[Penang] “Koay Teow Thng” is a comforting bowl of flat rice noodles served in a clear, flavourful broth, also a reminder that Penang street food is not only about the fried items and laksa.
Some of the well-known stalls out there include Sky Emperor Chicken Feet Koay Teow Soup, Ah Hai Koay Teow Th’ng, and Pitt Street Koray Teow Th’ng.
I really liked Ah Boy Koay Teow Th’ng at Clarke Street, sometimes referred to as “Clarke Street Koay Teow Th’ng Stall”.
You might walk past the stall without giving it a second thought, but the crowd of customers gathered there would surely pique your curiosity.
The place is adorned with basic furniture and is more about the food than the frills, reflecting the down-to-earth nature of Penang’s street food culture.
A second-generation family-run shop which was also awarded the Michelin Bib Gourmand, Ah Boy Koay Teow Th’ng presents a homegrown recipe of rice noodles (RM5.50) in a soupy broth or as a dry dish.
The wet version is the one that particularly stands out (I also saw every single table order the soup version).
Although it was just moderately crowded when I visited, there were many ordering takeaway,s and was about a half an hour wait.
Do not be deceived by the simplicity of its look.
This Teochew-style noodle soup was so tasty, using clear chicken and pork bone broth as its base, with a deeply rich disposition achieved by simmering it for hours.
Part of the reason is the stall uses old hens as part of the broth, which leads to a more flavoured creation.
The smooth and slurpy thin flat rice noodles (koay teow) is worth a mention, which reminded me of the Ipoh ones.
There was a mixture of balls, but I liked the spongy tendon balls with a ginger-like flavour.
In addition to the chicken slices, fish ball, fried fishball, and meatball, one can also add duck meat, vegetables, innards, and eggs, leading to even more textures and savours.
On the other hand, I thought that the Bean Sprouts Chicken (RM9) with sliced poached chicken served atop a bed of the bean sprouts and drizzled with fragrant dipping sauce, was pretty average.
This was partly because the chicken would have been a lot more tender and moist (partly because we do get quite good poached chicken back home).
The bean sprouts though, were appreciated for their crisp texture, fresh taste, and bright clean flavour.
This Koay Teow Th’ng is simplicity at its best. Sometimes a reminder in the end, it is the taste, ingredients, and flavours of the food that matters.
Ah Boy Koay Teow Th’ng
Lebuh Clarke, George Town, 10050 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
Opening Hours: 7am – 2pm (Mon, Wed – Sun), Closed Tues
Google Maps – Ah Boy Koay Teow Th’ng
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