A Nice Place to Be

Sunday in Penang, and we're out the door at first light. An old market on Carnavon Street - and, most alluringly, the non-permanent stalls that line the lane just outside its main entrance -  beckons, but the murky clouds overhead aren't cooperating. Moments after we arrive - plop! plop! plop! Big, fat drops that portend a long, soaking shower. And, as usual, we're umbrella-less.

Luckily, Georgetown's streets hold no shortage of spots to ride out a storm. We look right: one coffee shop on the corner, another halfway down the block. And then left: two coffeeshops within a stone's throw of each other. I like the look of the big bamboo steamers flying out of the kitchen at Aik Hoe (just across the street from Lucy Perm Parlour); Dave admires the shop's chairs, well-worn backs embossed with the restaurant's name in Chinese characters.

Envisioning a breakfast of assam laksa and naively hopeful that the rain slicking the pavement just beyond our front-of-the-shop table will let up, we limit ourselves to cups of thick kopi. Then the steamer trays, holding all manner of dim sum delights, start making their rounds. We shake our heads once, twice ... and then surrender at the third pass.

We're suckers for dim sum - especially dim sum served this way, the old-fashioned way: from carts rolled or trays carried table to table. The glorious bounty of these steamer trays delights and confounds; choosing is exquisite torture, albeit one that we willingly invite pass after pass. After one trip around the shop trays return to the kitchen, contents depleted. A good sign.

This isn't delicate, high-end artistry dim sum, but traditional Chinese coffeeshop-style dim sum: inexpensive, hearty, and filling. It's the sort of dim sum served in a place like Aik Hoe, with its ceiling fans up top and tiles under foot, an ancestor shrine in the back, three generations running the floor, and a cast of crusty regulars anchoring the tables. It's not dim sum to dress up for or to be ooohed and aaahhhed over, but dim sum to be eaten in shorts and flip-flops, savored quietly with a pot of tea (or a cup of coffee) and the morning paper, or shared amidst the chatter of friends or family.

This is dim sum to wake up with. Dim sum for a lazy morning.

We settle on rice rolls filled with a gingery mince of fresh fish, and flat, thick-wrappered rice flour dumplings filled with Chinese chives and pork. The dumplings, righteously light on meat and heavy on garlicky greens, promise bad breath for at least the next 4 hours.

Aik Hoe's congee is popular and, once we've seen how it's served - from a tray holding ceramic pots of shredded ginger, fried garlic in oil, chopped scallion greens, and a shaker of ground white pepper, all to add according to preference - there's no question but that we'll place an order.

Thirty minutes pass, then thirty minutes more, and the pile of empty saucers on our table grows. It's approaching mid-morning on our last day in Penang, and we've yet to get our market fix. But for now, as we contemplate a second cup of coffee and keep eyes peeled for the next bamboo tray, Aik Hoe seems like a pretty nice place to be.

Aik Hoe Restaurant, Carnavon Street (first block off Chulia Street), Georgetown, Penang.

Comments

[Lovelymalaysiafood]

Is Carnavon Street the street with many coffin shop? That old area of Penang got a lot of good foods!

[Nate]

This post really brought a smile to my face. The ha cheong fun looks great. Annie and I love chive dumpling! I could really go for some dim sum right now. Too bad it's so far to a Penang kopitiam.

[sugarlaws]

those dumplings look just like the ones i had in china! they were my absolute favorite and i've never found anything like them in chinese food restaurants in the US. is it the rice flour that gives that transparency to the dough? yum.

[Thaigirl]

I just made my own jook yesterday to ward off the Chicago winter. Thanks for the great pictures. Everything looks delicious!

[Angela]

The last photo- the one with the covered bikes, the wet ground, the light and the newspaper wrapped flowers gave me a pang when I saw it,made me "feel" Penang, and brought a tear to my eye. I couldn't help it. Such a beautiful photo. Thank you.

[Robyn]

Thaigirl - haven't heard from you in a while! I agree, jook is wonderful winter comfort food! Khao tom even better - with lots of chilies!

Angela - you're welcome. And thank you!

[Mama BoK]

I love dim sum served this way.. ;)

[Robyn]

LMF - not sure about coffin shops. I was too busy looking at food! But yes, that area has great stuff.

Nate - nothing like old-fashioned dim sum. I'd take this over that served in an upscale restaurant anyday.

sugarlaws - yes, the rice flour lends translucency, and a nice bit of chew (but not gumminess, if the dumpling is good). The taste of these chives makes me think of China, always.

Mama Bok - you and me both!

[Lye Tuck-Po]

Wonderful photography to illustrate your articles. I want to heat up the pot now...

[Robyn]

Tuck-Po - thank you!