As a Penangite in KL, I know many of us crave for certain hawker food especially Char Koay Teow and Curry Mee. These are two dishes I feel hardest to replicate outside Penang because of the cooking technique and ingredients involved. There was a craze for Penang White Curry Mee (the instant noodle version) over the past year and that propelled its popularity. Now you could find at least 5 different brands of such flavored instant noodles in the market.
Topping wise cockles, tau fu pok, long beans and pork blood cubes are always the essential ones, while fresh peeled prawns and cuttlefish are more common in the island. As for me, from the mainland side, we are more accustomed to having chicken curry instead.
[pullquote cite=”vkeong” type=”right”]We Penangites don’t call our curry mee ‘white curry mee’ in Penang. It’s just plain weird. It is also not the only version of curry mee you’d find in Penang. There are hawkers who prepare the noodle with the chili paste already inside the soup – just like those in KL but with a more emphasis on coconut milk so the soup’s body is much lighter in comparison. [/pullquote]
Penang Corner at Kepong Baru is one of the places you could have non-instant Penang style ‘white curry mee’. It is certainly the rising star of the neighborhood since it has always been packed with customers since their launch not too long ago. This was my third time here and I am glad to say the quality has been consistent. Overall, the authenticity of taste is there and what matters most, else I wouldn’t have returned.
But lets be real here, it’s not the perfect 10/10 curry mee. There are certain things they could improve on such as the chilli paste, which could use a stronger dose of dried shrimps (the Lorong Seratus Tahun chain got this right).
Besides, long beans, cuttle fish or prawns should have been in the noodle instead of meat balls. To be honest, putting meat balls in Penang curry mee is borderline bastardizing the dish, really. But since I am not in Penang, I won’t nitpick. In fact I am quite thankful to have Penang Corner around to satisfy my cravings.
Both Curry Mee and Koay Teow soup are available here on a daily basis. Although they operate throughout the day, you should get here before nightfall to avoid disappointment. As for the prawn noodle, it is only available in the weekends.
Jalan Kepong Baru
Business hour: Morning till late or finished
Closed on alternate Mondays
