Preface
Somewhere hidden inside an unassuming supermarket is a food court packed with various delicious Asian foods. Best of all, it’s affordable. However, when I ask other people if they’ve tried it, even other foodies, the majority of them have never heard of it. So, I wanted to start my Jusgo Supermarket food court series, where I visit every single food vendor and rate them. FYI, if you want to go straight to the food court, go through their “Tokyo Kuma” entrance.
Malaysian Food
I’m always on the hunt for good Malay food. My mother is from Malaysia, so it’s a cuisine I grew up with, but for some reason, restaurants in Georgia tend to struggle with it. It is highly underrated due to a lack of popularity, but it is a flavor bomb from some of the world’s best cuisine. Malaysian food is a culinary fusion of mostly Malay, Chinese, and Indian. If you’ve never had it, you can anticipate the savoriness and umami from the Chinese, and the powerful, aromatic spices from India. It is one of my favorites for a reason.
Welcome to Penang
“Penang Hill”
Photo by Fidelia Zheng on Unsplash
Walking up to this humble booth, you may not even know what it is upon first glance. It has the sign “Zhang’s BBQ Chicken,” but when I talked with the owner, it is actually an old sign from the previous owner. Below it, you may see a brown fabric covering one of the window openings with “Welcome to Penang,” which is their true sign. Do not be fooled by their appearance; they serve a variety of dishes, from Chinese to even Thai, but Malaysian is apparently their specialty… and it’s good.
I chose the “Penang Curry Mee,” which is a coconut curry soup served with both thick egg noodles and thin rice noodles, AKA vermicelli. You have the choice of chicken, shrimp, or both, and of course, I got both. Duh. I chose this dish because it is closely related to one of my favorite dishes in the world—Curry Laksa. Some use both names interchangeably, but there are small differences. Curry laksa is a thicker and more potent version with more of an association with Kuala Lumpur, while curry mee is a lighter base with origins from Penang (fitting).
Food Review
When the soup hit my table, it was steaming. Great sign. The broth is good; it has its distinct coconut milk taste with balancing hits of acidity. The fresh egg noodles are amazing, they’re nice and soft but still have bite to them. While the thin rice noodles add more substance, I definitely prefer the egg noodles over them. The shrimp was perfectly cooked, but the chicken was a little plain for my preference. It was boneless chicken, but I think you can get a bone-in chicken, but you have to ask for it. It’ll probably taste better. Overall, the broth was nice and homey, but could be a little stronger for my taste.
I’ll admit, I’ve had this dish here a few other times. Sometimes the broth is spot on, but sometimes, it leans a bit salty. So, be aware of that. The owner was kind and saw me filming, so she gave me some fried dough. It was helpful to soak up some of the soup. If you’ve got a larger appetite and need more substance, that could be a good route to go. I don’t think I’ve ever fully finished my meal there, though. So, it is not a necessity.
If you’re wondering, yes, it tastes even better the next day. It makes it closer to how I want it, a bit stronger.
What I think will draw in a lot of people is that it is quite affordable. The meals are not small, and we ordered three entrees for a total of $39… and took some home. If you’re on a budget but still want to treat yourself and try something different, this is a great option. As well as other vendors in this food court.
If there’s a must-try dish you’ve had here, let me know, and I’ll happily come back.
Rating and Conclusion
Taste: 3.5
Value: 5
Memorability: 3
Total: 3.8
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