If you happen to chance upon Lean Gaik Hokkien Mee at Chai Leng Park, all I can say is avoid it. Years ago when I was doing my industrial training at Perai, I went there once or twice before and decided that their Hokkien Mee was above average at best, didn’t really like it at all.
One of the reasons Lean Gaik is popular is because they let you add additional stuff into your usual Hokkien Mee like roast pork, mantis prawn (now no more) and Teochew fish balls. This proved to be an effective crowd puller back then.
Yesterday, I was at Chai Leng Park and decided to give them another try given that one’s taste bud could change over time. Turned out that I still didn’t like it and worse still, I hated it even more simply for two reasons: Hiring of Indonesian maids to prepare the food and excessive use of MSG.
I used to be proud of Penang food because our hawkers actually prepare the food themselves instead of resorting to hiring foreign workers like the KL hawkers do. It’s sad to look at this phenomenon slowly unfold in Penang’s hawker scene. One fine example would be the famous Penang Curry Mee at Taman Sri Rambai.
My order cost RM3.50 a bowl because I requested for additional Teochew fish balls. And luckily I requested for it because apparently the fish balls were the only thing I truly enjoyed.
Actually I don’t plan to post this so soon but after the disappointing experience and stumbling upon some bloggers who are actually promoting this place – I feel it’s only right I share mine.
I do realize there’s limited choices for good Hokkien Mee at Penang’s mainland side. But still, Lean Gaik will never make the cut, moreover being worthy of a recommendation as far as I am concerned.
Thanks for heads up. This post alludes to a common problem with SOME floggers.
There are some who flog a place, typically an upscale joint, with nary a word to mention that they did not pay for the food. It is always couched in some high-falutin’ words like being “invited by other floggers for a food review”.
Does raise some credibility issues in my mind. But there is no damage, as they have a right to post whatever they want, and I can exercise my discretion to want to visit the place or not.
But I was fooled once — I visited Cristang in PJ on the strength of a flogger recommendation. The place and food is crap.
Oh well, I guess we all need to live and learn.
yap,true. The taste not good since their son took over the business.
I fully agreed when it comes to owners hiring foreign worker, the place will somehow deteriorates. Happened to a lot of places, and one of the things that turn me off!
Just went there once years back and will not going back again. Too much of MSG!!
Yes… this is true… this place is horrible. They were much better when they were in the corner coffee shop, Kuan Nam. After coming out on their own.. its all about the monies.
They couldnt even get my orders right… Probably the workers couldnt understand a single word i said!
Hmm I didn’t know they used to be at Kuan Nam. Anyway, it seems to me Chai Leng Park is getting less and less good food loh. Even the yam rice is not as good as the BM one
I have commented at the blog below:
http://www.stevengoh.com/teatime/delightful-hokkien-mee-lean-gaik-hokkien-mee-shop-chai-leng-park/
8. Penang Tionghua on November 27th, 2009 at 1:11 am
11. Penang Tionghua on November 24th, 2009 at 11:23 pm
As I mentioned in the above blog, Hokkien Mee must be sold by Hokkien for full food presentation to the mind.
I have also made some recommendation of the Hokkien Mee Stalls which I felt have better preparation than the above blog shop.
On the Taman Sri Rambai, I agreed the mee is now horrible. They have shortcut the prawn and now the husks are not peeled. I have stopped frequenting it for many weeks now.
ya, totally agreed. They are using a lot of MSG, and you need to drink lots of water after that..
Such a pity seeing good hawker foods deteriorating over time. Somebody should do something to protect this “heritage” from diminishing.
Never going back there.. totally spoil my meal. for better hokkien mee.. I suggest going to the Jalan Raja Uda, Between Petronas and Esso, there is a store which sell good Hokkien mee in the morning.
It,s pathetic isn,t it? Very soon we,ll have Bangla frying Fok Keen Mee, Indian wrapping dim sum, vietnamese selling hot dog (literally) and probably Pakistani as our MCA President…it,s much easier.
Okay, noted.
Agreed, I had one of the WORST red wine lala ever in Klang, due to the untrained hands handling the cooking. Yucks.
have u tried the stall that sells hokkien mee, curry mee and loh mee in Apollo market? quite nice for me, it’s situated right behind the stall that sells drinks, they’re usually closed on mondays and sells from morning to evening
U can have a try on Butterworth, Jalan Raja Uda,Opposite guang hua primary school,the have a hokkien mee stall and it famous by calling Ah tong hokkien mee by local ~ have a try ~