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)).

Pg - Hing Kee add

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.

Pg - Aug - Hing Kee1

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.

Pg - Hing Kee1

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?

Pg - Hing Kee3

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.

Pg - Hing Kee4

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..

Pg - Hing Kee5

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

Pg - Aug - Hing Kee

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.

This Post Has 23 Comments

  1. CUMI & CIKI

    aisey man.. u alwys know all the good hidden gems!

  2. Sean

    ahh sometimes texture is as important as taste 😀

  3. vialentino

    wah…pergi all the way to penang to makan…jeng ler…next time i go there, must visit here first…

  4. yoon see

    Thanks yeah:)
    Wow! I love food review blog too, good job and keep it up!

  5. Regina Travel

    their foods are cheap and nice. lol

  6. worldwindows

    Good traditional stomach warming stuff. Tofu with fish done right is my favourite.

  7. burpandslurp

    That place…looks disturbingly familiar. Deja vu…I'm pretty sure I've been there before!
    Or maybe all food places look the same in Penang?

  8. 550ml jar of faith @minchow

    Hear hear! Simplicity delivered the old school way is the best! Lately I've been thinking that the only reason we think food's bland is because our tastebuds are way too saturated. We need to embrace simple, like our forefathers did!

  9. vialentino

    hungry siul…

  10. mimid3vils

    herbal tea served at kl very diluted, like drinking plain water~~

  11. thenomadGourmand

    c&c: Born here mahh..and dad is a fussy eater too

    sean: indeed!

    vialentino: Hmm.. i realize that u seldom visit Pg (from followin yr blog)

    yoon see: Thks! I love reviewing good places too.

    Regina: Yes it is a great plc for good food.

    ww: I can imagine u liking all these dishes!

    burpandslurp: the old "ran down" kinda of places can look almost the same 😉
    But did the food look the same?

    550ml: I agree! KL's food can be a tad over-flavoured sometimes!

    vialentino: Haha.. make a trip to Pg soon?

    mimid3vils: EXACTLY! And over charging while they are at it!

  12. J2Kfm

    Very charming place, I like this type of classic dai chow restaurants, you can be assured of good quality food somehow, using the simplest of ingredients.

  13. backStreetGluttons

    Old style means been around and know all , so you should be very at home , tho we would have liked a darker tiger beer unlike the fair one you had then all seasoned oldies shall love us even more …let the older young journey begin fresh!
    haha

  14. cariso

    I have always wanted to visit this place but until now…still 🙁

  15. Little Inbox

    The Pat Poh chicken must be flavorful. Hmm…I can imagine the fragrant.

  16. Sin Tai Lim

    i think the Pak Poh Chicken Drumstick is irresistible.

  17. Huai Bin

    I just love your huge high res photos – all the better to drool at. Heh! You manage to find the most out-of-the-way hidden gems too. Cheers!

  18. J

    Such a cute place to eat – love the nostalgic feel! 🙂

  19. foodbin

    old school=good food.

  20. thenomadGourmand

    J2kfm: And less MSG too!

    bsg: Ha! You guys should chk this plc out. For all i knw, maybe they got beer at night?

    cariso: Why wor? Can't find the plc?

    little inbox: Oh yes its good..esp w rice!

    STL: Its good! only that the meat is tasteless aft all the braising..

    Huai Bin: I stayed in Pg mahh..& I hate those over-commercialized plcs!

    feeQ: Sent!

    J; So whn u going to Pg??

    foodbin: AGREE!!

  21. nighthawk

    tofu fish and kangkong doesn't look alike in 40years ago!except the bamboo chair.back in those days the cook are men!

  22. magnum4d

    Thank you for every other informative blog. The place else may just I am getting that type of info written in such a perfect method? I’ve a challenge that I am just now operating on, and I have been at the glance out for such info.

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