If there was a dish I grew up on in Penang (besides char kway teow), it would have to be the oyster omelette. I have fond memories of fighting over oysters with my sibling (it was always an expensive dish so we would have to share a plate). So I decided to bring my colleague from KL to taste the food of my childhood: Oyster Omelette at Carnarvon Street’s Seng Thor Coffee Shop.
A short introduction about this legendary hawker stall. It has been around since 1930, and started when his grandfather, Mr Lim Song Shen obtained the recipe and cooking methods from his hometown of Shandong, a coastal province in China. He boarded a ship and migrated to Penang to start a new life. Almost a century later, his grandsons have taken over the oyster omelette business in efforts to keep the delicious legacy going. It’s also interesting to note that multiple generations of Penangites have dined here.
It’s not hard to spot the oyster omelette hawker stall at Seng Thor Coffee Shop. You can find the son at the helm of a giant cast iron griddle and the mouth-watering scent of oyster omelette. You can select between four sizes and each price varies according to the size— RM13, RM17, RM20 and RM30. (Of course the more expensive portions are best to be shared amongst friends). There’s also the option to add more oysters (cause it’s so tasty) for RM10 or additional egg for RM1.20.
What I tried at Seng Thor Coffee Shop
I couldn’t help but be mesmerised by the beautiful sight of the oyster omelette being prepared. He first adds a very generous amount of oil to the cast iron griddle (if you’re health conscious, you have been warned). Next, he adds the batter along with chopped chives before cracking in a couple of eggs. The eggs are then mixed around with the batter and he tops it off with more oil (yes, more)!
Within minutes, the omelette batter becomes crispy and he slides it to a corner of the griddle. Then, it’s time for the pièce de résistance— the oysters! He then stir-fries the oysters for under one minute on high heat at another corner of the griddle. At this point, the griddle catches fire (essential for that desired wok hei element) but he handles it with pure ease. He then ushers the oysters towards the batter before plating it. Sheer art!
“Your oyster omelette is ready, please do eat,” he smiled knowingly. His voice shook me out of my daze and I grinned in return.
And there it was. The decadent looking plate of Oyster Omelette (RM13) was accompanied by a small dipping bowl of chilli sauce with lime juice. I wasted no time in taking a bite. The oysters were still plump and juicy, the omelette batter crispy and full of wok hei. And despite having ordered the smallest plate, there was still a generous amount of oysters, enough for two.
It tasted even better with the chilli sauce (how’s that even possible?) as it helped to reduce the taste of grease! The best part was that the dish didn’t give off gooey and half-cooked starch that you sometimes find in less superior oyster omelettes.
Alice, my colleague, smiled approvingly. “Nothing like any of the oyster omelettes I’ve had back in Kuala Lumpur.”
My smile widened.
Final thoughts
We polished the plate in 10 minutes. I had zero qualms about the oyster omelette. I felt like the RM13 price justified the amount of oysters it came with. Plus, it was so tasty! You can come to me complaining about how unhealthy oyster omelette can be, but it’s one of those dishes that truly represents my amazing little island. But I’d suggest you share this as your cholesterol level can surely skyrocket.
I left the stall thinking of how many hawker stalls in Penang still carried on their grandparents’ legacy. Definitely not many. So if you’re ever looking for a true Penang hawker stall (that’s worth queuing up for and tasty), I implore you to swing by Seng Thor Coffee Shop and get yourself a plate of this unbelievably good oyster omelette. It’s truly worth every single calorie.
Expected damage: RM13 – RM30 per pax
Sisters Place: Kopitiam serving authentic halal Chinese dishes like CKT, Hokkien mee & yee mee
Price: $
Our Rating: 5 / 5
Seng Thor Coffee Shop
160, Lebuh Carnarvon, George Town, Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia 10100
Seng Thor Coffee Shop
160, Lebuh Carnarvon, George Town, Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia 10100
