As far as youtiao (油条) or oil sticks is concerned, one stall in Paya Terubong claims to make the longest. Situated next to Kong Min primary school, the Te Chang You Tiao Wang (特长油条王) stall churns out oil sticks with lengths in excess of one feet (30 centimeters).
The name of stall means “King of Super Long Oil Sticks”. I will not go that far to say that its youtiao is the longest in the world or even in Penang. Nevertheless, I think it still deserves a visit just to fulfill my sheer curiosity.
Obviously, I ordered one of its titular snack dish: the Te Chang You Tiao (特长油条, RM1.20). In my mind, I had the anticipation that this is just one of the stall’s marketing gimmick to differentiate from competitors without offering anything extraordinary in taste. This is where I am proven wrong.
The Te Chang You Tiao is actually very addictive! It has the right combination between crispiness and starchiness, which make it very nice to chew on. Even after making the entire oil stick vanish inside my mouth, I still crave for ONE MORE BITE… However considering that it is actually soaked with cooking oil, I reluctantly decided not to go for a second helping.
As the stall operator recommended, I also ordered a bowl of Soya Bean Milk (豆水, RM1.00). It is mildly sweet, just perfect to my preference. The drink is rich and refreshing. I know some people like to dip oil sticks into soya bean milk before eating, but it is simply not my style. I still prefer oil sticks to be oil sticks – just oil.
Te Chang You Tiao Wang also offers some unorthodox oil sticks variations, such as one with tuna and mayonnaise. I leave these selections for a future visit.
The operator has a continuous production line of oil sticks through the deep-frying pan. Therefore, you can be rest assured that they are retrieved fresh from the pan and have the delightful crisp when chewed on.
The price is also surprisingly cheap compared to “regular-sized” oil sticks from other stalls. This is definitely a place to drop by when you are in the Paya Terubong area.