Hokkien Mee is considered one of Penang’s delicacies and is a must-try. Some even said if you haven’t tried Hokkien mee, you are not considered being in Penang before. It has become a trademark for those outside Penang that if you come to Penang, you must try out its Hokkien Mee.
Although the variety of Hokkien Mee stalls in Penang is aplenty, there are only a few that can be classified as tasty for Penangites’ taste buds. As for me, I personally feel that Lean Gaik Hokkien Mee shop is one of the top in Penang Mainland area. There are not many that can really compete with their standard.
Lean Gaik Hokkien Mee shop is located in Chai Leng Park. If you are turning in to Chai Leng Park via Jalan Besar, you will soon reach Jalan Kurau. Fron Jalan Kurau, move forward and you will see the sign board with Jalan Kurau 3 on your left. Turn left and drive for about 400 meters. Take note on your right and you will see Lean Gaik Hokkien Mee stall on your right.
At Lean Gaik Hokkien Mee Shop, you will not only see the usual plain Hokkien Mee. In fact, they are also selling a great variety of Hokkien Mee and Loh Mee. For Hokkien Mee you can find the usual soup-based and also the dry-version0. Besides Hokkien Mee, you can also request for Loh Mee and also “Mixed Hokkien Mee and Loh Mee”.
The price of every variety of Hokkien or Loh Mee comes in a standard price of RM2.80 for small bowl and RM3.30 for big bowl.
Their unique dried Hokkien Mee is one of the famous in Penang Mainland especially Bukit Mertajam. The taste is very different from the usual soup-based Hokkien Mee. The taste of the gravy is very thick compared to soup-base. Nevertheless the aroma and the taste is also double the kick. For those that love the rich and thick gravy this is the one that must be tried out.
The typical type of soup-based Hokkien Mee was nothing different from the other Hokkien Mee stalls. However, there are few additional points that make this stall outstanding, the freshness of the prawns and also the thickness of the soup. The soup was also slightly on the sweet side.
As for the Loh Mee, the gravy was very thick and the saltiness was just nice.
The combination from the best of both dishes, the Hokkien mixed with Loh Mee. It is a mixture from the soup Hokkien Mee and The Loh (gravy) from Loh Mee.
The ingredients in the Loh Mee include slices of meat, bean sprouts, veggie, fried onions, and slices of egg.
Besides Hokkien Mee and Loh Mee, you can also order roast pork as a side dish. The skin of the roast pork was very crunchy and the meat itself was also very juicy.
These are the important ingredients that make both the Loh Mee and Hokkien Mee taste fantastic.
Overall, it is a must-try for the Hokkien Mee and Loh Mee when you visit Chai Leng Park. Gaik Lean Hokkien Mee Shop is not just selling one of the best Hokkien Mee in Mainland Penang, in fact their Loh Mee is also one of the famous around. Most importantly, the price is reasonable too.
Editor’s Review (5 Stars Rank):
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Quick Facts:
| Family Friendly |  |
| Parking | |
| Pork Free |  |
| Alcohol | |
| Credit Card | |
| Smoking | |
| Reservation | |
| Private Room | |
View Lean Gaik Hokkien Mee Shop in a larger map
Operation hours: 7:30am – 5:30pm (Close on Monday.)
Contact: 012-484 1680
Address:50, Lebuh Kurau 3, Chai Leng Park.
Lots of Ajinomoto in the soup base, can you taste it?
I just post about Hokkien Mee too. 🙂
Ahhh!! Chai Leng Park, the neighbourhood I roamed when I was a kid! Pretty sure this shop wasn’t there then… time for me to go back!
The lor mee attracted me the most out of all those above.
agreed with Little Inbox, anyway, have not been visiting this for a long time… went last week… in fact, we realize the serving is getting smaller and smaller.
…I knw wht to hunt for di..since i’m comin back soon!! Yeahh!
Little inbox, I got the feeling woo…woo… got a bit dry after makan.
550ml, like that should come back more often. Get the feeling of ur neighbourhood child life.
cariso, i can see that you are a big fan of loh mee. do you like the chicken feet?
NKOTB, agree with you. However, the taste is so tempting.
I am a fan of Hokkien Mee for more than 55 years now, having tried everywhere and anywhere I could find my way.
Went to your recommended shop at 3pm today.
Let me put some comments for my own hearing, if it is too long-winded for some others… hahaha
1) Soup and paste (lor) = pretty good. However, the one I took has a bit of chau huay hoon (=fire and smoke smell)
2) Noodle (Mee and Bee Hoon) cooked to my expectation. In Hokkien Mee, the noodle must not be fully boiled.
3) Suan Leong Chor (vinegar garlic) = not the burnt type or huay sio suan. The latter would make the Hokkien Mee aromatic, sweet and delicious.
