Curry mee , Jalan Air Itam - an old world recipe

We went for curry mee in Air Itam earlier .

First time we're trying out this popular place . The crowd at the assam laksa stall has thinned down tremendously  to cater to just tourists nowadays , but this curry mee stall which opens for business during the hottest time of the day , is fervently supported by local kapcai riding folks .

Update : new picture of the stall . Can't find this via foursquare . Women who regularly eat Penang curry mee acquire a snow white skin tone . Think it is the combo of spices and pig blood cubes that does the trick . I don't eat this so often but it's my favourite so far . Anyway , I prefer to look more tanned .

I swear the broth tastes almost like the instant noodle soup which Chef Ismail concocted for Mamee Chef .

The exception is that , the former is cook-it-yourself and completely halal , while this dish served here is absolutely non halal , as they throw in fresh ingredients such as coagulated pig's blood , brown squid soaked in alkaline water , taufu pok , mint leaves , very thin coconut milk and a spice mix that is burns you so bad , your lips will still throb after your feeble attempt at nursing them via a bowl of ice kacang .

( NH ) Midnight queue- Air Itam Duck Rice

Update 16th August : 
this is why Penangites are reluctant to recommend their favourite haunts to outsiders. There are too many customers now. It makes the traders head grow very big. Quality is compromised. Standards have dropped. The other night I was here, the pork was not fresh, the meat very salty, I got a hard boiled egg that already went bad, plus the rice was too soggy.

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And so, I finally went and did it. Joined the queue for the famous midnight duck rice in Air Itam, that is.

Look carefully at the picture and try to spot the 3 boys in pyjamas. Nothing unusual except for the fact that they're full grown Teenagers !

Have always been very fond of Air Itam because of all it's quirky familiarness but this stall certainly takes the cake.

There are just so many patient people , united in the still of the night , awaiting their turn like a congregation of confessioners at a chapel of food.

Capati Stall - Kedai Kopi Bee San (PF)

Stumbled upon this Capati Stall when I came here looking for pau. The steady stream of customers, got the better of me , thus I ended up ordering one set.

Guess what ? I've been coming back here ever since.

Fried chinese pastry van outside Lye Lye ( NH )

Didn't take much notice of this white mobile van on the left hand side of the building, until today.

Because, I had initially come to this kopitiam for some loh bak .

Don't know what happened, only the tofu and century egg was edible this time around.

It was good last time but now beh chiak already.

The fishball was sour, the small popiah like getah.

Why oh why ?

Pasar Air Itam Laksa ( PF )

This famous stall needs no introduction

Apparently it's their prawn paste which makes them famous

( NH ) Tapioca Fried Fish Noodles,Min Jiang, Air Itam

When the rare tourist comes here, they tend to take locals word for it, that the tomyam stall is the best there is.

I beg to differ.

Most locals are enraptured by the tomyam because the level of spiciness is on a psycho scale of a gazillion sweat beads and a paralysed tongue .

This you can savour in one of the many small mom and pop stalls in Prangin Mall.

However, nobody on the island has been able to replicate what these men have been churning out night after night.

Po Po Champion CKT, Asia Cafe ( NH )

Update : 7th April 2013

They have shifted to a new premise inside a shoplot around 2 km down the road.

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Today we decided to try out the char koay teow at this stall near the first roundabout leading to the foot of Penang Hill.

If you look at the banner,it proudly proclaims that they have been awarded the 1st prize for"Best Char Koay Teow" category at the Penang Battle of The Hawkers Masters competition,Penang Times Square,on the 25th of December 2011.

This goggle wearing uncle, has been frying non stop ever since that day.