I still don’t understand even after we get scolded or pushed away by stall owner, we are still willing to go there and wait for the food. Typical Penangites’ thinking – when the stall is packed with people, the food must be good. But even sometimes we find that the food is just so so, still everyone is cramping there. I wonder why?
Today the food that I am going to mention is a total disaster. That particular stall is located at One Corner Cafe, just behind Penang Plaza (Giant). There is nothing wrong with this coffee shop, just that one of the stalls which spoiled the whole basket of eggs.
Wikimapia GPS location:
http://www.wikimapia.org/#lat=5.42168&lon=100.325357&z=18&l=0&m=a&v=2
This is the 3rd time I visited this shop and it will be the last time I order for this so called “Super” Hokkien Mee. I was here few weeks ago for the first time it was on 10:30am. It was a weekday and I asked for a bowl of hokkien mee. The old lady told me “No more liao, you came too late”. Ok fine, it was my fault on getting here too late.
However, I have not given up as I have tried this hokkien mee last time before they moved to this new coffee shop and it was back in 5 years then and the taste was very nice. Therefore, I came back again a week later. This time I make sure I arriveed at 9:30am . AGAIN, this same old lady appear in front of me and told me “I am afraid the noodle is not enough and no more for you”. WTF, 9:30am already sold off all your noodle?? Fine! I will make sure I come in even earlier next trip.
The 3rd attempt, I wake myself up at 7:30am and arriveed at this stall at 8:30am just to taste this so called “SUPER” Hokkien Mee. When I wanted to order, that old lady appear in front of me again. Look at the picture below, is like the whole world is owing her 20cents. My goodness, not even a pleasant look, bitter than a bitter melon. After asking her again, this time she said “You have to wait for one hour, else come back other day”. Alright, knowing you are so SUPER, I will wait.
After I have ordered, I realised that I’m not the only one stupid enough to wait for this so called SUPER hokkien mee. There are at least 10 tables of people waiting too. Some even read their newspapers while waiting. The worst part is not on waiting, but is about people jumping queue. I saw a few tables of people just stepped into this coffee shop and sat down, the boss’ assistant came and took order from them. You want to know why? Because they know the BOSS! Next time, if I open any shop and you come to me and tell me you are StevenGoh.com reader I will give you 1st priority and also additional discount.
After waited for 40minutes, I went to ask the boss again if my hokkien mee was ready. He just looked at me and asked me to sit back as the -t still counting down. He mentioned that he recorded down all the orders and know what he is doing. Therefore, make me no choice. I have to walk back and sit quietly at my oven seat.
Finally, the SUPER hokkien mee came to me in 59 minutes , nearly an hour as promised. Well, he didn’t break his promise, did he? Long waited extreme, powderful, SUPER hokkien mee. Let me taste it.
Errr……. hold on, this taste is not as good as before. The proportion of chili combination with soup is out. I can only taste the spicy taste mostly. The soup a bit sweet as I believe they place a lot of prawns and pork ribs to cook for hours. Some slices of prawn, chicken and fried onions were placed on top of the noodle.
This is not what I wanted 🙁 This is also the reason I don’t like to introduce much on commercialised or well famous stall. Some more this bowl of SUPER hokkien mee cost me RM3.00, not cheap at all (in Penang). As a consumer, after paying we still need to wait and look at the bitter melon face. I think they are too famous, even an extra bowl or two didn’t add much to their huge profit.
My advice to all the readers, DO NOT think stalls which are packed with people are always good.
Editor’s Review (5 Stars Rank):
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hmmm…i alwiz think that taste is not that important for a meal (my personal opinion la, coz i’m those “eat-fast-fast & eat-full-full” type of ppl). However, i focus most on their services, “nvm… if u serve me like i hutang u 2 kupang, then i’ll write u kuat kuat in my blog” wahaha~
btw, i’ve grab some of yo blog screen shot and post it into my blog, hope u don’t mind ya~ Thanks for this advice, i sure won’t go for it in my next trip to penang.
http://bbmarketplace.blogspot.com/2007/11/in-mood-for-blog-my-blog-and-my.html
Omg; if my parents were there, they won’t even wait.
Sooner or later, they will lose customers.
I think =/
Hey Steven, I for one wouldn’t bother to wait for one hour, just for a bowl of noodles because by the time it arrives, my appetite would long gone! …super or not… Btw, I thought hokkien mee is the fried one with gravy in soya sauce… this one soupy???
Steven, pls post the stupid pearl noodle…
that is another shitty one
Hey Steven! That is a shitty hokkien mee seller. I when there, also the same thing. Have to wait like mad. That’s why I never tasted it before. I just go there to eat laksa with fried popiah from the indian motorbike seller.
Viv, in Penang, Hokkien Mee is the noodle soup type similar to “Har Mee” in KL or Ipoh, the taste might be slightly different though. I believe in KL Hokkien Mee is the fry-noodle type. Thanks for bringing this up and especially to those who have yet to know how Penang Hokkien Mee tastes like. 🙂
Bb community, thanks for the screen shot. That’s a nice 1. Finally I can see usual posts from you than the paid post. LOL
Chingy, don’t be too sure yet. There will still be some “nice” and “patient” penangite go there to wait hours just for that bowl of noodle.
