By: Negina Pirzad

Nine months ago, on Fifteenth and Willamette, Azam Ismail and his family opened a Malaysian restaurant called Kopi-o. The restaurant’s cuisine reflects the cultural melting pot that Malaysia became as a result of its past colonizers and immigrants. Indian, Chinese, Indonesian, Thai, British, Dutch, and Portuguese cultures have all influenced Malaysian gastronomy, which is the exact type of food that Azam hoped to bring to Eugene last May.

Owner and co-founder of Kopi-o, Azam Ismail was enthusiastic to introduce traditional Malaysian food to the Eugene community.

Azam had this idea of opening a traditional, Malaysian food business in Eugene when he first moved here in 1993. Azam and his wife Kathy, whom he met back in Malaysia during her time in the Peace Corps, saw little to no diversity in Eugene at the time. The lack of different cultures in Eugene made Azam hesitant to introduce Malaysian food to the community.

Azam went on to work at a variety of different restaurants in Eugene. He worked and gained experience, while he also helped support his wife and three sons.

It wasn’t until their eldest son, Aaron, graduated from George Washington University and went to Malaysia that the idea of Kopi-o started to become a reality. While in his father’s homeland, Aaron was not only introduced to his Malaysian relatives, but also to traditional Malaysian cuisine. After that, he became a complete foodie.

Once Aaron returned to the States, he wanted to do something with his newfound passion for Malaysian food and culture. Knowing that his father was a chef, the two of them worked together and created a business plan for a Malaysian restaurant. They found a venue, and in August of 2012, they signed the lease to what is now Kopi-o.

Since its opening in 2013, Kopi-o has been an Ismail Family-run business. Azam and his youngest son, Josh, are chefs, and Kathy works with restaurant logistics and customer service. Azam believes he has achieved his goal of providing Eugene with an eclectic menu that shows how Malaysia is a multicultural country.

Traditional Malaysian food is a fusion of many other Southeast Asian cuisines. Pictured above is a platter of marinated chicken kabob skewers, peanut dipping sauce, and fresh vegetables.

“I’m trying my best with Kopi-o. I left my country a long time ago when I was a teenager, so the food is my way of staying true to my tastes, experiences, and memories from home. Like the remembrance of going to the open markets with my grandmother: the smell of fish, the smell of everybody in the whole village coming together […]. That sort of thing is what I try to create here.”

As he finishes up one of his best-known dishes, Ismail perfects the plate’s imperfections before sending it out to his customers.