Popular long-serving coffeeshop auntie of Al Jilani becomes subject of photo series

Regulars of Al Jilani Restaurant can be pretty hardcore fanatics of the humble coffee shop along Bencoolen Street. 

Located close to art schools La Salle College and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, the 24-hour eatery has been a reliable haunt for affordable local fare for years. Despite the array of food tasting being pretty mediocre, folks keep coming back to Al Jilani for its geographic convenience — but most of all for Ah Mei, the coffeeshop’s most popular figure. 

So adored and cherished by young creative aspirants that Ah Mei (or Lucy, or Elsi, or many other monikers) became the subject of a project by photography and videography agency Momofarn. The Chinese national has become a mainstay at the Indian-Muslim coffeeshop for six years, and is familiar with all the kopitiam lingos, while simultaneously maintaining an air of extreme affability with customers. Check out the photo gallery below, and be sure to drop by Bencoolen to say hi to the matriarch of Al Jilani.