Best Drinks to Pair with Cakoi — Our Top Combinations

There is something deeply satisfying about finding the perfect drink to go with your food. A good pairing does not just complement the dish, but rather it elevates the entire experience by bringing out flavours you might not have noticed on their own.

We have found that pairing drinks with cakoi offers possibilities that are wider than you might think.

At Soooka Cafe, our signature cakoi comes in both sweet and savoury varieties. Every option has its own flavour profile and texture. That means the ideal drink pairing changes depending on what you order.

We have spent a lot of time thinking about this and tasting different combinations. This guide covers the best drinks to pair with cakoi based on our experiments.

Understanding the Flavour Profiles

Before analyzing specific pairings, it helps to understand the mechanics of the food itself. Cakoi is defined by its deep-fried dough structure which creates a crispy exterior and an airy, honeycomb-like interior.

We focus on the interaction between fat and acidity. The dough has a mild, savoury base with a pleasant richness from the frying process. This oil content requires a beverage that can either cut through the fat or match its weight.

When you add toppings and dips, the flavour profile shifts dramatically. Sweet cakoi with kaya and coconut dip leans towards rich, creamy, and aromatic notes. Savoury cakoi, like our chilli prawn variety, brings heat, umami, and brininess to the table. Each variation calls for a different kind of drink to create balance.

Key Factors in Pairing

• Texture Contrast: Crisp dough needs smooth liquids.
• Temperature: Hot drinks release aromatics; cold drinks provide refreshment.
• Intensity: Strong flavours like chilli need robust drinks like tea or coffee.

The Classic: Kopi with Traditional Cakoi

Let us start with the pairing that generations of Malaysians have perfected. Traditional kopi is the original cakoi companion for good reason.

We brew ours strong using Robusta beans roasted with sugar and margarine. This roasting style creates a deep, caramelized bitterness that cuts right through the oiliness of freshly fried cakoi. The dough’s mild sweetness softens the coffee’s intensity in return.

At Soooka, we serve our kopi in the traditional style. We pull it through a cloth filter to ensure maximum body and richness.

If you are having plain cakoi with kaya dip, this is the pairing we recommend first. The pandan-coconut sweetness of kaya alongside the smoky depth of kopi creates a flavour combination that is quintessentially Malaysian.

Hot vs. Cold Brew: Making the Choice

For those who prefer something cooler, our cold-brew kopi is an excellent alternative. The slow extraction process produces a smoother, less acidic coffee that pairs beautifully with the delicate crunch of fresh cakoi.

You can read more about our cold-brew process in our guide to cold-brew kopi.

Feature	Traditional Hot Kopi	Cold-Brew Kopi
Acidity	High (Cuts through fat)	Low (Smooth finish)
Body	Thick, robust	Light, refreshing
Best For	Plain Cakoi, Kaya Dip	Cinnamon Sugar, Coconut Dip

Matcha Latte with Sweet Cakoi

This is a pairing that might surprise you, but the science behind it is solid. Matcha latte is a stunning match for sweet cakoi preparations because of its unique vegetal profile.

We use the earthy bitterness of quality matcha to act as a counterpoint to the richness of coconut dip or the sweetness of cinnamon sugar cakoi. This prevents the sugar from becoming overwhelming.

The milk in the latte adds body and creaminess that mirrors the soft interior of the cakoi. This creates a harmonious textural echo between sip and bite.

We have noticed that our younger customers especially love this combination. The visual contrast of vivid green matcha next to golden brown cakoi makes for a genuinely beautiful spread on your table.

Our specialty coffee drinks menu features matcha lattes made with ceremonial-grade matcha powder. We whisk it to order rather than using premixed powders. The high chlorophyll content in ceremonial matcha gives it a cleaner taste that culinary grades lack.

Teh Tarik with Savoury Cakoi

If you are ordering our savoury cakoi, particularly the chilli prawn stuffed variety, we strongly recommend a teh tarik alongside it. The “pulled” milk tea offers a frothy top and well-balanced sweetness that acts as an antidote to spicy flavours.

We rely on the chemistry of tannins found in the black tea dust. These tannins naturally cleanse the palate and cut through the richness of the prawn filling.

The condensed milk adds a soothing sweetness that tempers the chilli heat. Capsaicin, the compound that makes chilli spicy, is oil-soluble, which means the milk fats in teh tarik dissolve the heat better than water ever could.

Teh tarik is also a wonderful pairing for our garlic butter cakoi. The garlicky, buttery coating on the dough needs something strong enough to stand up to it. The robust flavour of pulled tea does exactly that.

Coconut Shake with Cakoi Platters

For group orders where you are sharing a platter of mixed cakoi with friends, a thick coconut shake is hard to beat. The rich, creamy coconut flavour complements every variety of cakoi on the platter.

We find that coconut is already a natural partner for cakoi in Malaysian food culture. Coconut dip is one of the most traditional accompaniments, so extending that partnership to the drink makes perfect sense.

The cold, refreshing quality of the shake also provides welcome contrast to the warmth of freshly fried cakoi. This temperature difference excites the palate and keeps the meal interesting.

Lemon Barley with Heavy Pairings

Sometimes the best pairing is not about matching flavours but about creating contrast. If you are having a particularly rich cakoi preparation, consider ordering a lemon barley drink.

We suggest this for cakoi with coconut ice cream or a generously stuffed chilli prawn version.

The tartness of the lemon and the light barley water works as a palate cleanser between bites. In traditional Chinese medicine concepts often applied to Malaysian food, barley is considered “cooling,” which helps balance the “heat” of fried foods.

This drink keeps the experience from becoming too heavy. It allows you to eat more cakoi without feeling overwhelmed.

Our Recommended Pairing Chart

To make things simple, here is a quick reference for your next visit. We have categorized these based on the primary dominant flavour of the dish.

Cakoi Order	Recommended Drink	Why It Works
Plain with Kaya Dip	Hot Kopi	Bitterness balances the sweet pandan.
Cinnamon Sugar	Matcha Latte	Vegetal notes cut through sugar.
Coconut Dip	Coconut Shake / Cold-Brew	Mirrors the creamy profile.
Chilli Prawn	Teh Tarik	Milk fats neutralize spice heat.
Garlic Butter	Teh Tarik / Lemon Barley	Strong tea matches garlic intensity.
Coconut Ice Cream	Espresso / Lemon Barley	Acid cleanses the palate.

The Joy of Experimentation

Of course, these are our suggestions rather than strict rules. Some of our most memorable food moments have come from unexpected pairings.

We had a customer who ordered a matcha latte with chilli prawn cakoi and declared it a revelation. Another regular insists that plain black coffee is the only acceptable accompaniment to any cakoi variety.

Food is personal. The best pairing is ultimately the one that makes you happiest.

We encourage you to experiment with unusual combinations to discover your own favourites.

Come visit our fusion cafe in Petaling Jaya in Damansara Perdana to build your own perfect cakoi-and-drink combination. Our team is always happy to suggest pairings based on your taste preferences, so just ask. We are open daily except Wednesdays, from 10am to 10pm (8am on weekends).