Streams of smoke occasionally emitted from the holes in the cover before unveiling the completed dish. It piqued our gastronomic curiosity.
Char Koay Teow cooked by a robot? Surely it couldn’t be any good. After some digging, we managed to find out that the video was posted by Homestyle Restaurant in Tanjung Bungah which serves authentic Teochew and Cantonese cuisine.
As a born and bred Penangite, I’m very selective about where I get my Char Koay Teow fix. In fact, I prefer not to disclose my favourite spot in case too many people head there!
So, when I headed to the restaurant, I was sceptical about how the dish would taste and was pretty convinced that it would be quite awful. In fact, when I told our Editor-in-Chief where I was going, he said, “I’m scared for them.”
In fact, I brought my sister along with me to try it and I said that we should order one fried rice and one Char Koay Teow (CKT) to share because I was sure that it would be quite bad.
After perusing the menu, I saw that the CKT was prepared by the establishment next door, Jiashi Café, which seems to be a sister café as menus from both places were handed to us.
The ‘A.I. Char Koay Teow’ was listed at RM11.80 per plate, which is pretty steep considering the fact that it averages around RM6 per plate nowadays, depending on where you go and if you avoid tourist traps –– don’t get me started about the famous one near Komtar that costs around RM11to RM20.
However, it was a restaurant so that somewhat justified the price.
As both our fried rice and CKT were served, I eyed the CKT apprehensively as the colour looked a bit off. However, after I used my chopsticks to get a first taste, I felt cheated. Bamboozled! Flabbergasted! This CKT cooked by an automatic machine was actually… good. I struggled with disbelief as I continued to dig into the dish.
I’ve always believed that somehow the err... dirt from kopitiams serve to add to the deliciousness of a dish but this CKT proved otherwise. It had a spicy kick without overpowering the taste and somehow there was ‘wok hei’ which the robot managed to achieve, and the noodles were cooked just right without being burnt. We counted two fresh medium-sized prawns, sliced Taiwanese pork sausages, beansprouts, spring onions, and crispy pork lard to top it off.
I thought that I would vibe with the fried rice more, and although it was pretty good, it lay half-abandoned and funnily enough my sister and I even fought over the CKT, each claiming the other had eaten more than our fair share.
After finishing the dish, I am now convinced that robots will truly one day take over the world. If they can make great-tasting CKT, they can do anything. Plus, when we asked the proprietor, the machine was from China which usually carries the stigma for low-quality items.
Although it still doesn’t measure up to my current favourite spot, it was still some darn good CKT and I’ll definitely be back to eventually claim our free Häagen-Dazs ice cream because they offer a free scoop with the purchase of six plates.
Editor's Note: I still can't believe a robot can give 'wok hei' and produce decent CKT. Now that's another reason to go to Penang
Address: 6 Lebuh, Lembah Permai 4, Tanjung Tokong, 11200 Tanjung Bungah, Pulau Pinang
Business Hours: 11.00a.m. to 10.00p.m., Closed on Tuesdays
Image source: facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063665570723
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