Choa Chu Kang Stall Sells Kopi In A Tin Can Upon Request, Just Like In The Olden Days
To many of us, dabao-ing drinks from a Kopitiam entails a plastic bag with a green drawstring or a styroforam cup.
But once upon a time, it was way cooler. People apparently used condensed milk tin cans for kopi takeaways.
As time went by, however, they’ve gradually become a rare sight. In fact, some claimed they have not seen kopi or teh being served in can tins for years.
If only they knew where to look, as a drinks stall hidden away in Choa Chu Kang has been sticking to the retro way of packaging takeaway kopi.
Recently, a netizen named Jeremiah Sean Ang featured the stall in the Can Eat! Hawker Food Facebook group, evoking a strong sense of nostalgia for those who grew up in the 50s and 60s.
Customers who frequent the stall get to dabao their kopi in a metal tin can. Piping hot as they come, the tin cans apparently lend much flavour to the regular cuppa kopi o kosong.
Drinks stall serves kopi in a tin can
Located along Choa Chu Kang Ave 1, this drink stall in a neighbourhood kopitiam may seem unassuming on the outside.
But take a closer look and you’ll see tin cans hanging around with raffia strings. Upon customers’ request, the stall owner pours kopi into one of these cans for them to dabao back.
Speaking to MS News, the owner of the stall explains that they usually prepare the cans in advance.
Tin cans evoke nostalgia among older folks
Presumably quite popular among residents, the stall spells nostalgia for older folks.
Back in the 50s and 60s, that was apparently how people used to dabao drinks from kopitiams.
They’d wash, recycle and reuse the cans, which were more sustainable than the disposable options we are used to now.
How to drink kopi from a tin can
“But how to drink when the metal cans are so hot?”, you may wonder.
Well, to lock it and prevent the coffee from spilling, you simply press in the sides.
To open it, you press down one of the sides and pull the lid up from the opposite corner — voilà, a can of kopi served the old-fashioned way.
As to what happens if the tin is too hot, patience is a virtue — wait for a while for the coffee to cool down before sipping on it.
If you are thinking of switching your kopi routine up a bit and soak in the traditional vibes, here’s how to get there:
85 Degrees
Address: Block 253 Choa Chu Kang Ave 1 Singapore 680253
Nearest MRT: Choa Chu Kang
Don’t forget to request for a tin can, and remember, don’t need to say dabao.
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Featured image by MS News and adapted from Facebook.
