Zai’s Char Koay Teow @ Sungai Petani
Due to the fact that my love in Char Koay Teow, not only Chinese one, but Malay one too, I was introduced to Zai Char Koay Teow in my hometown.
As for my experience, this is by far the tidiest Malay version Char Koay Teow that I ever had.
Teong Ah Char Koay Teow @ Penang
Well well well, another Char Koay Teow post, but this Char Koay Teow is really special. It’s not the best nor it’s not the most popular one in Penang, but certainly it’s one of the most special Char Koay Teow in Penang, or maybe in the world. Besides, I highly doubt many people had the chance to try it due to it super unique opening time ——— 5.00 AM to 10.00 AM.
AND YES, you read it correctly, at 5.00 AM in the morning, they already start selling it, and stop selling at 10 AM. I was like in ZOMGWTF when Criz tell me this, eating Char Koay Teow at so damned early in the morning is just crazy and way too heavy for breakfast! Breakfast is supposed to be something light, healthy yet full, and not something that the total calorie intake will be 1/2 of you should have for the whole day!
We almost went there at 4.30am, but in the end I delay it till 6AM. When we reach there, the uncle already fried many plates of Char Koay Teow already. Criz told me that this Char Koay Teow stall fried a lot for factories workers, hence he had to open business so early so that the workers got something to eat during their breakfast break, which explains why he start selling so early. This stall also use charcoal to fried, which gives better burnt smell to the Char Koay Teow.
Lorong Selamat Char Koay Teow @ Penang
Ahh, finally, the super famous Char Koay Teow in Penang is here – Lorong Selamat Char Koay Teow. This is possibly the most famous Char Koay Teow in Malaysia. Almost everyone who visit Penang will always ask their the local Penangties to bring them here for a plate of awesomeness Char Koay Teow. The aunty who fried the Char Koay Teow is also very famous, not only due to her attitude, but also because she wear a goggle when she is cooking.
However, although I know the Char Koay Teow here is good, I banned this place for many years ago. This is because most of the time I was there few years back, I need to queue up waiting the aunty frying, under the bloody hot sun! Besides, the queue is never short, and most of the time you need to queue up to 45 minutes or more! This is madness!
Until recently I had removed them from the ban list as they had shifted out to a new coffee shop – Kafe Heng Huat. Although there’s only 1 stall in this coffee shop, which is the Char Koay Teow, you can order other foods such as O-Chien, curry mee, rojak and many more from the coffee shops nearby to here. Well, actually some of the store waiter will be lurking inside the coffee shop and asked you will you want to order from them.
Ever since the Char Koay Teow moved to here, one no longer need to queue up for their koay teow, they can seat inside and wait for it. This is so much better, although the waiting time is still hell long (1 hour) if you come at the peak hour (around 2pm to 3pm).
Since I hate waiting, and also due to the coffee shop is small and too packed, making it way too hot and uncomfortable to sit and wait inside for long, I decided to came early at around 11am when they just start business. However, I notice something wrong when I was there. The aunty with goggle is missing! There’s someone frying the koay teow, but it’s definitely not her! However, since I am here, I still order it and thought, well maybe I just need to wait awhile for the real cook to appear.
However, this is not true! The mysterious cook took our order, and proceed to fried it for us! Only until she finish frying, the main cook appear, but it’s all too late. Only till then, I notice that the mysterious person who fried it is actually the assistant of the goggle aunty all this while. She is the one that took your order normally, while the main cook focus on frying only. Since she had been beside the main cook for so long, definitely she had learn a thing or two right?
Fortunately for us, yes, the assistant skill is good. The Char Koay Teow is not bad and was way above average than the normal one. 7.7/10
Mcalister Road Sister’s Char Koay Teow @ Penang
Mcalister Road Lam Heng Sister’s Char Koay Teow, one of the most famous Char Koay Teow in Penang. In terms of popularity among non-Penangties, it seems to be only second to the Lorong Selamat one. The Char Koay Teow was served with banana leave to enhance it’s fragrance, and with crab meat on top.
Ever since I was small, I would loved to have my breakfast here, as I don’t really know where to find a good plate of Char Koay Teow for breakfast that time. However, their quality had degraded over the years, and the consistency is not there too. Sometimes when you are lucky, the plate of Koay Teow you get will be nice (as in above average only). If you are not, the plate of Koay Teow you get will be very very normal, which makes you wonder, is this really one of the most famous in Penang? Besides, although the prawns used was consider big, but I find that the prawns is tasteless most of the time, and in most cases, not fresh. The same goes to the crab meat, it’s more like a decoration to me as it’s tasteless too. 6.6/10
Ah Leng Char Koay Teow @ Penang
Char Koay Teow, when mentioned, everyone will definitely link it to Penang, as here, at Penang served the best in Malaysia. You can simply order any Char Koay Teow from any stall at Penang, and chances of you getting an above average version is high.
However, how is an above average Char Koay Teow going to satisfy us? We simply want the best, and Ah Leng Char Koay Teow at Jalan Dato Keramat is definitely one of the best in Penang!
Malay Char Koay Teow @ Alma Bukit Mertajam
I am a huge fan of Malay Char Koay Teow, and I always remember the 1st time I order it, it really shocked me.
The scenario was like that, I decided to give this Malay CKT a try since it’s really fragrant when it was cooked. Since I decided to take away, I stand there and watch how it was cooked. The procedure is basically the same like how normal CKT was fried, until suddenly the cook pour in 1 big spoon on god know what sauce into it.
My jaw almost dropped, and was stunned for few seconds….then was like what the hell? However, after ate it, I am in love with it! Hell yea! 9.5/10
Back to topic, loads of thanks to Vkeong for introducing this, the famous Malay Char Koay Teow at Alma, Bukit Mertajam.
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