It all started at Joo Hooi Cafe located at the junction of Keng Kwee Street and Penang Road. First there was the laksa and chendul, and then the char kuey teow all became street food legends.
Many foodies head over to this stretch, since it has the best concentration of few famous stalls you can try including Penang Road Famous Laksa, Penang Road Famous Teochew Chendul and Penang Road Famous Jin Kor Char Kuey Teow.
Kapitan Chung Keng Kwee originally built the street and connected it to Penang Road. Kapitan Chung King Kwee was the only man honoured with two roads (including this) to be named after him in Penang. His influence straddled Perak and Penang. China honoured him. with title Mandarin of the Second Rank!
Penang Road Famous Laksa
This famous laksa shop serves lai fun noodles in a spice, tangy sardine broth with exceptional depth and flavours alongside an array of condiments.
It started selling Penang-style laksa in Joo Hooi Cafe in 1970, and then expanded to its own place here when the cafe was taken over by Teochew Chendul and started selling their own laksa.
The current location further down Lebuh Keng Kwee is where you can find this authentic, third-generation run Penang Road Famous Laksa.
It has a spicy and sour fish-based gravy typically made from sardine and bigeye kingfish, tamarind (assam), lemongrass, galangal, and chilies. The soup is served with thick rice noodles and typically garnished with fresh ingredients like cucumber, red onion, pineapple, lettuce, mint, and ginger flower.
The one thing that hits me first was the smooth lai fun noodles which had such a soft yet bouncy texture. It was spicy, salty, sweet and sour all the same time, and I was impressed they kept it rather balanced.
Penang Road Famous Laksa
5-7, Lebuh Keng Kwee, George Town, 10100 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
Tel : +60 16-446 0543
Michelin Penang Guide Bib Gourmand 2023-2024
Penang Road Famous Teochew Chendul
Seemingly humble roadside dessert store, Penang Road Famous Teochew Chendul owns Joo Hooi Cafe and another shop lot at 27 & 29 Lebuh Keng Kwee. Chendul is an iced sweet dessert that contains droplets of pandan flavoured green rice flour jelly,] coconut milk and palm sugar syrup. Everyone claims it to be theirs, and this one claims to be Teochew.
They first started selling chendul at the humble stall located at Penang Road in 1936. Founder Mr. Tan Teik Fuang started selling chendul and he ensured that each bowl of chendul was prepared diligently and full of love. Paired with his humble and friendly service, his stall quickly became a local favourite.
The first question that the stall owner asked me was is it better than the Singapore one. And yes it was, especially with the char kuey teow in the steamy, hot coffeeshop that is now owned by the Chendul stall.
Penang Road Famous Jin Kor Char Kuey Teow
Penang Road Famous Jin Kor Char Kuey Teow has been around for almost 40 years. Kuey teow is made to order and topped with shrimps, blood clams, pork sausage, and bean sprouts, boasting a lovely wokhei aroma.
I opted for the duck egg version that was better than the chicken egg version. The portion was quite small, so if you are coming only for the CKT you might need two plates. But the coffeeshop sells other Penang street food like prawn noodles and loh bak (Penang’s version of ngoh hiang) as well.
Penang Road Famous Jin Kor Char Kuey Teow
Joo Hooi Cafe, 475 Jalan Penang, George Town, 10000, Malaysia
Tel : +60 14-903 3561
Michelin Penang Guide Bib Gourmand 2024
Skip the hotel breakfast. Penang Laksa opens at 9am, and the Char Kueh Teow and Chendul at 9.30am. So I suggest that you walk to the back and have a bowl of laksa, and then come back to the front for the CKT and dessert. You will still have ample time to catch the 1.30pm back to Singapore.
Visited May 2024
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