johor, customers can enjoy lontong, nasi lemak and mee bandung, offering familiar flavours associated with the state’s food culture.
The menu also features two well-known Terengganu dishes: laksa and laksam. Traditional preparation is particularly important to Uncle Odi’s menu, with these dishes reflecting Terengganu’s distinctive flavours and culinary heritage.
The kopitiam also serves traditional kueh, giving customers the opportunity to enjoy familiar local treats alongside their meals.
Together, these offerings give Uncle Odi an identity beyond coffee, tea and bread, while presenting customers in Kuala Terengganu with a selection of flavours from both Johor and Terengganu.
For Terengganu residents and visitors, the kopitiam offers familiar dishes associated with the state’s food culture. For other customers, the menu provides an introduction to Johor specialities and Terengganu cuisine.
Fresh Food, Traditional Preparation
Tengku Rosdi said the business’s food is prepared daily rather than relying on ready-cooked frozen meals reheated for customers.
“Here, we prepare it fresh every day. There is no frozen food,” he said.
Coffee and tea are also important. While the main dishes distinguish Uncle Odi, he said a kopitiam must get its everyday staples right.
“When people hear ‘kopitiam’, the coffee must be good, the tea must be good and the bread must be good,” he said.
He said customers had responded positively to the food and drinks, with visitors from different parts of the country among those patronising the business.
Tengku Rosdi also said the coffee product used carries Malaysian halal certification. This statement concerns the product used and does not establish certification of the entire premises.
Tengku Ahmad Rosdi Tengku Abdullah is building Uncle Odi Kopitiam’s identity around traditional Johor and Terengganu flavours.
Kopitiam With Growth Plan
Uncle Odi also reflects Tengku Rosdi’s broader aim of strengthening the Bumiputera presence in the kopitiam sector.
Tengku Rosdi, who is also managing director of Dang Anum at Angsana in Johor Bahru, said Uncle Odi reflected his determination to build a stronger Bumiputera presence in the business.
In his experience, Malay-owned operators remain less visible in the segment despite strong interest among Malay diners in kopitiam food and ambience. He sees an opportunity for more entrepreneurs to participate and compete through the quality of their offerings.
“If others can do it, we can do it too,” he said.
Having previously operated a bistro and café, he is drawing on that experience to shape Uncle Odi’s food and business direction.
He urged customers to give the growing Bumiputera enterprise an opportunity to prove itself.
“Please support Bumiputera businesses so that we can grow and compete,” he said.
Uncle Odi Kopitiam brings Johor and Terengganu favourites to the table, celebrating traditional flavours at its premises in Kuala Terengganu.
A Kopitiam Built Around Familiarity
At its core, Uncle Odi is built around the idea that traditional food can bring people together.
Charming décor gives Uncle Odi Kopitiam a welcoming feel at Kuala Terengganu’s old bus station, blending nostalgic surroundings with the comfort of a neighbourhood kopitiam.
Its menu combines Johor dishes, Terengganu specialities and traditional kueh with the everyday drinks and light meals expected of a kopitiam. The aim is to create a place where customers can enjoy a comforting meal, revisit flavours from home or discover new local dishes for the first time.
The business’s identity is therefore rooted in both food and familiarity: freshly prepared dishes, traditional recipes and a setting that welcomes customers from different communities.
For now, Uncle Odi’s focus remains on strengthening its existing operations and building recognition for its menu. Its combination of Johor and Terengganu flavours will form the foundation for the next stage of the business’s growth.
- TNS NEWS