Bak Kut Teh is not something I like to indulge in often. However, my neighbour told me about this shop near the Penang Hill roundabout which she said serves very good bak kut teh. Bak Kut Teh means pork ribs tea or herbal soup.
True enough, it is very nice. And cheap too. The shop is next to Maybank Air Itam and right across the road is CIMB so one cannot missed it. It is available only at night. There were two of us only on that night so we just ordered a very small portion.
My husband who dislikes kiam chye boey or the sweet and sourish preversed vegetable soup declared the place has the best kiam chye boey. So, do make sure you order a bowl if you are there. It is indeed very tasty with the right balance of sweetness, spiciness and filled with lots of vegetables.
The coffee shop spans two units. One is selling bak kut teh and the other selling char hor fun. You can sit at either coffee shop. We saw a lot of people ordering this mee sua kor (just like fake sharksfin soup) and ordered a bowl eventhough we were already full.
Mee suah kor is rarely found because not many stalls can quite cook it well. But this shop has very nice mee suah kor with fresh prawns and bits of fishes. Really worth the money and I would say, taste as good as the expensive Teow Chew Meng.
So, do make a trip to Cheng Heong for bak kut teh. Service is fast and friendly eventhough the dinner crowds filled both coffeeshops.
15 thoughts on “Bak Kut Teh – Cheng Heong, Air Itam, Penang”
Spunky
(May 31, 2007 - 9:00 am)Hey Lilian,
recommend you to check out the Bak Ket Teh,just right opposite of Makro,Sungai Dua.
It’s not a coffeshop but i think the owner’s house instead and it’s just right opposite Makro,at the corner where the traffic junction.
The Tom Yam is quite famous too.
Will never miss it when i have my summer break in Penang.
Joshua
(May 31, 2007 - 9:25 am)Hi Lilian,
Joshua here. I’m ordinary Penang long boi kia. For bak kut teh, I prefer the one nearby Farlim old market 1 – Long fong kopitiam, Kuan kee bak kut teh. This kopitiam also serve curry fish. Very fair price, RM3.50 per serving (Fish meat with white rice). Different people different taste la. If you also like tomyam, I can recomment you go to long boi 1288 coffee shop try out the tomyam yong tao hu, really nice. Also, you can go to Praginmall shuai shuai le, tomyam steamboat. The best in Penang. Just my 2 cents Hehe.
coketai
(May 31, 2007 - 1:02 pm)Hey Lilian,
Thanks for the recommendation, I have not been to Air Itam..long long time ago, really miss this place, beside BKT, I remember there used to be a restaurant selling grill seafood especally the “KAM HEONG” type!!!, have anything click your mind….if you do know, kindly let me know the location. So try next time when I am back to Penang.
LY.Tai
Timothy
(June 1, 2007 - 6:09 pm)Ooooh .. I don’t know much about food in Ayer Itam .. but it does look good. Especially the BKT ….. yummy !
terence
(June 1, 2007 - 10:47 pm)Eh, what kinda of rice is that ar?
lilian
(June 1, 2007 - 11:27 pm)terence – Here the bak kut teh has two types of rice – yam rice and white rice
timothy – Air Itam has lots of good foods but no parking.
coketai – Check my other food blog, I posted about Terubong seafood. You can use the search box if you like.
joshua – Ok, will try to locate that next time. Tks!
spunky – Now Macro changed to Tesco. Will open my eyes wide to check the next time I am there.
Fieda Willumw
(June 2, 2007 - 3:07 am)Hello Lilian
I’m from Kg. Melayu, Penang and now living in Norway. You really make me missed our Malaysia food. I feel like going back now to eat all those food and kuih.
Samm
(June 2, 2007 - 11:19 pm)Gee… i’ve nearly forgotten how bak kut teh tastes like until i read this. Must make it a point to go have some one of these days 🙂
big boys oven
(June 3, 2007 - 12:13 pm)Lovely penang food. As for mee suah, at One Utama there is a small shop seeling good mee suah with oyster.
PlatinumGirl
(June 4, 2007 - 12:25 am)Wahh Lilian,
That Mee Sua Kor looks delicious ar. If can i wanna try during my visit to Penang soon. Haiya, i still donno where to stay? Dont want so far cos got baby. Also want cheap. You know Mingood Hotel. Is it far? Thanks
durianberry
(June 6, 2007 - 12:58 pm)Mee suah koh in PG! I dunno where to find that dish in PG, thought already pupus 🙂 I always rely on my grandmother to cook. Unfortunately, she’s only interested to cook it during Chinese New Year
jlshyang
(June 8, 2007 - 6:58 pm)For mee suah kor/mee suah tau lovers, you can also find them at CRC cafe and Senior Citizen’s Club.
Fairy-elf
(June 9, 2007 - 4:32 am)I know exactly what you mean, Fieda Willumw from Noway. I just got back to Stuttgart/Germany (home for 27 yrs) after spending 5 wks in Sarawak. Am already missing all our delicious food and kuihs. I love BakKutTeh and Kolok Mee. Lilian, what is yam rice? Is it simply rice cooked with yam? To what ratio? Please let me know.
Lit
(March 21, 2009 - 1:38 am)Hmmmm it does looks & sound good… but what is the business hour ?
Ira
(January 10, 2010 - 3:28 am)Lilian,
when i open ur blog….my god…my mouth is watering.Actually im looking for Crab with Salted Egg Yolk recipe and Bittergourd cook with salted egg yolk as well (crazy for salted eggs)and found urs….I miss so muchs our malaysian food and im in Spain(Oviedo)…wat can i say…spanish people is keen so muchs of our foods. Only curry..curry..fried bihun and i couldn’t find all the ingredients….
BTW…love ur blog and keep on doing its….