Five kinds of curry with hot rice for breakfast? You must be kidding right? I mean how can your stomach be awake early enough to digest it? How can you function for the rest of the day with so much carbs? Who wakes up in the morning with curry on their minds? Well Penangites do and when the nasi kandar is this good, you will find yourself in the haphazard queue, rubbing sleep from your eyes and fighting for a plate of curry and rice.
Nasi kandar has this reputation of being a stewpot of leftover curries and scraps from previous meals whereby some believe the older the curry, the tastier it becomes! Of course this also raises hygiene issues and the mother of tummy upsets! In all honesty, nasi kandar is not my favourite dish. I remembered a particular ugly incident whereby a contaminated cockle left me with a severe allergic reaction, antibiotic jab and constant bowel action. Needless to say, nasi kandar is not my must-haves… until recently.
I remembered passing by this unassuming coffee shop during the late evening when someone pointed out that the best nasi kandar in town was here. I remembered looking quite cynical as the premises was deserted with nary a soul in sight. So one day, I decided to drop by at 11am only to see the helpers scrubbing the pots clean. “Finished???” I asked with disbelief. “Yes, come earlier tomorrow!” was his cheerful reply.
So arrived I did at 9am the next day and the shop was packed with people. Mind you, the thought of curry rice for breakfast didn’t exactly sound very appealing. If the number of patrons reminded me of swarming bees, the nasi kandar stall was definitely the honeypot. Other stalls in that shop were pretty much run-of-the-mill, but this nasi kandar was buzzing! I must say it was a little chaotic as customers were trying their best to get to the head of the pack to grab the owner’s attention for the best morsels. Here’s how it works - queue up, swat off any potential queue jumpers, point out the stuff you want as the owner piles it onto your rice with the curry, finally pay up and adjourn to any vacant table (be prepared to share tables). Everything works like clockwork here. I managed to get the beef rendang, catfish cutlet, kacang and bendi.
"Woah, love at first bite!"
Still skeptical, I took a tentative mouthful... Woah, love at first bite! The burst of spices and flavours blew me away. Before I knew it, I polished off half the plate of rice in one go. I took a breather yet I yearned for more. Another blink and the whole plate was gone. The beef and bendi were tender, the catfish was succulent and the curry was truly addictive. Perfect blend of spices, taste and consistency! If a nasi kandar could garner a Michelin star, this stall would be it. Looking at the crowd, I can understand the daily stampede that this shop faces every day. After that meal, I washed it all down with a nice cuppa Teh-O. Breakfast of champions? YOU BET!
Word has it that Lim Guan Eng is a big fan and comes for his breakfast dose in suit and all. How’s that for the big gun’s seal of approval? The kopi-o here is also quite well known and done the old school way – thick and black. It’s real popular with the elders who continue to hang around the shop while being oblivious to the nasi kandar mêlée behind them.
I’m an overnight convert. Even now, I’m still craving for a taste of that fish curry gravy on rice. Mmmm… And yes, my stomach was fine after such a fiery breakfast. Methinks it’s because the food turnover is so fast that what you get on your plate is really fresh from the pot. No scraps or leftovers here! Nasi kandar breakfast anyone?
More Photos To Drool On
Okay, not the most civilised of places but the curry is sooo good
Jon : I agree dude. Was at Masjid Kapitan Keling. There was a long queue at 11pm.
by AdlyFebruary 16, 2009 5:15AM
Whoaaah! Been to Penang many times and I have a friend there who used to take us for supper (we usualy arrived at midnight leaving KL after work on Fridays) at a stall beside the Chowrasta Market for the most simple but tastiest nasi kandar I have eaten. Sadly the stall has now been taken over by an Indonesian bakso stall. Penangites seem to be able to eat nasi kandar 24 a day and queues are common at some stalls late into the night. I prefer it at lunch time as it is too heavy for breakfast or dinner. But I do miss that stall at Chowrasta.
by JonFebruary 15, 2009 8:33AM
But oh.. such a sweet and tasty curried poison! Dieters should stay away.
by AdlyFebruary 14, 2009 11:29AM
one man's food is another man's poison!
by keetabrennanFebruary 12, 2009 7:38AM
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Foodster's Verdict
Nasi Kandar Breakfast
Taste
Address:
Stall in Kedai Makanan Toon Leong, junction of Jln Transfer and Jln Argyll, Penang Tel:
Open:
7.00-10.30am
Pros:
If you only can eat one meal a day, why not make it a breakfast-lunch-dinner combo here?
Cons:
Not for sleepy heads. Come after 10.30 and there's nothing left
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Jon : I agree dude. Was at Masjid Kapitan Keling. There was a long queue at 11pm.
by Adly February 16, 2009 5:15AM
Whoaaah! Been to Penang many times and I have a friend there who used to take us for supper (we usualy arrived at midnight leaving KL after work on Fridays) at a stall beside the Chowrasta Market for the most simple but tastiest nasi kandar I have eaten. Sadly the stall has now been taken over by an Indonesian bakso stall. Penangites seem to be able to eat nasi kandar 24 a day and queues are common at some stalls late into the night. I prefer it at lunch time as it is too heavy for breakfast or dinner. But I do miss that stall at Chowrasta.
by Jon February 15, 2009 8:33AM
But oh.. such a sweet and tasty curried poison! Dieters should stay away.
by Adly February 14, 2009 11:29AM
one man's food is another man's poison!
by keetabrennan February 12, 2009 7:38AM
You must be logged in to post comments