May

Penang Food – Traditional Penang Porridge

Posted by: CK Lam in Georgetown, Hawker, Penang, Porridge

Hubby and I came across this old eatery on Magazine Road which has been around for 60 over years. This place which serves porridge is operated by the elderly Mr Tan with the help of his son. This eatery has an amazing seating arrangement, with tiny wooden stools (bangku) on top of long benches.

Amazingly, this place is one of the handfuls of stalls left in Penang that does not even have a signboard!

The stools can be stacked upon another one to get the perfect height as the sitting position of each individual person is different…and here’s where the amazing art of balancing comes in…!

As lunch hour draws near, more customers came in and fill up the places surrounding the stall. They were perching high on the tiny stools enjoying their piping bowl of porridge.

The porridge was stored in earthen pots which help to keep the porridge warm. Very traditional and homely feeling, I would say. The home cooked style type of dishes, comprising meat and vegetable are cooked at the rear of the shop.

Earthen jars to keep the porridge warm

There are many different kind of meat and vegetables to go with the white porridge. With the limited space of the counter, even the dishes have to be stacked up!

Taukua with lots of spring onions

Ham Choy with stingray – slightly salty and very appetizing

Deep fried fish – the taukeh only covers the fish with soy sauce when served

Stingray in Tau Cheong sauce

Minced pork in appetizing sauce gets the appetite going!

Flavorful braised meat with egg & another dish of fried salted fish

Small lala fried with garlic & chili sauce

Side dish of nam yue, foo yue & salted egg…simple yet tasty compliments!

For the first time in our lives, we had the experience of sitting on stools perched on the bench in an eatery! It required a bit of balancing for me, but got the hang of it pretty quickly. There are also tables and chairs available. Do drop by this eatery as this is the only one left in the island since the one in McNair street has closed down. It is right beside Bank Rakyat, while Traders Hotel is diagonally opposite it!

Hubby perching high on the tiny stool

Business Hour : 11.30am till 4pm

Closed on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday

GPS Coordinates : N 5 24.817 E 100 19.794

Tags: Amazing Art, Bench, Benches, Bowl Of Porridge, Business Hour, Chairs, Chili Sauce, Coordinates, Deep Fried Fish, Dishes, Earthen Pots, Earthern Pots, Eateries, Eggs, Exprience, Garlic, Handfuls, Hubby, Lala, Limited, Low Stools, Lunch Hour, Mcnair, Monday Tuesday, Mustard, Omelette, Penang, Penang Food, Pickled Eggs, Piping, Salted Egg, Salted Fish, Salted Radish, Seating Arrangement, Side Dish, Side Dishes, Signboard, Soy Sauce, Spring Onions, Style Type, Tables And Chairs, Tofu, Traders Hotel, Vegetables, Wooden Stools, Yue

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 14th, 2009 at 11:15 pm and is filed under Georgetown, Hawker, Penang, Porridge. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

39 comments so far

Jian

Haha I haven’t been to the stall before. Always pass by but never attempt to eat there. Very the classic.

Jian´s last blog post..Penang Weld Quay – Invited Review at Siong Ho Fish Head Bee Hoon

May 15th, 2009 at 1:31 am

allie

I heard from my local colleagues that the customers used to squat down by the roadside to eat the porridge??
I like the black and white pictures, got feel

allie´s last blog post..Penang Hawker Food | Farlim Shell Station Laksa (Laksa Marathon Part I)

May 15th, 2009 at 1:44 am

FoOd PaRaDiSe

Everytime we passed by this shop, hubby and I wanna try it out. The foods look delicious. But my gal don’t like having porridge. ^-^

FoOd PaRaDiSe´s last blog post..Steven’s HotSpot @ Lorong Bayan Indah 3, Bayan Lepas, Penang

May 15th, 2009 at 8:09 am

SimpleGirl

i passed by this shop b4…..haha…nice place…for porridge…but have not try it …..seeing the dishes…i think it’s really aunthentic….

SimpleGirl´s last blog post..Macau Day 2- Part 1

May 15th, 2009 at 9:10 am

Bakeling

Wow , I don’t know that Penangites eating porridge with such varity choices !

When I read your title , I think the porridge must be only looked like eaten by the sick …….So , it is quite amazing to me that they look so delicious too!

I especially like the black and white photos ! They have the taste of retro !

