The famous and popular Penang Char Koay Teow at Siam Road – charcoal fried, duck egg

I don’t quite get the hype of this Siam Road char koay teow. I was in Penang earlier this year for a trip with Berjaya Air and queued an hour for my char koay teow here. What I got for my endurance was though undeniably a plate of fragrant and delicious koay teow, it was way greasier than a good CKT should be.

Penang Berjaya Air Trip-188

I don’t mean to say that it’s terrible, but rather that it is not to my liking. I’m sure the long queue and uncle’s ever-growing popularity can attest to its taste. It goes to show that taste is certainly subjective and it’s ever an open debate.

Penang Berjaya Air Trip-189

It looks good right? Well actually it is.
Now if only Uncle would consider cutting down on the lard oil a bit.

Penang Berjaya Air Trip-190

One may argue that if you want to eat Char Koay Teow, don’t complain about the oil. Well, say whatever you want.
A fabulous plate of any food doesn’t have to be wet with grease. I’m not asking for char koay teow fried in olive oil, but I’m just asking for fragrant, tasty, fluffy strands of koay teow, nicely coated with its condiments and yet it doesn’t leave you filling as if you had just swallowed a tub of lard.

Penang Berjaya Air Trip-191

Anyhow for research purposes I queued again just 2 weeks ago since I was on a char kuey teow mission. Uncle is consistent if not anything else. It was as oily as I remembered it and I cringed as as I watch him flood his wok with generous amount of lard.
Uncle doesn’t fry his char kuey teow based on individual portions. He fries a few plates at one time and divide the contents of the wok into several plates.

Siam Road Penang - Charcoal CHar Koay Teow-001

Do let me know if you agree/disagree with me about the char koay teow here. Do you find it terribly greasy?

Name: Siam Road Char Koay Teow
Address: Siam Road, Penang (near the Anson Road market)
GPSN05° 24′ 55.” E100° 19′ 13.4″
Time: Afternoons – starts from 3pm – sold out/late.  You can dine at the coffeeshop opposite or buy as take-away.
Day: Everyday except Monday.
Price: RM4 (S), RM5 (B)

Siam Road Penang - Charcoal CHar Koay Teow-003

I’m slowly but surely writing about the 8 plates of char koay teow I had in Penang. For the first 2 posts, you can read about the Jalan Johor (night time) char koay teow as below.

1.Penang Char Koay Teow – Jalan Johor Hawker Centre (near Convent Dato Keramat )
2. Padang Brown Popiah, Char Koay Teow and Yong Tau Foo 
3. The famous and popular Penang Char Koay Teow at Siam Road 

For good Penang food in KL, head to Penang One in Kota Damansara or Puchong. My review here –> Good Penang food in KL – Penang One.
I go to the Kota Damansara outlet almost twice every month. I shall update a post on my visits (many visits!) soon. Do note that it may not be the best (or similar to your favourite stall in Penang) but Penang One is still your best best for a good variety of Penang food under ONE roof, with air conditioning while sparing you the journey through and fro KL-Pg-KL.
Do avoid the lor bak here though.

This Post Has 9 Comments

  1. Ooo I’ve never tried this one, but I’m one of those who don’t mind greasy CKT. I think cos when I was growing up, all the CKT I ate was greasy, including in the school canteen. Too bad we can’t make special requests for less oil or more lard, etc 😀

  2. Greg

    I think you’re pretty health conscious that’s why you find it intolerable. For many it’s a standard plate of char koay teow.

    1. Rebecca Saw

      Oh yes I’m the sort who’s pretty health conscious. Doesn’t mean that I avoid hawker food though. Just the overly unnecessarily greasy ones. 🙂

  3. Average Joe

    This ah pek has a brother frying char koay teow at taman free school food court without the long queue.

    1. Rebecca Saw

      Oh really! Thanks for the tip . I wonder if the taste is similar?

  4. Veron

    No to greasy char koay teow! I agree, since I’m a #eatclean person myself. Love a good plate of char koay teow, black hokkien mee and mee mamak but the well done ones are never swimming in fat but had every strand of noodle nicely coated with condiments and are not weighted down by oil.

  5. Wong Pow Long

    I have just completed the review for this stall. I do agree with you that it is oily, but it is very hard to get a CKT with less oily 1, especially they uses pork lard …..

    Wong, BestPenangFood.com

    1. Rebecca Saw

      Actually I like the Tiger CKT at Carnavon St and Lorong Selamat. Both uses lard but the koay teow was nicely fluffy and non-greasy, aromatic and tasty. The use of lard is a must, but the overuse of lard is not necessary 🙂

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