[Penang] When I was searing for Loh Bak in Penang, it brought me to Kheng Pin Café – located at the junction of Jalan Sri Bahari and Penang Road.
Loh Bak typically consists of marinated pork that is wrapped in beancurd skin and deep-fried until crispy.
The meat is typically seasoned with five-spice powder, served with a side of chili sauce and a starchy, thick sweet-savoury sauce for dipping.
In addition to pork, Loh Bak can also include other ingredients like chicken and shrimps, often enjoyed as a snack or part of a larger meal.
Other then Kheng Pin Café, some popular places to enjoy Loh Bak in Penang include New Lane Hawker Centre, Gurney Drive Hawker Centre, Lorong Selamat Hawker Centre, and Chulia Street Night Hawker Stalls.
Kheng Pin Café is like a typical Malaysian-style coffee shop, and you would be greeted by the lively chatter and scents of cooking that fill the air.
The kopitiam has simple tables and chairs, and I noted some booth seats as well.
The Lor Bak stall is easily its most popular.
You can pick and choose items such as Prawn Fritters, Sausage Fried Beancurd and Fishcakes, or settle for a pre-fixed set priced at RM6 (for 1 pax), RM8 (2 pax) or RM10 (3 pax).
These items would then be quickly re-fried and chopped into smaller pieces.
As I was kind of hurried by the stall person, I didn’t exactly get the items I would have wanted to choose.
The signature Loh Bak had a crispy skin, while the inside was tender and not starchy, though admittedly I was expecting for a more flavourful or moist filling.
The other items were not too greasy and were fairly standard.
The accompanying sauce – party sweet, tangy and spicy, played a crucial role in elevating the dish.
The coffeeshop is not just limited to Loh Bak, however. It serves a variety of other local favourites, including Porridge and Wanton Noodles.
The noodles were springy, with quite generous ingredients such as char siew (barbecued pork), shredded chicken and little braised mushrooms.
You do need to order a drink when dining here, ranging from traditional Kopi (coffee), Teh (tea), to other cooling drinks.
Despite the crowd, the place operates like a well-oiled machine., ensuring that orders are taken and served promptly.
Kheng Pin Cafe
80, Jln Penang, George Town, 10000 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
Opening Hours: 7am – 1:30pm (Wed – Sun), Closed Mon, Tues
Google Maps – Kheng Pin Cafe
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