Hawker Food | Kedai Kopi Seng Thor Koay Teow Th’ng
Within the heart of Georgetown itself, there are many hawker food stalls which have been operating for many years, some even for generations. Growing up in Penang, we are sure that many of you like us, have been patronizing some stalls since young and still doing the same even up to now.
The Koay Teow Th’ng at Kedai Kopi Seng Thor at the junction of Carnarvon Street and Kimberly Street is one such stall. In fact, it was Ken that brought us here for a breakfast and later on we came back a few times because Huat Koay has a liking towards the Koay Teow Th’ng here.
We could not tell how long the current had been used but we were certain this was not the original name. Why? Because typically Chinese Restaurant or houses have a large signboard outside to indicate the name. For this one, it is called Town Hotel. Maybe it was indeed a hotel in the olden days.
You can be assured if the hawker stall is an old brand (hokkien: lau ciu pai), there will always be a fan base or a crowd who will be patronizing the stall. This one is no exception as well and we just keep seeing people coming in and out this coffee shop.
This is the Koay Teow Th’ng stall that we are referring to. Basically, the koay teow th’ng over here is instantly cooked type, similar to Sungai Nibong and Taman Inderawasih. We always have a preference on instant cook koay teow th’ng for the fact that the taste is normally much stronger to our liking. The other type with just rinsing the koay teow and pour in the soup has milder taste, in most cases.
The boss. Ken said this uncle has been operating for a long time until he can recognize Ken. Yes, too bad when we went there to eat again for a few times, no special treatment though…
Here comes the star of the post…. The Koay Teow Th’ng. This koay teow th’ng comes with a lot of “spare parts” which depending on your preference, you may like it or you may not.
Yes, we know that sometimes eating too much of these parts are not really healthy and good for the body but then, who can resist when the whole “package” itself tastes good? At least the liver is nice, fresh and juicy. As for the Koay Teow itself, Huat Koay said it was quite smooth.
The soup itself is quite clear and not muddy yet it is full of ingredients with the taste rather sweet. Well, the soup has been cooked with pig bone for a long time until the flavours can be tasted on the soup. We did not think MSG was added because we could not feel thirsty after taking it.
Oh yes, the thing that makes it special is the lard. With these “magic pills“, the koay teow th’ng flavours can be enhanced and more fragrant. If you want extra lards to be included in your koay teow th’ng, remember to let the uncle know.
This is the best koay teow th’ng according to Huat Koay but we were not unanimous. Tam Ciak feels the one in Inderawasih is better while Fei Fei thinks the Sungai Nibong one suits his taste.
The stall operates daily from 7.30am till 2.30pm daily and the off day is random, depends on the uncle’s mood.
If you think koay teow th’ng is not enough, you can also order the lor bak just outside the coffee shop.
The GPS coordinate as shown (N 05° 24.912′ E100° 20.075′) or map at below
View Penang Food by PenangTuaPui.com in a larger map
hmm, i haven’t try this stall before. perhaps one day i’ll give it a try. i don’t like ’spare parts’ though. prefer the normal ordinary koay teow th’ng.
hey PTP, you haven’t try the koay teow th’ng i recommended (ah sai koay teow th’ng) before some time back? at king street. to me it is the best. you should go there during lunch time although it will be very busy but it will give you the ‘ambience’ with the large crowd. the coffee shop is just short distance from light street and bishop street but must enter by bishop street. it’s name is ’sin hoe peng’. for old timers, they might remember sin hoe peng in light street (next to the bank negara building… but at that time even the bank negara building not up yet i think) - well that is the coffee shop. this coffee shop had won awards from the council being one of the cleanest coffee shop. do give it a try one day - got many choices, you know, not only koay teow but bee hoon, bee tai bak, etc, etc.
another good koay teow th’ng stall is at anson road (opposite the anson road market) - xie hin coffee shop. theirs is very original - got pig’s blood!