Bakeling´s last blog post..????????? – Ipoh’s Best Apple Pie

May 15th, 2009 at 9:43 am

New Kid On The Blog

dont tell me you actually sit on those stool? btw, do you have those side effect after eating? some of my friends having that problem…

New Kid On The Blog´s last blog post..Siong Ho Fish Head Noodle & Porridge @ Weld Quay

May 15th, 2009 at 9:57 am

CK Lam

Jian – I have always wanted to try it but only got to do it lately…

allie – It’s interesting to know that they squat by the roadside last time, but we can’t see it now.

Food Paradise – You can also take-away the dishes too.

SimpleGirl – Home cooked type of taste.

Bakeling – Thanks for your comment.

New Kid On The Blog – I really sat on the stool cos I wanted to get the feel of it.
The place looks a bit run down but the food is generally ok…no worries.

May 15th, 2009 at 10:41 am

soo sean

I tried a similar one in Lebuh MC Nair. It is selling yam rice. But I did not have chance to take the squad seat.

soo sean´s last blog post..home-cooked-ecstasy

May 15th, 2009 at 11:48 am

foodbin

ha! i just love it.

foodbin´s last blog post..THE ESQUIRE KITCHEN SDN BHD

May 15th, 2009 at 3:13 pm

Chin

One of the best post. Amazing.

Chin´s last blog post..Soto Betawi and Sup Buntut @ Menara Peninsula Hotel – Indonesia

May 15th, 2009 at 5:24 pm

MnYfoodtalk

I like the photos u took especially the first one. Never been to there also, should try out one day.

MnYfoodtalk´s last blog post..Ah Pom | Wai Sek Kai ??? | Chai Leng Park, Perai

May 15th, 2009 at 9:19 pm

Apple Foodees

The pictures looks pretty ancient. Great shots! but the foods look like normal chap fan shop. Lol>>

May 15th, 2009 at 10:49 pm

CK Lam

soo sean – From what I know, that stall has already closed down.

foodbin – Drop by and have a look at this place when you are in town.

Chin – Glad you like it…thank you.

MnYfoodtalk – I like that too, its quite natural. Thank you for your comment.

Apple Foodees – It is just another chap fan stall but the uniqueness lies in the seating arrangement which you can’t find in other places around town.

May 15th, 2009 at 11:27 pm

thenomadGourmand

this one…ahh..old memories…

thenomadGourmand´s last blog post..the OM!!

May 16th, 2009 at 7:29 am

cariso

It’s fortunate for this stall to stay, unlike the sia bui ban san one all gone…my good memory there.

cariso´s last blog post..Dragon Y – story telling session.

May 16th, 2009 at 10:09 am

mimid3vils

wah, this is really old style, but need a good balancing huh…

mimid3vils´s last blog post..My Elephant – Revisit

May 16th, 2009 at 10:51 am

550ml jar of faith

This post makes me sooo homesick!! I love how you can choose how high you want to be perched up against the meal. Love your photographs, really do!

550ml jar of faith´s last blog post..I Not Stupid, thanks to Pork Noodles at OUG

May 16th, 2009 at 1:21 pm

Little Inbox

Yes, always see the scenario every time passing by the shop.

Little Inbox´s last blog post..Antico Caffe @ East Perth

May 16th, 2009 at 3:49 pm

My Taste Heaven

Always passby this stall but never have the courage to squat there to eat

May 16th, 2009 at 4:00 pm

My Taste Heaven

Always passby this stall but never have the courage to squat there to eat

My Taste Heaven´s last blog post..Lily’s Vegetarian Kitchen

May 16th, 2009 at 4:02 pm

pigpigscorner

Love the B&W, suits the mood.

pigpigscorner´s last blog post..Cantonese Braised Beef Brisket with Daikon Radish

May 16th, 2009 at 4:33 pm

YuNiq

Wow! Old habits die hard! I think this can bring the community closer.

YuNiq´s last blog post..A Walk at the Dam

May 17th, 2009 at 1:55 am

jencooks

The feeling must be great squating there and slurping your hot porridge; really old school and same for the dish too, lala, salted egg, huju and stuff. Best article on down memory lane.

May 17th, 2009 at 11:52 pm

Choi

Will definitely pay a visit when next back in Penang. The last time I had rice porridge was in 1982 at the Sia Boey market where they sell the Huan Choo Moey.

May 18th, 2009 at 12:34 am

food-4tots

Wow! I luv your B&W photos! Remember to share your tips with me when we meet up this coming June!

May 18th, 2009 at 10:54 am

Alan

This is a heritage treasure. I will play my part to eat there and introduce more people to eat there before places like this disappears one by one. Thanks CK for doing this review and promoting Penang’s heritage.

