Special thanks to Ah Keong Hokkien Mee for extending this food review invitation.
Ah Keong Hokkien Mee (亚强福建面) is a stall at Jelutong‘s Jalan Pasar, directly opposite of the wet market building. The stall is one of the many at the ground level of a 5-storey apartment.
The proprietor Ah Keong (亚强) has been operating at this very same spot for the past 3 decades. The continuous flow of customers to his stall is testament to his popularity.
Ah Keong’s specialty is the Penang version of Hokkien Mee (福建面), also known as Prawn Mee (虾面) elsewhere. Lor Mee (卤面) is also available, but Ah Keong admits that Hokkien Mee is still the top-seller.
A bowl of Hokkien Mee is priced at RM3.00, RM3.30 and RM3.80 for small, medium and large sizes respectively. Cintan mee is available at extra cost, but I don’t think it goes with the broth as well as beehoon-mee (米粉面).
The bowl of Hokkien Mee (福建面, RM3.30) is modest-looking. The broth is clearer and not as milky as those from contemporary stalls. As usual, chili paste is served separately in a spoon in case the customer is not so tolerant of spiciness (and lodges a police report).
Despite the unassuming appearance, the taste of broth is quite commendable. Rich with shrimp essence, the yellow noodles (黄面) and rice vermicelli (米粉) are thoroughly flavored with savory flavors.
Ingredients included in the bowl of Hokkien Mee are pork slices, small shrimps, boiled egg, bean sprouts, water spinach (蕹菜) and fried onions. In particular, I like the tenderness of succulent pork slices used in this dish. Thumbs-up!
The food is served rather quickly despite many orders. Considering the serving portion and amount of ingredients used, the pricing is fairly reasonable. The major lowlight is food presentation: It is fine for hawker business, but there is room for improvement if the food were sold in a proper shop.
Ah Keong’s son Jacky, who will take over the reins of the business when Ah Keong retires, is assisting at the stall to learn the tricks of the trade. According to Jacky, plans are underway to open another stall in Relau.
Name: Ah Keong Hokkien Mee (亚强福建面)
Address: Jalan Pasar, 11600 Jelutong, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 017-452-6742
Business hours: 6:00am-11:30am
Website: https://www.facebook.com/Ah-Keong-Hokkien-Mee-235103936694936
Coordinates: 5.39948 N, 100.31450 E
Directions: Drive northbound along Jalan Perak. Approximately 400 meters from OldTown White Coffee, turn left into Jalan Pasar. Ah Keong Hokkien Mee is at the hawker center on the left, under a 5-storey apartment and directly opposite of the wet market.