PETALING JAYA, July 1 — It's been musical chairs season in PJ Old Town. For some beloved eats anyway.
Due to real estate movements and a medical reason, two iconic kuey teow thng stalls have shifted. Within five minutes' walk from each other.
Devoted fans who appreciate this simple bowl of comforting meat broth peppered with chicken, pork and fish balls, will now be doubly spoiled for choice.
You may not know this but Shoon Lee Kuey Teow Soup and State Kuey Teow Thng are actually linked through family ties.
At first glance, you won't notice as each stall's bowl of kuey teow thng is not a carbon copy of the other. Instead, they each offer their unique spin on this Penang classic.
That's how they have won their own customer base who loyally follow them everywhere they go.
Shoon Lee Kuey Teow Soup
Started by 83-year old Gooi Sia Kim, this stall traces its start back to 1972.
The affable Penangite swapped his business of supplying rice noodles to selling bowls of kuey teow thng instead.
It became a lifelong career that now sees his son helping out at the stall. You can still catch the sprightly Gooi chopping up chicken, keeping himself busy.
The iconic stall started next to the iconic Majestic cinema, which drew many to PJ Old Town.
In 1992, he moved to Restoran Shoon Lee located at Jalan 1/19. It's right next to Heng Kee Bak Kut Teh which also has a long history in PJ Old Town, having started back in 1973.
That association of the two places is the landmark everyone quotes whenever they ask for directions to this stall.
Customers were shocked when they moved to No. 64, Jalan 1/12, in April 2021. But on June 9, they went back to the original location with the renewal of a new lease.
Diners are slowly finding their way here.
A bowl of kuey teow thng may look like a plain Jane but i's just a clever disguise. Sip on the clear broth and you know why Penangites are crazy about this noodle dish that doles out comforting vibes that warm your stomach. This version has a sweet taste, as Gooi uses chicken carcass and pork bones.
The kuey teow is silky smooth, making it a perfect companion for that comforting broth.
It's garnished with shredded boiled chicken, thin slices of pork meat and bouncy fish balls. You can also add sliced chicken livers and hearts too, if that's available.
Crowning the bowl is a spoonful of lard crisps and oil. This adds a flavour dimension to the bowl, pushing up the levels of deliciousness.
A small bowl is priced at RM8, while a big bowl is RM9. An add-on of chicken liver is 50 sen.
If you're feeling nostalgic for Penang, order a plate of lorbak too. All the fried goodies are laid out for you to select.
There's three different types of lorbak: pork, chicken and fish. Stick to the pork version with a mild taste of five spice powder. There's also ultra crunchy prawn fritters with a hint of the tiny crustaceans, century eggs, beancurd, fuchuk and more.
While the brown lor dip could be a little more starchy with a stronger taste of cinnamon, it's still a decent rendition with chilli sauce.
Restoran Shoon Lee PJ, No. 38, Jalan 1/19, PJ Old Town, Open: 6am to 3pm. Closed alternate Tuesdays (Next day off is July 9).
State Kuey Teow Thng
This stall takes its name from its original premises, PJ New Town or its better-known moniker "PJ State".
Kong Kou Choi and his wife Tan Siew Choo run this stall with wide smiles, winning many fans.
Throughout their 40-plus years doing this, they have moved around PJ several times once they left PJ State; Sunway Mentari, Taman SEA and Rock Garden Seafood in PJ Old Town.
Their last location was Restoran Hong Kee in Section 2, PJ Old Town.
Kong, who recently had an eye operation, took a sabbatical for three months to recover. As another vendor wanted to do business in that location, he kindly gave up his stall which led him to move to this new place.
When Restoran Hoong Jun, which was located next to Menara Mutiara Majestic, had to move as their premises were sold, he joined them as they took up No. 64, Jalan 1/12 once it was vacated by Restoran Shoon Lee.
Started about two weeks ago, you can now get your bowl of kuey teow thng here, just a few doors away from Shoon Lee Kuey Teow Soup.
Kong explained that through his wife's side of the family, they are related to Gooi.
The broth here is a little different though. There's a variation of ratios for the chicken and pork bones used. Here it's more chicken forward, with a larger ratio of chicken bones used.
Even their garnishes are not the same. There's chicken, pork meat, fish ball, fish cake and fuchok. If you love offal, you can ask for chicken liver, gizzard and coagulated blood cubes.
Here, they use a spoonful of fried garlic to add umami to the whole bowl.
Another difference is this stall offers poached chicken and blanched bean sprouts, bulking up your meal here.
Kong uses "tai shan kiok" free range chicken from Bukit Mertajam that is silky smooth and incredibly satisfying. He adds a dollop of fried garlic for added flavour.
A small bowl of kuey teow thng is RM9, while a large portion is RM10.
Large groups can order a whole poached chicken for RM60. There's also a half chicken portion for RM32, or a quarter portion for RM17.
Also at the coffee shop, what's popular is Meena Indian Food. Many flock here to choose from the various curries to eat with a plate of rice. There's also wantan mee, pork noodles, bitter gourd noodles and more from the other stall.
Restoran Hoong Jun, No. 64, Jalan 1/12, PJ Old Town, Open: 7am to 2pm. At this moment, their day off is not fixed. Tel:017-3963210
* This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.
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