What Kopitiam lacks in atmosphere—four stools, two dragon statues, and a small Buddhist shrine—the zero-atmosphere eatery makes up for with knockout Malaysian dishes. Chef Kyo Pang grew up in Penang, where kopitiams are sparsely decorated coffeeshops specializing in homey dishes like thick toast slathered in kaya jam and soft-boiled eggs eaten with a dash of soy sauce. Both can be sampled for under $4 here, along with hard-to-find sweets like kuih talam (a gelatinous layer cake made with pandan and coconut), blue sticky rice topped with more coconut, and kuih kah pek (Chinese New Year cookies). If you’re looking for a proper meal, limited savory options include pulut panggang (sticky rice baked with lemongrass-laced shrimp floss) or spicy nasi lemak (coconut rice topped with hard-boiled eggs, cucumbers, anchovies, and homemade sambal). Weekends bring a special stuffed crab ball, bursting with bits of squid, pork, and scallion.

51 Canal St., New York, NY; 646-894-7081.