Hawker Food | Air Itam Market Porridge, Chee Cheong Fun and Char Koay Kak
They say as long as you have Chinese staying in a particular area, you are likely to find lots of food available. And if you happen to be at the Chinese morning market, this is even more accurate. Our trip to Air Itam Market actually gave us lots of choices to eat on a single morning and again, being spoilt for choices, there are just too many to choose from.
Luckily, there were a number of us which makes the ordering easier. Each of us can order some dishes and then let our favourite photographer to do his job. Air Itam market is where you will find the famous traditional curry mee sold by two sisters, and happened to be one of our reader’s grandmother too!
Our target this time is Kedai Kopi Wah Meng which is just across the road from where the curry mee is being sold.
The interior of the kopi tiam is always full most of the time even on weekdays. Come weekends, be prepared to stand for some time before you get the seats! Of course, this place has been in operation for years and with its strategic location, no doubt for such a warm response everytime.
This is the porridge stall with its owner, located just outside the kopi tiam. The stall is pretty clean and simple except for some containers that put the ingredients. Wait, how come there is not any area to put the porridge?
Well, this is the one. The big container that houses the porridge is actually a big ceramic pot and not the steel type. Besides having the traditional value, this ceramic pot can store heat longer as well since heat does not get dissipated as fast as the steel type. Thus no frequent re-heating is required.
This bowl of porridge is the Teo Chew type where it is still watery and diluted. Some even call wet rice instead of porridge because you still can see the pieces of rice. The Cantonese version of porridge is thicker with the rice cooked until it becomes thick broth.
At RM2.20 per bowl, there are lots of ingredients given the size of the bowl and the amount of ingredients put. You get a lot eiu char koay, minced meat and chicken which is quite worth to us. Taste wise, it tasted just like typical Teo Chew porridge with its water based “wet rice” type. Also, there is no sesame oil or suan tau eiu (garlic oil) which makes it less fragrant. Tam Ciak said he preferred the one with sesame oil.
One thing to note, the porridge is hot when served and you have to be very careful when eating it. Tam Ciak was too anxious to taste it that he took a big spoonful and ended up hurting his tongue. This should serve as a reminder to our readers too, before eating the porridge, test it first…hehe
Char Koay Kak is quite a favourite here since the order queue was quite long with almost every table have a plate of char koay kak. Something that we thought quite famous since a lot of people eating it then.
The Char Koay Kak had some burnt smell which Huat Koay did not quite enjoy. Also, he complained about the colour of char koay kak being too dark. Our dear Huat Koay is being quite artistic lately as he has been giving quite a lot of comments in terms of appearance and colour of the dishes. Hmm.. is this the trend of people incline to photography?
There is nothing special about the chee cheong fun here and of course the one at Genting Kopitiam beats this one flat. The tnee cheoh sauce is purely heh kor (prawn paste) and quite thick as well. The chilli was normal too. The chee cheong fun is not that soft either as if it is not steamed enough.
Some drinks to quench the thirst. Teh Peng anyone?
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Yes, I like Ayer Itam market too!
I don’t like teo chew porridge :p
How come the colour of the porridge is brownish?
I like this shop. As there are many things to eat. lol
FoOd PaRaDiSes last blog post..T & T Prawn Mee Shop
I am interested in the Char Koay Kak with the burnt edges!! Not particularly drawn to the porridge though… don’t like the Teochew type.
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I used to eat sticky porridge which is Cantonese type instead of teok chew 1 because sticky porridge can fill my tummy and keep there for few hours. While teok chew porridge can only keep for 1-2hours haha!
Btw, I love any porridge which must put the “yao zhar gui” together, it’s really great to be eaten!
Allie, the porridge in brownish colour because of soy sauce. (I guess.
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cariso,
just can’t get enough of food there, right?
allie,
like MFCB said,… it could be soy sauce…
FoOd PaRaDiSe,
Lots of choices eh… did you get confused over which one to choose?
550ml jar of faith,
The burnt edges quite addictive in a way, ya?
Guys, just curious. Is Teo Chew Porridge the same as Kiam Moi? Huat Koay doesn’t like the burnt smell of koay kak? I tot people like it for the burnt smell. It’s what gives the dish the extra kick right?
Yes! “koay kak” it remains me of a stall he operates only at night in BM in front of “Pek Kong Tia” where u find the “tok kong mee” his “koay kak” is pack like a kacang putih pack don’t know if he still operates there!
the place looks clean…
any smell??? cuz, it’s near the market…. :p
give generaous yiu char koay also
New Kid On The Blogs last blog post..Starview Restaurant (Prai) Sdn Bhd
Sheryl,
They should be completely different. Teo Chew “moi” is typically tasteless that you eat together with some other dishes like kiam chai or tau kua.
As for Huat Koay’s preference… got to ask him later…
cubchai,
good one.. the koay kak packed like kacang putih packet… not sure if it’s still there … can make a trip to BM one of these days….
NKOTB,
we didn’t smell anything weird or pungent that time…
maybe we were so engrossed with our foods, we never pay attention to it? hehhehe
I don’t like very crowded place and will try to avoid if possible.
But with the tasty food there, it is time for me to venture the place for it.
Porridge, here i come.
(ps: need to get my hubby approval first, as he will complain for no parking space later :P)
Hui Ling,
Because they have good food.. that’s why it’s crowded, isn’t it?
no parking space? I’m sure there are as long as you don’t mind to walk a little bit longer
Huh! U all stepped in my “dei tao” whithout having my permission?! Just kidding la. For chee cheong fun, i prefer the one with soup, located opposite the curry mee stall. I love the fried chili adding to the soup when taken. U should try it out.
Ryan^83^,
So sorry we “invaded” your territory without asking permission…. next time we’ll do so… hehehe
chee cheong fun with soup … hmm should try that out next round
wa.. u come to my tei tao also din come and tell me a?… beh ho seh lor..
next time come.. i bring u around to look for hidden treasure ok bor….
Penang Gin Na,
can lar… next time we tell you when we go over your tei tao ok?
wah.. seems like we must inform two persons already before going air itam… anyone else we need to inform ar? heheheh
Curry Chee Cheong Fun ..try cinta street . Cha Koay Kak n Chee Cheong Fun can try macallister lane in the morning ..
entau,
thanks for the tips..
If you like chee cheong fun, I would recommend that you try the chee cheong fun from Hai Keng Kopitiam at Section 14 PJ… Unfortunately its so popular its always sold out by 9am…
i LOVE air itam market!! am going to pg this weekend and it is going to be THE must-go place for breakfast!! you should try the char kuey kak stall just at the junction f the lorong leading to sister’s curry mee. The best one i ever had in anywhere…
Thumbs up for their ‘kopi ais’….