This cafe is famous for its Chendol (a sweet shaved iced coconut milk dessert with green stringed jellos). Oh wait! The Chendol is from a make shift cart situated right beside the cafe. Visible coz of its long Q. So who owns the cafe? You’ll...be greeted with green uniformed servers cleaning the tables to usher in patrons the cafe itself. They’ll paddle the Chendol, Penang Laksa (Penang’s very famous street food made of tamarind and prawn paste broth, with thick vermicelli, a combo of sweet, sour n spicy) and Oyster on Fried Eggs.
Order all 3 if its the only pit stop you have in Penang to try its street food. None of the 3 recommended food by the servers made the mark. But of coz, for convenience wise, and if you don’t wish to hunt around for the perfect Chendol, Laksa and Oyster Egg. Edible at most (but I took only 2 mouthful of Laksa, yes its bad... and the broth is cold).
The only saving grace for the 3 stars? This little stall in Joo Hooi Cafe that says Curry Mee. Why didn’t anyone paddle the food of an old aunty? I ordered and was shocked to be greeted by a bowl of thin vermicelli , tofu, squids, meat balls covered in white colored broth. Wait a minute! I thought curry is red-orangy colored?!!! Oh wait... there’s a spoonful of reddish Belacan (spicy prawn chilly like paste)... mix it in and lo and behold... Penang Curry Mee... it has a distinct rustic taste, nothing overwhelming, something you won’t have in Malaysia (except in Johor, which is 900km down south)... and THAT ladies and gentleman is the saving grace for Joo Hooi Cafe.More