Kimberly Duck Kway Chap

LEBUH KIMBERLY STREET KWAY CHAP
BY
LO SIN YEE
 
Kway Chap is an acquired taste. Not everyone can accept a bowl of murky broth with suspicious-looking offal. The one on Lebuh Kimberly Street, Penang, however, has attracted foodies from all over the world. The more you eat it, the more addictive it becomes. I first tasted it in 2010 and was surprised by its incredible flavours.
For six years, due to the tightness of my budget, I seldom made it as far as Penang. One night, however, while browsing through YouTube, I stumbled upon a video of Kimberly Street Kway Chap. Mark Weins, the commentator (who is also a renowned food critic), sang the noodles’ praises. The sight of him slurping the noodles stirred up my hunger.
Driven by a strong craving, I flew from Miri to Kuala Lumpur and took a transit flight to Penang, which is a food heaven. After checking into my hotel, I headed to the famed stall at Lebuh Kimberly Street, and found it to have graduated to the place of middle shop in a row of six.
The old wooden stall was still standing proudly at its original spot, maintaining its status as an epicentre where all the cooking was done, a stark contrast to the new shop that functioned as a dining area for customers. 
 
There was a long queue at the stall, but it flowed quickly. The display of assorted meats, including pig heads, pig offal and coagulated duck blood cubes, making my stomach churn with hunger. I ordered the ‘Jia Liao’ version, which was the one with a bigger portion, costing a mere RM10.00. The ordinary portion would have cost RM8.00.
I was glad that the stall operator and his family still maintained their generosity with toppings, which seemed like a miniature hill atop the square rice noodles. Taking a sip of the broth, I could detect the same hint of cinnamon and star anise that had swept me off my feet six years ago, a very old-school flavour, which can be described as ‘lao-weidao’ or ‘old taste’ in Chinese. The ground chilies, with tiny bits of lime rind, were equally memorable, adding a delightful piquant and citrusy flavour to the noodles. The duck meat was smoky and tender, well-infused with herbs and soy sauce. The coagulated blood melted right in my mouth. Equally worthy of mention, the generously sprinkled garlic crisps added more subtleties to the noodles.
The offal, well-cleaned and without any odour, felt slightly rubbery, providing a good bite. The slivers of pig ears, with soft edible cartilages, were crisp and gelatinous. The hard-boiled egg, golden-brown from long stewing, was eye-catching amidst the toppings. My favourite, the rice noodles, which had improved so much in texture over the past six years, were incredibly smooth and springy, not easily turning mushy in the hot, rich broth. They elevated the dish to a whole new level.
 
Despite having eaten a few local cakes earlier on, I was still able to finish my bowl of Kway Chap. The paying of homage was finally complete, and I contentedly licked the broth’s sticky residue from the corners of my mouth.
Thank you, Lebuh Kimberly Kway Chap, for the wonderful experience.

Comments

suituapui said…
Oh? You were in Penang? Have not been for years. In fact, I've not been anywhere - old folks at home not doing all that well so gotta be around all the time, can't travel. Can't do pretty much else, in fact, other than sticking to my filial duties, my daily routine.
June 22, 2017 at 2:46 PM
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