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If you read my dining experience 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 delicious 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 actually fill my tummy and cost less than RM8? 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 appetite and colleague in tow, and set forth.
Located on Church Street (near the Pinang Peranakan Mansion), Eng Loh Kopitiam is actually quite a sight to behold. Established during post-World War Two in the 1940s, this kopitiam has been an institution way before 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 (RM6) and large (RM7).
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) before throwing in the prawns, lap cheong, garlic and koay teow. She gave this a quick stir before adding in a generous amount of bean sprouts and sauces.
This entire concoction is then tossed about 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 around with the kway teow. She adds chives as the finishing touch before 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 experience dining at Melawis Fried Kuey Teow in Klang where I cherish the addition of the banana leaf sheet at the bottom of my noodles— this is usually done by Penang hawkers to enhance the aroma 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 high praises of this plate of noodles but I guess in the end, everyone has different taste preferences.
However I have to admit the portion was definitely more than enough for the price of RM6. You’d really get the bang for your buck 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 RM6.
Final thoughts
As I hopped into the driver’s seat and buckled for a long drive back to KL, I took one last look at Eng Loh Kopitiam. Penang’s ageing heritage hawkers will one day cease to exist and it is truly up to the younger generation to keep the flame of the wok going.
Having barely any rest days, being 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 childhood memories and attitudes about food say a lot about us. I digress, but if you’re ever in the mood for a plate of char kway teow that fills the tummy and doesn’t break the bank, head over to Eng Loh Kopitiam.
Expected damage: RM6 to RM7 per pax
Ah Leng Char Koay Teow: 43-year-old Penang hawker serves decadent duck egg char kway teow
