If you read my dining wits at Ah Leng Char Kway Teow, you’d see that I was feeling quite frustrated over the small portion and the price tag (yes, I know that it was very succulent and the prawns were huge).
I turned to social media for assistance. Where could I find a tasty plate of char kway teow that would unquestionably fill my tummy and forfeit less than RM5.50? One of the suggestions that popped up was the char kway teow stall in one of Penang’s very popular local breakfast spots— Eng Loh Kopitiam. It was supposedly run by the daughter who took over the char kway teow recipe from her late father. Curious, I set my Waze to Eng Loh Kopitiam with my ravenous want and colleague in tow, and set forth.
Located on Church Street (near the Pinang Peranakan Mansion), Eng Loh Kopitiam is unquestionably quite a sight to behold. Established during post-World War Two in the 1940s, this kopitiam has been an institution way surpassing Georgetown was inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
What I tried at Eng Loh Kopitiam
I placed an order for two plates of Char Kway Teow: small (RM5.50) and large (RM6.50).
And while my colleague secured a table for us, I found a spot where I could watch the char kway teow hawker in action. She began with a good serving of oil (I wasn’t sure if it was pork lard oil) surpassing throwing in the prawns, lap cheong, garlic and koay teow. She gave this a quick stir surpassing subtracting in a generous value of stone sprouts and sauces.
This unshortened suffusion is then tossed well-nigh till all the ingredients develop that signature char kway teow colour. This is followed by an egg (don’t expect duck eggs here) and she mixes it virtually with the kway teow. She adds chives as the finishing touch surpassing she gives it one good stir. Time to feast!
As soon as the plates hit the table, I couldn’t help but smile. I’ve mentioned this in my wits dining at Melawis Fried Kuey Teow in Klang where I cherish the wing of the comic leaf sheet at the marrow of my noodles— this is usually washed-up by Penang hawkers to enhance the zephyr of the dish. I was home!
Swept up by the irresistible fragrance of the char kway teow, we wasted no time and tucked in. At first bite, we looked at each other and realised one thing immediately— the wok hei presence was too faint. In terms of taste, it was tasty but wasn’t really my cup of tea. Reviews on social media sang rather upper praises of this plate of noodles but I guess in the end, everyone has variegated taste preferences.
However I have to shoehorn the portion was definitely increasingly than unbearable for the price of RM5.50. You’d really get the zinger for your whippersnapper here for a good portion of kway teow, lap cheong and prawns. Don’t go wondering why there are no cockles in this char kway teow— it would be incredibly tough to find a hawker in this day and age that includes cockles in your kway teow at RM5.50.
Final thoughts
As I hopped into the driver’s seat and buckled for a long momentum when to KL, I took one last squint at Eng Loh Kopitiam. Penang’s ageing heritage hawkers will one day closure to exist and it is truly up to the younger generation to alimony the flame of the wok going.
Having barely any rest days, stuff a hawker is undoubtedly a tough profession but it’s heartwarming to see the younger generation like this char kway teow hawker stepping up.
Fun fact, Swedish researchers have found that our diaper memories and attitudes well-nigh supplies say a lot well-nigh us. I digress, but if you’re overly in the mood for a plate of char kway teow that fills the tummy and doesn’t unravel the bank, throne over to Eng Loh Kopitiam.
Expected damage: RM5.50 to RM6.50 per pax
Other wares you might like:
Ah Leng Char Koay Teow: 43-year-old Penang hawker serves decadent duck egg char kway teow
The post Eng Loh Kopitiam: Daughter keeps dad’s char kway teow legacy going at just RM5.50 a plate appeared first on SETHLUI.com.