4) Chilli oil = ok
5) Chilli = would be better if it is from the traditional mortar grind
6) Meat = must be bah tau chi-oh = bah tau with the sides slightly fatty
7) Sioh Bah = Traditional Hokkien Mee does not have sioh bah, the variation being char sioh
8) Another side of truth, not rascism, forgive me – the Indon Maids are cooking at this shop, hence the food presentation is not complete, and does not invite tongue smacking good or chopsticks licking good? There is no yen to come back for a re-order
Hokkien Mee must be cooked and sold by Hokkien, Char Koay Teow by Teochew, Chicken Rice by Hainanese, then Colonel Sanders would also come calling…
The Chinese saying goes: Hokkien Mee, Teochew Char Koay Teow, Hailam Kaypui, Foochow Coffee…
One would notice that the Chinese ethnic denominations have specialism of their own.
On the general average of my own feel, the Hokkien Mee from this stall is good.
Recommendation:
1) The road next to the above shop has a row of night stalls. The Hokkien Mee Stall next to the Tong Suay and in front of the fried oyster stall. However, it has no suan leong chor.
2) Hokkien Mee Stall No. 6 of Batu Lancang Hawker Centre (beside CIMB and opposite the Olympia College former campus)?
3) Kampung Benggali, Butterworth opposite Ling Clinic . Shop name I forgot. Sold in the morning only. Most of the time finished by 10am.
I love Penang Loh Mee those photos make my saliva….. drew. Two years ago when I went to Malaysia my buddy took me to
try Loh Mee since then I’m craving for Loh Mee.
By any chance do you have the gravy recipe.
kee on November 25th, 2009 at 10:46 am
The Soup Gravy Recipe:
1) Boil Dog Prawns (kau hare)
2) Scoop it out and peel the husks
3) Pound the husks well
4) Pour the husk into the same boiling water
5) Filter the husks
6) Pour chillies into the required wokful of oil = chilli oil
7) Pour Chillie Oil into the boiling water
8) Add Sugar, Salt, Ajinomoto
9) Hokkien Mee Soup is ready
10) Fried the prawns with the remains of chillie oil in the wok
11) Boil Bah Tau Chiah (= Bacon with side fats) in the soup
12) Quick Shake Mee/Bee Hoon in a separate Boiling Water
13) Hokkien Mee Presentation with meat, prawn, boiled egg, shalot tops. Vinegar Garlic is optional.
The Lor Gravy Recipe
1) Prepare a bowl of Tapioca Flour
2) Stir with water = Tapioca Flour Water
3) Scoop a pot of soup from the earlier Soup Gravy preparation
4) Pour the Tapioca Flour Water into the pot of soup
5) Add Goh Heong Hoon (5 seasonings)
6) Lor is ready.
Hope the above helps.
Further to my recomendations on November 24th, 2009 at 11:23 pm, I would add the Hokkien Mee Stall at Juru located beside the famous Curry Fish Head Stall reported in PTP’s blog below:
http://www.penangtuapui.com/2008/11/penang-food-curry-fish-head-juru/
I thought your blog is very fascinating and mouth watery for me. I haven’t been back to Penang for years. I used to stay near by and always go to Chai Leng Park for lunch during the weekend. A lot of good food there.
hmm…what’s next? 😛
Hi Folks!! I just want to recommend you try the Famous Bubur Cha-Cha at a newly opened hawker style eatery , MAX NYONYA DESSERTS, at 206 Macalister Road.
It’s simply sumptous!!
Yes, it’s coconut based, but hey, desserts are meants to be sinful!! But, there are also a variety of healthier desserts to choose from.
At RM1.80 per bowl it’s value for money.!!
The Nasi Lemak and Chicken pie are also Must trys!!
it’s opened from 10 am – 5 pm Mondays through saturdays.
Iam so craving for PG food, the hokkien noodle looked really tasty and must be yummmy, don`t know how soon i can come back again lol
🙁 boohoooo
Tried the dry hokkien mee and the normal soupy hokkien mee, and didn’t quite like the taste of the food at this place. It was a bit too salty for my taste and the soup didn’t have much of the prawn taste in it. There are still far better places on Penang island serving better hokkien mee. However, the roast pork was simply excellent and very crispy.
Adrian, I do agree with you. Anyway, this is one of the best that I can find at the mainland. Haven’t found any that can come near to Island’s Hokkien Mee. If you ever come across please do let me know. I would be more than willing to place a visit.
Hi, Steven! Thanks for your reply. There’s a hawker stall selling Hokkies mee/lor mee in front of a row of shophouses at the corner of Air Itam road and the road leading into Kampung Melayu. It’s normally selling in the late afternoon at about 4 p.m., and I guess patrons have to stand or squat to eat as there are very few places to sit. I’m told that the soup is “heavenly”. It’s run as a family business and they have another stall/cum coffee shack in Paya Terubong, opposite the road from the row of shophouses/apartments. Another place you might want to try is near Joki Road (breakfast time). The stall there sells quite good Hokkien mee.
Btw, I’d tried Khuntai restaurant in BW, and the food there is not bad. Very spicy, and good, especially the prawn balls.
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