NON-HALAL

Look around and you’ll see old TV and radio sets as well as antique cabinets filled with trinkets from years ago.

These are items from the personal collection of café owner Carmen Yew, showcasing her nostalgia and her fondness for the arts.

“A lot of these are from my childhood and some were given by friends since they know how much I love these things,” she told FMT Lifestyle.

The menu is somewhat retro too. Yew crafted it to include the foods she grew up with and those that her grandmother used to cook for the family.

“I wanted to include dishes I love to eat myself,” she said. “Moreover, I don’t think all cafés need to feature the same items. This is me infusing my own style into the place.”

FMT Lifestyle sampled some of the dishes and were pleasantly surprised.

One must-try is the homemade luncheon-meat-and-egg rice. The meat is cut into thick chunks that are nice to bite into and satisfying to eat with the white rice. They go well with the fried egg. Definitely a hearty bowl that’ll remind you of home.

Another recommended dish is the rice with spicy brinjal and minced pork. It offers some heat, thanks to the dried shrimp chilli. The combination of brinjal and minced pork makes it a layered dish, and the rice mellows down the spiciness a bit.

The grainless fried rice is definitely a standout among the vegetarian options. Masquerading as rice is crunchy chopped cauliflower. Corn, peas, carrots and oyster mushrooms are the other ingredients that make this such a wholesome meal whether you’re vegetarian or not.

Note: The café also sells homemade luncheon meat and dried shrimp chilli separately if you wish to take these home.

Thirsty? There’s an array of hot and cold drinks, one of which is the salted caramel latte. As the name suggests, there are hints of saltiness in the usually sweet drink which was specially crafted for adventurous coffee lovers who are up to trying something new.

Do try out the drink named Blue Tears, too, that acquires its hue from blue curacao syrup. It’s combined with tangy lemon and fizzy soda to refresh you on a hot day. The tiny pearls provide great texture too.

Going back to where it all began, Yew, now 36, said she had always dreamt of opening her own café someday.

But it was in 2020 that she finally made it happen when she left her job of working behind the scenes on local TV shows and movies. When a friend urged her to fulfil her old dream, she told herself “why not” and jumped right in.

“One of the reasons I chose this place is that I have always loved old buildings and shops,” she said. “As a plus point, I don’t need to spend too much on rent.”

As for the café’s name, the Ipoh native said she was thinking of the six arts forming the basis of education in ancient Chinese culture, namely rites, music, archery, chariotry, calligraphy and mathematics. She encourages art lovers to gather at the café to befriend one another.

Yew sometimes also works as stage manager for theatre productions, and this explains the posters she displays on the walls.

While the café is not pet friendly, you can pet some of Yew’s rescue cats who live there. “There are just three here,” she said. “I have more than ten at home.”

Follow 6Yi Café on Facebook and Instagram.

6Yi Café (NON-HALAL)
12A1F, Jalan Awan Hijau
Taman Overseas Union
58200 Kuala Lumpur

Business hours: 1.30pm-12am (Closed on Mondays)

For location, click here.