Penang Hawker is fantastic and seriously underrated compared to Albee’s Kitchen, two doors down. I have been to Penang Hawker on two occasions now and have been impressed by their service, the efficiency of the delivery of the dishes, and the quality and value of the food.
The dishes are absolutely huge with large plates of noodles and large bowls of soup for $11-14. And they’re not overly greasy which was my main complaint about Albee’s. So far, I’ve tried the following – and will definitely add to and update this list as I return to try more:
- Chicken curry laksa ($11.80) – so yum, with deep deep flavours. I think what I like about this dish is the balance – it’s not too salty, not too curry, not too spicy (though you can always add more sambal to it!). Beneath the surface lies a tonne of noodles – both vermicelli and egg noodles. I really did feel like I was fighting a losing battle as I worked my way through the noodles yet more and more noodles slowly emerged from the soup! There is also a generous serving of chicken and fish cakes pieces. Overall, it is a hearty meal that hits the spot if you are craving laksa in the Campsie area.
- Combination hor fun (stirfried flat rice noodles with seafood, chicken and vegetables in an egg gravy, $11.80) – this dish didn’t look very appetising when it was served as it lacks a bit of colour with a clear gravy and some egg running through it, so it was a really pleasant surprise when I ate my first mouthful. There is a beautiful ‘burnt’ / ‘hot oil’ taste to the noodles from the hot wok, and the gravy is the right level of saltiness without tasting too eggy. Apart from the generous amount of chicken, seafood and vegetables, there is also an occasional piece of fried pork lard which adds a nice crunch and grease.
- Hokkien char mee (Hokkien noodles in a dark soy sauce with chicken, prawn and vegetables $11.80) – this is a saucy saucy dish with again, tonnes of noodles and a good amount of protein and vegetables. The dark soy sauce is beautifully sweet and salty. It’s not a dish for those of you who don’t enjoy slightly soggy/saucy noodles – to me, the beauty of the dish is the way the sauce envelopes everything else.
Details: Penang Hawker, 275 Beamish St, Campsie NSW 2194
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