Mey Wey Char Bee Hoon, Tanjung Tokong, Penang
BY CK Lam
Mey Wey is a semi-detached house turned into a casual dining restaurant along Tanjung Tokong in Penang. The newly opened outlet offers everyday local delicacies with a touch of nostalgia.
Head straight to the counter as the outlet serves up self-service ordering. You can get economy char bee hoon (fried vermicelli), char mee (fried yellow noodles), Teochew mee teow, fried rice, chicken curry, fried fish and sweet tong-sui, all at pleasantly affordable prices.
The char mee done with a light touch of salt and dark soy sauce is perked up with a spoonful of chilli sauce, pickled green chillies, and toppings of fried crunchy sweet soya sticks. The noodles have a soft bite to begin with but its flavor is a nostalgia joy to the tastebud.
Another simple dish is the char teochew mee teow with tasty firm bite. Stir-fried with pieces of Chinese black mushroom, the dish carries defining flavors of aromatic heh-bee (dried prawns) and kuchai (Chinese chives).
Nasi lemak, a perennial favorite among Malaysians, takes its place on the menu too. The rice dish comes with a combination of basic ingredients – hard boiled eggs, deep-fried anchovies, peanuts, cucumber and of course sambal. It’s all in the sambal which give hint of sweetness and spiciness to the fluffy rice boiled with coconut milk.
There is nothing more satisfying than having side orders to go with the meal such as the curry chicken, fried egg, deep-fried fish (snapper), and fried chicken (whole leg). Also available are quite a number of assorted dishes, and the menu changes depending on the availability of ingredients. Prices varied from RM1 to RM8 based on the type of orders.
Economy rice-style with options of meat and vegetable dishes
The outlet also has something sweet for diners. Available are desserts of red bean, mung bean, black glutinous rice, at least for now. It also has the usual drinks by the can, besides home cooked chrysanthemum, heh gor chau, lo han ko and boiled sugar cane.
At Mey Wey, food is served from 4pm till as late as 11.30pm. You can have your meal for teatime, dinner and supper in the air-conditioned dining area or at the breezy outdoor space with few tables.
The outlet with its big sign board is doors away from Tari Burger, and also diagonally opposite Daorae Korean Restaurant.
Mey Wey Char Bee Hoon
2 Jalan Lima
Tanjung Tokong
Penang
Tel: 04- 8993127
Closed on Sunday