Alan´s last blog post..Metro

May 18th, 2009 at 11:05 am

ck lam

thenomadGourmand – It sure is…

cariso – Wasted I did not get the chance to try the sia bui ban san.

mimid3vils – Good experience!

550ml jar of faith – Do try it out yourself.

Little Inbox – Very easily seen on the main road.

ck lam´s last blog post..Penang Food – Traditional Penang Porridge

May 18th, 2009 at 11:49 am

ck lam

My Taste Heaven – Go there when you feel like doing it…at least you get to keep those memories.

pigpigscorner – I too find that it looks good in B&W

YuNiq – Really hope so.

jencooks – Thank you very much for your comment. Glad you like it.

Choi – I miss out the one in Sia Boey market.

food-4tots – Can’t wait to meet up with you.

Alan – Penang is having less of this type of places around and it’s good that we do our part to promote it.

ck lam´s last blog post..Penang Food – Traditional Penang Porridge

May 18th, 2009 at 12:11 pm

Life for Beginners

Ooh, that la la looks good. I’m heading to Penang this Sunday evening for a work-related event on Monday…. Can’t wait to sample these delicious fare!

Life for Beginners´s last blog post..The Return

May 18th, 2009 at 6:50 pm

lingzie

for some strange reason i always thought this stall sold yam rice! lol
passed by this stall many times…but the thought of doing a balancing act….me being very clumsy one sure fall down one! lol

May 19th, 2009 at 10:13 pm

CK Lam

Life for Beginners – Nice to know about your coming trip. Would be lovely to meet up for a meal.

lingzie – I was expecting to see yam rice too but turns out to be porridge but anyway it was overall a nice experience for me.

May 21st, 2009 at 12:12 am

uaik

i used to be there once about 5 years ago. i walked there from the old guang ming office with my supervisor. we ate like “lang chia pek”, quite an unforgettable memory.

i pass by there everyday. i miss it so much.

May 27th, 2009 at 12:47 pm

Leoking

Yes, this is indeed the one and only “living” heritage of the past era. Love your black and white snap shots. The stall owner looks ancient and so are the stools, earthern jars and food containers.
If I have not mistaken the place was frequented during the colonial times by the “kuli” or labourers and trisha peddlers who had a hearty and economy meals there.
Just a gentle reminder to our female food lovers who want to have a feel of the past era eating style, do remember to wear your long pants for the meal…hahaha

June 6th, 2009 at 12:09 pm

J2Kfm

interesting to see people perched on stools, precariously, to savour their bowls of porridge.
CK i’m desperately seeking for Penang hawker food here …….

September 14th, 2009 at 8:50 am

Peter Hou

In fact I used to take porridge at that place. It was almost 20 years I guess.Do you know most of the trishaw man like to take porridge here. They must squat and enjoy the porridge. If not they don’t feel delicious…

September 4th, 2010 at 10:42 pm

joey

i like the black n white photo too it let me feel tradition..i haven been there before, that i need find a day be there..

June 13th, 2011 at 9:01 pm

vwen ng

can give me address?
map?

CK Lam Reply:
October 6th, 2011 at 11:56 pm

It is on Magazine Road, diagonally opposite Traders Hotel.
CK Lam recently posted..Baron Edmond de Rothschild’s French Winemakers Dinner at Tiffins

October 6th, 2011 at 8:48 pm

DEREK

VERY AUTHENTIC.. IS THIS KIND OF TEOCHEW PORRIDGE???
SINGAPORE AND JOHOR SIDE HERE HAVING PORRIDGE AT THE LUNCH IS SOMETHING NORMAL

June 1st, 2012 at 3:55 pm

Ari AS

Ternyata masakan Malaysia tidak jauh berbeda dengan masakan Indonesia.
Ari AS recently posted..Cara Membuat Empek-empek Palembang

December 30th, 2012 at 4:29 pm

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Penang Local Food List Penang Deli Jan 08 2010 / 6pm:

[...] Traditional Penang Porridge Business Hour : 11.30am till 4pm Closed on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday Related Links: http://www.what2seeonline.com/2009/05/penang-food-traditional-penang-porridge/ [...]
pearl of the orient part 3 | Wisata Kuliner Surabaya Apr 04 2011 / 2pm:

[...] makan satu ini kulinersurabaya kunjungi karena informasi yang didapat dari blog miss c.k lam. tampilan bubur yang seperti nasi berkuah, berikut aneka lauk pauk yang tersedia, sungguh [...]

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Armed with a camera and a huge appetite, this food writer & her family travel around looking for the best food and events & happily sharing all the good eats with you in this Penang Food Blog