Next time join me go again ….. this time scare you cannot finish only ……..
lucia,
We went to search for the koay teow th’ng place you mentioned on Saturday but we couldn’t locate it then. End up we went for lor mee breakfast near the Kuan Yim Teng temple. And we went there the next day but when we finally able to locate the shop… tutup pula…. hahahah really “pek kah” (white leg)
yes, we should make a trip there again
email2me,
we want extra spare parts and fish balls will do…. don’t want extra koay teow
Wow, the kueh teow th’ng look really nice. My stomach is grumbling after reading your post. Really nice and detail info you put up. Very professional like AFC. haha. I didn’t know Penang also got Penang White Coffee? hehe
I agreed with Lucia, the best Koay Teow Th’ng in Penang is the one that he/she mentioned in King Street. Nobody can beat that!!! And they do not open on weekends but weekdays!
I still have not tried this stall yet. But tried the King Street. You should pay them a visit. Unfortunately it’s open on weekdays only. ^o^
wow…looks very delicious..I never eat koay teow th’ng with “bak yiu pok” 1 lea..normally wan tan mee only got “bak you pok” 1.. this koay teow th’ng seems very special. Do you have any idea where I can eat these in KL?
CK,
thanks for the compliments… like AFC??? Hahaha, we feel honoured
Of course, we do have White Coffee as well, just that not as famous as the Ipoh White Coffee mah…
NKOTB & FoOd PaRaDiSe,
Yes, we went at the wrong day…. hahaha
shall try again in weeks to come….
Seems like few ppl giving thumbs up on the King Street one… we definitely should go!!!
Malaysia Food Blog,
yea, this one is quite special with the spare parts and the bak yiu pok…. no wonder Ken and Huat Koay like them sooooo much…..
Hmm, KL one.. we have no idea… anyone can help?
i like tat keow teow teng have bak you po lah !!!
Next time must ask Ken bring me along too :P, got special treatment one. Hehe..
When I eat there, don’t have the lard one, why ah?
I have yet to visit this koay teow th’ng stall. Looks like they have all the spare parts too…looks good.
fly,
it always taste good with that, right?
allie,
remember to book Ken, the next time he’s back in town.
hmmm the lard thing… we happened to mention it automatically, every time when we order…
maybe it’s not a standard item?
this one not bad….. i love it compare to the one at Hutton lane. at least it is not oily.
You guys and gals do really get around and thank you for that. This same coffee shop is actually more famous for the lor mee which has been around for decades. I used to patronise it as a boy and I still do.
They only sell in the morning. Afternoon, it’s the turn of the “oh chien” - also been around for at least 3 decades.
andrew,
we’ll take note of that, thanks for the info
If you really like to have cooked KTT, the King Street one (near the new Great Eastern new office) is definitely the best around. If not I won’t be their loyal customer from the first stall at the now renovated building at Beach Street to their present one. You should try the bee hoon soup instead. I personally felt that it taste better with bee hoon than koay teow and they do give a generous amount of chopped “Choy Sum” in the dish.
You want to know the secret of getting a cheaper priced KTT from them? Check them out at Macallum Street’s Ming Hooi Coffee Shop where I had posted up on the cheapest Mee Udon in town. It will again depend on your luck as most of the time they will base on their moods and tiredness to open up this stall. It’s only open from 5.00pm - 8.30pm (except Thursday). Here’s the GPS reading in case you are wondering how to get there (5.406641, 100.332255)
Got another nice koey teow theng stall. It is opposite a petrol station in Penang Road area, near Kayu Restaurant. Opposite this stall is the famous wan tan mee stall.
Adrean,
Believed the koay teow th’ng stall you’re referring to is Clarke St Koay Teow Th’ng where the stall is located within a small alley. You can read them here
http://www.penangtuapui.com/2008/11/fei-feis-pick-of-the-week-clarke-st-ktt/
As for the wan tan mee, this is the famous wan tan me stall along the argyll road http://www.penangtuapui.com/2008/10/penang-food-wan-tan-mee-argyll-roadtransfer-road/
[...] which is just average, in our opinion. The soup is clear base but the taste is not as strong as Seng Thor Koay Teow Th’ng at Kimberley [...]
Hey.. i just went to try the koay teow th’ng … guess wat.. ? my wife bowl got hair… mine got 10cents COIN, WTHHHHHHHH, luckily i x eat the coin.. if not front page pape odi.. the lor bak oso damn expensive leh.. be careful..
[...] Kopi Seng Thor @ Penang 3 03 2010 Another food recommended by Penangtuapui, Kedai Kopi Seng Thor which serves goodie Koay Teow Tng, and yet above of the coffee shop is [...]