In between Lebuh Carnavan and Lebuh Melayu lies Kedai Kopi Ping Hooi. Here is where you can get a pretty reasonable plate of Char Koay Teow which is tasty with large fresh prawns and not a very long queue. You have a choice of with egg, no egg, chicken egg or duck egg. Always go for the one with duck's egg :-). As a bonus, the aunty is not rude.
She has had her share of fame with the Hong Kong and Taiwan super stars like so many others in Penang.
Ok she is not using charcoal but a gas stove but it is still good.
Just in case you are not local and feel that Ping Hooi coffee shop is rather dirty and you do not like the environment of the sticky, filthy floors, don't worry ... Just walk 10 meters down Lebuh Melayu and you will find another coffee shop selling koay teow thing and koay chap, one of the places that sells the two best things in Penang. Char Koay Teow and Lor Mee and Wan Ton Mee and Loh bak uncles and aunties can send their cuisine to the cleaner kopitiam.
Try the Cham Si Peng no sugar here ... It's beautiful and it is RM 1.60.
The Char Koay Teow sure looks good !
