With Penang being the unofficial food capital of Malaysia, Char Koay Teow is easily the island’s pièce de resistance. As a born and bred Penangite, this writer is always on the lookout for the perfect plate of Char Koay Teow (CKT). Last year, we even tried a plate of CKT made by a robot which surprisingly impressed us.
Silky flat rice noodles stir-fried with just the right amount of wok hei accompanied by dark soy sauce, chili paste, whole prawns, shelled blood cockles, chopped Chinese chives, slices of Chinese sausage, and bean sprouts is our idea of gastronomic heaven.
Those from other states may find it hilarious that we take CKT seriously, but the state even recently hosted a Penang Famous Char Koay Teow Competition 2023 which was attended by Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow. A total of 25 stalls boasting their own long history took part in the competition as reported by Buletin Mutiara.
If you’re an islander who wants to see if the winners trump your personal favourite or if you’re a visitor on the hunt for the popular hawker fare, check out the winners here:
3rd PLACE: KK 99 Cafe, Tanjung Bungah
We’ve personally tried this, and we can attest to its ranking. Named ‘Awesome Char Koay Teow, it comes with generously sized prawns and has a decent amount of wok hei. Plus, the owner is friendly, unlike some other well-known stalls you may encounter where your order is answered with a grunt. The stall’s owner, Low Ping Kean said that could not believe that he won the third spot.
Address: 99, Jln Lembah Permai, Tanjung Tokong, 11200 Tanjung Bungah, Pulau Pinang
Opening hours: 11 am-3 pm & 4 pm-10 pm
Mondays to Sundays (Closed on Thursdays),
2ND PLACE: Chulia Street CKT
At night, Chulia Street truly comes alive with all the bars and eateries here. It is also a tourist hotspot where there are many hawker stalls but one which you’ll see long lines in front of is the CKT stall. Run by Por Leong Teik, you can also choose to have your noodles with duck or chicken egg.
Bonus: We also recommend the Wan Tan Mee along this street.
Address: 283, Chulia Street, Georgetown, 10200 George Town, Penang (In front of the furniture shop)
Operating hours: Monday – Sunday, 6pm -10pm
1ST PLACE: Penang Auntie (Big Prawn) Char Koay Teow
While this is not on the island, it may just be worth crossing the bridge for. Like the stalls name, the plate of noodles seems like fried prawns with koay teow instead as it boasts large-sized prawns. You can also order a medium prawn version. There are also duck and chicken egg options here. Koh said, “I took part in this competition after my friends encouraged me to join. I enjoyed it! I am happy with my achievement, and I hope more can be done to improve the taste of Char Koay Teow in the future,”
Address: Fresh Food Court, 754, Jalan Song Ban Kheng, 14000 Bukit Mertajam, Pulau Pinang
Operating hours: 12 pm / 3 pm onwards (hours not fixed)
Closed on alternate Mondays and Wednesdays
Image credit: foodpanda.my, @99cafe_awesomecharkoayteow, facebook.com/nanavivu, Darwina Mohd Daud/Buletin Mutiara