Will C, I will make sure I post that out 🙂
Rayner, any nice hokkien mee to suggest? beside the 1 at balik pulau?
wahaha…no word to say~
Haha…
To all Penang restaurant and food stall owners… becareful of the 2 kupang service you give your customers because there are bloggers out there who will write kuat kuat about you!!!
Beware especially of StevenGoh.com!
Let me try it out one day.. I usually will goto Swatow Lane Kopitiam (http://www.diningexplorer.com/resultdetail.php?branch_id=234) to eat Hokkien Mee.
If not, can consider Sifu Omar Hokkien Mee, although it is pork free (http://www.diningexplorer.com/resultdetail.php?branch_id=299).
hahaha. It just goes to show, when a place calls themselves “SUPER” or “BEST” you need to be careful! 🙂
Think of this : I went to a Shangri-La hotel in Mainland China.
Outside, there was a big banner (in Chinese) saying : “THE BEST DIM SUM BUFFET”
OK. So it’s Shangri-LA. OK so I go. OK. so dim sum is #1 COLD (barely warm) #2 BEST ITEMS (hargow, sumai) SOLD OUT (wtf?!) #3 NO FLAVOR.
hah.. definitely not the best DIM SUM, more like THE WORST! 😀
Thanks for the pics Steven, oh, and I loved the old ladys Bitter Melon face ! HAHAHAHA
Also her son, he should be POLIS with that style, not food stall owner! HAHAHAHA
Hi Sergio, I totally agreed with you. Whenever BEST or FAMOUS always have to wait very slow or bad service. May be they are too commercialised and if they don’t sell you one bowl they will still survived.
erm.. I remembered this article you had written. But I never tried this “Hokkien Mee” in Burma road.. but I had tried the stall who sell hokkien mee at night. Quite famous and published in several food books before. Overall not so nice -.-
Steven
I have read about other ppl commented about the nasty and bad attitude of the seller/boss , gosh i admired ur patient, i wouldn`t want to go there , is not worth for all this ssshike…:( especially in the early morning , u know wat i mean, after all still alot of nice stalls around
Remember Pg is an eating heaven
Happy Eating
jacqueline
i also knw that hokkien mee.. actually gt 1 fat n curly hair aunty serve ppl with nice servies bt always get scold by the boss…i fell so pity the aunty. another lady tight hair n wear spec 1…omg always scold ppl juz bcz she is the boss wife!!!!!!!!
Got curious after reading my taste heaven post.
This is so unbelievable…. me, definitely will never come back to this kind of place.
Hmmmm… why people still coming back? probably there’s a spell on the food? hahaha…
haha…i had the same experiences for this super hokkien mee, but the best part is…i have no chance to sit there and wait for 1 hour! luckily! and i would not wait, for the sick of hookien mee, have to waiting so long? all hokkien mee die liao ah?
lagi biter melon face? i already banned them.
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Oh u had a bad experience. I went there and i get mine in less than 10 minutes. Taste is quite delighting as well.
Strawberry Gal, I was there on last year for the hokkien mee but now even I has been there I never had order their hokkien mee again. May be is like the chinese saying “once bitten by snake, 10 years scared of ropes.”
Oh, I can totally relate! I had the same bad experience, went there 3 times and didn’t get to eat. I was asked to wait 1-1.5hours. The owner was so arrogant, he said, if you don’t wait, you don’t get to eat!
I observed the way he works, super slow and he punishes his customers by his efficiency! Since my good friend raved about the soup, I didn’t give up, went to his brother’s stall opposite to Padang Brown, same and I got so pissed and I walked off, i don’t believe he is the only good Hokkien mee in Penang! We should all boycott them!
Me when there 7am, order one bowl from the stupid man saying no pork and mee only you know what he said to me no pork I don’t sell WTF 7am no pork no sell that the last time I eat his stupid hokkien mee!!!
I agree with you Paul, they are too arrogant de. I suggest we tell everyone not to eat there.
I was there a couple of months ago and like everyone else, tried to get there as early as possible. First time around, took me ages to find the place since they moved from Burma Lane. Had to ask many people before I finally found it at around 10am. But alas, the store was closed shop for the day! Seeing that I had to leave home for KL the next day, I rise early and got there around 8.30am but alas, was told by the chap that it was all sold out because of heaps of phone order!!! I protested that I came many times already and always closed or sold-out and I am leaving for KL today so I will not take no for an answer. The chap looked at me as if I was going to hit him any minute now. So he said ok, sit beside the table next to me and wait. So I did and after like 40 minutes or so, my bowl of piping hot “Har Mee” as we call it in KL, came. With much anticipation, I tried the soup first because that’s what people go for, the soup, not so much the noodle or the other ingredients, right? Alas, it was sweet and quite frankly, quite ordinary. But to come back so many times and then had to beg and wait, was it worth it? A big NO! I can get better Har Mee in KL nowadays. I can name a few but maybe next time!
Steven Pang, good 1. I couldn’t agree with you more. I went there for 3 times and yet he keeps telling me that only left a few bowls and if want need to wait. I had waited for 45min for the worthless and not up to standard hokkien mee. This stall is really over rated.
Steven Pang, when you go back KL… please ask all your friends and family members don’t ever go to this stall again. IT IS NOT WORTH WAITING!
It’s 2023 and I am having brunch in this cafe, and this Hokkein Mee stall is closed. The price of the Hokkein Mee then is more intriguing to me, RM3?!! It’s at least RM7 per bowl now. Oh dear!
yes, most of the Penang hawker stall’s prices are hiking.