Yup, the news seems to be all over these past few days. The news first came out on Chinese daily, Kwong Wah Yit Poh, a few days ago but has since been picked up by the social media mob and went viral.
77-year-old char koay teow vendor, Tan Chooi Hong, has been feeling under the weather for much of this year. The last time I was at Siam Road two weeks ago, there was a notice at the coffeeshop that he’s off for 10 days. Looked like he never came back.
The older Mr Tan’s 53-year-old son, Tan Kean Huat, would have been the natural successor - but finicky Penangites claimed the younger Tan’s cooking skills were nowhere near his father’s. A few years ago, the Tans did make a concerted effort for Kean Huat to start his own char koay teow stall - at Red Garden foodcourt in the evenings. The older Tan would stand next to his son, instructing his son whilst ensuring quality control. But business was so poor that the stall closed down after some time. The Tans seen here at Siam Road (Kean Huat in blue t-shirt).
Somehow, I feel the younger Tan will make a comeback - try his hand at continuing where his father left off. Penangites just need to be more forgiving this time - everyone has to start somewhere.
I need to go check out another char koay teow stall run by Mr Tan Chooi Hong’s younger brother in Taman Penang Free School foodcourt in Caunter Hall. Some friends said the brother’s char koay teow is different in taste & texture - loved by some, but dissed by others. Individual preferences, I should think.
Turns out, 77-year-old “char koay teow” master Tan Chooi Hong is NOT retiring! Rather, he has found himself a coffeeshop where he can work in comfort, rather than fry at a mobile road-side pushcart which he found to be too hot & uncomfortable. The new spot is next to SO Hotel on Siam Road. His daughter is finalising the arrangements and it’ll be just a while more before he returns to do what he does best.
I got this update today from his younger brother, 72-year-old Tan Chooi Loong, who runs the char koay teow stall at the Taman Free School hawker centre. So, whilst we are waiting for the return of Mr Tan Chooi Hong, we can always go to his brother’s spot for our char koay teow fix.
The younger brother, Tan Chooi Loong’s rendition: mushier, a bit darker from the use of more dark soysauce. The flavours are pronouncedly different from his brother’s.
One can see the distinct differences between the char koay teow by Mr Tan Chooi Hong (of Siam Road) on the left versus the one by his younger brother, Mr Tan Chooi Loong (of Taman Free School foodcourt).
I also found out how the rumour of Mr Tan Chooi Hong’s supposed “retirement” came about - when I visited the old premises, Hock Ban Hin coffeeshop on 110 Siam Road, I discovered that there has been a change in ownership and it’s now called Jin Cafe. When I asked the new owner where Mr Tan was, he simply quipped off-handedly, “Mr Tan has quit - he’s no longer cooking.”
He must have said the same to the Chinese newspaper journalist who then wrote the piece that became viral over the Internet.
The crowds have virtually disappeared from this coffeeshop - see the photo I took of Hock Ban Hin at around 3.15pm when the char koay teow stall was operating (left), compared to its empty tables today (also around 3.15pm when I was there). The new owner who spread the rumour was seen here in yellow polo-shirt with red collar.
Okay, the de facto Champion of Penang Char Koay Teow - Mr Tan Chooi Hong aka Old Man at Siam Road is BACK!!
Only in Malaysia will the return of a street hawker peddling fried noodles make national news!
Anyway, I was at his new premises at 82 Siam Road (his old location was down the street at 110 Siam Road) today. I avoided the crowd by being there at 11.30am, half an hour before his opening time at 12 noon. The crowd started appearing just past noon and the place was packed soon after.
Mr Tan’s char koay teow (RM6.50 per plate) still tasted as good as I remembered: the flat rice noodles properly seared till fragrant, seasoned with Mr Tan’s own secret blend of sauces and condiments, garlic, chili paste, and lots of pork lard. Beansprouts, chives, egg, a few thin slivers of Chinese waxed sausage, some cockles and a couple of fresh de-shelled shrimps were thrown in to complete his famous dish. His version is as traditional as they come.
One concession to “modern technology” - Mr Tan dumped his trusty hand-held traditional bamboo fan, which he’d used for years to fan the flames of his charcoal-fired stove, and replaced it with a small electric fan.
But Mr Tan retained his use of charcoal fire for cooking - finicky Penangites (and Singaporeans) always believed food cooked on charcoal fire possessed a traditional, old-fashioned flavour which cannot be achieved by the use of gas or electric stoves. And Mr Tan still places his stack of charcoal untidily by his feet, so he can feed the stove with fresh pieces of charcoal in-between him frying the noodles.
The place is packed virtually every day when it operates: 12 noon to 7pm Mon-Sat. Closed on Sundays. On really busy days, the wait-time for your plate of noodles can go up to 3 hours!
72-year-old Tan Chooi Loong and his char koay teow - at Taman Free School Food Centre, vs his older brother, 77-year-old Tan Chooi Hong, and his famous Siam Road char koay teow.
Two septuagenarians, one signature dish, two very different renditions.
