Despite being a majority Hokkien state, authentic and delicious Hokkien dishes restaurant have dwindled in number in Penang. Recently, we were glad to bump into a kopitiam along Jalan Sungai Pinang that houses a stall offering authentic and delicious Hokkien dishes - Quan Zhou Cafe & Restaurant 泉洲小厨. It appears to be a popular choice for neighbourhood community to grab their breakfast and lunch here. Several prominent Hokkien dishes here included Oyster Noodle, Oyster or Prawn Omelette, Pork's Trotters, Thick Soup (肉羹) and etc in affordable price tags.
One of the item that we enjoyed here is Kiam Bak （香酥咸肉 / RM 12 for 2 pax ). It has a slight crisp texture and a tad briny taste that made this simple dish a good pairing for any noodles or rice. If you prefer a less meaty taste, dip those kiam bak into the spicy and sour sauce provided. The meat has a relatively big portion of fatty meat though.
Another notable dish is Thick Soup (肉羹/RM 11 per pax). Although the soup portion we ordered was meant for 1 portion, there was a generous quantity of pork cutlets within the soup (easily 10 pieces or more). Personally, we felt the pork cutlets were well executed as the starch coating was just right on the mark to achieve a balance. On top of that, the soup has a hint of sweet taste with a pleasant peppery flavour which made it enjoyable.
Taukua with Spring Onions 豆干炒青蒜 (RM 9) is another simple yet enjoyable dish here. The taukua was fluffy and soft, then some small prawns were introduced to the taukua to give an overall nice aroma. Well, there are still many other dishes such as curry fish fillets, yam ducks and etc offered at Quan Zhou Cafe & Restaurant 泉洲小厨 should you prefer a heavier lunch.
We also took this opportunity to sample their Oyster Noodle (RM 7.50 / 1 pax) and was delighted to see the generous quantity of oysters served along the noodles. Apart from that, the noodles were cooked to the right texture too - not too soft nor too hard, and the starcy gravy also contributed a pleasant sweet taste and not over gooey. Add some chili paste to the noodle to give it an elevation in terms of taste. Personally, RM 7.50 is a great value for this dish.
Another noodle we had was Sweet and Sour Fish Fillet Soup (RM 14.50). The sourish taste was most prominent on the first few sips but gradually toned down as we accustomed to it. Overall, the soup taste was refreshing, and best to have it during a chill rainy day.
Overall, Quan Zhou Cafe & Restaurant 泉洲小厨 is a place that has went under the radar and worth visiting. The by-gone taste of Hokkien dishes in Penang is something worth preserving and appreciated, especially by the younger generation of today.
Quan Zhou Cafe & Restaurant 泉洲小厨
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