Restaurant Hing Kee – China Street, Penang

A firm favourite of mine, this unassuming (& thank god, still a non-commercialised & pretty well kept secret in Penang) restaurant is as ole school as one can get.

Located next to the Magnum 4D shop along China Street, just off Pitt Street/Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling, one does have to be familiar in Penang to know of its existence.
(China Street is just opposite the famous Goddess of Mercy Temple (Kuan Yin Teng)).

The cooks & wait staff are the aunties, who’s been around for probably since the time the shop started. I don’t know about you, but it is always reassuring to see my meals prepared by the old & experienced.

Our typical lunch here would rarely, if ever, vary from the dishes below. Taste-wise, most of the dishes are ‘lighter’ on the palate, and I would forewarn those with a heavier tastebuds to visit at their own risk, since they might find it bland.

The Braised Fish with Bean Curd is a firm favourite of mine.
To be honest, it is more bean curd than fish but that is the standard here. Do let them know if you would like more fish fillets, and prices will be adjusted accordingly of course.

A close contender is this Pak Poh Chicken Drumstick. The gravy is the best, infused with all the herbs and good even if you were to drink it on its own.
I normally doused my rice liberally with it and pick at the meat since it is quite bland (not surprisingly, since its probably braised for hours). It is however, great eaten paired with chilli padi (birds eye chillies) .

I was accustomed to these cuts of siew yuk before I was introduced to KL’s prime cuts of crackly skin & soft gelatinous fatty – layered pork.
This was good enough for me then, and still is now. Look at the silver plate it is served in, there’s such a nostalgic feel to it no?

Even the boiled chinese herbs drinks here (barley, chrysanthemum, etc) is strong in taste & fresh.

Another customary order is this blanched kangkung topped with some sort of paste with salted fish and deep fried garlic .
It is oily yes, but acceptable once it coats each stalk of veg, for the topping is the one that lends the flavour to the dish.

Tummy space permitting, we would add an order of scrambled eggs with big onions, carrots & spring onions; again, another simple good old dish of yesteryears..

The old lamps, the ceiling mounted fan, chinese painting/pictures, the cane chairs, round tables & the mosaic flooring.. such charm don’t you think?

I can’t remember the exact amount but it was approximately RM50+- for all the above.
Very reasonable & I have always left feeling satisfied and happy.

Sometimes, simplicity is best.

Restaurant Hing Kee
Lebuh China
Business Hour: 10am-3pm & 6-10pm

Note: They do sell smooth tasty congee, but only on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

penang, Penang food, Restaurant, tai chow