Lorong Selamat: Chasing Flavours at Goggle Man Char Koay Teow

 Penang -  A visit to Penang is never complete without a proper char koay teow hunt, and this time, our journey led us to Lorong Selamat, home of the legendary Goggle Man Char Koay Teow. Officially located at 98 Lorong Selamat, George Town, within or near Low Eng Hoo Café (also known as KTG Café), this stall is instantly recognisable — not by flashy signage, and cooking behind roaring flames, famously wearing his protective goggles.

The reputation here is built on tradition. The noodles are fried over gas, unlike more famous charcoal fried. When our plate arrived, it was unmistakably aromatic. The koay teow was glossy with wok hei, studded with cockles, egg, and most notably, two large prawns that immediately caught the eye.

However, honesty matters in food writing. At RM13, the plate was very small, especially by local standards. While the prawns were fresh and meaty, the portion left us wishing for more. It’s one of those Penang experiences where you pay for legacy, technique, and fire — not quantity. Delicious, yes, but undeniably expensive for what arrives on the plate.

To balance the richness of the noodles, we also ordered Sotong Kangkung, known in Penang as Jiu Hu Eng Chai. This dish offered a refreshing contrast: blanched kangkung paired with pre-soaked cuttlefish, tossed in a sweet, tangy, savoury peanut-based sauce enriched with prawn paste (hae ko). Garnished with crushed peanuts and sesame seeds, it delivered a satisfying mix of crunch, chew, and bold flavour.

One interesting difference stood out when comparing Penang’s version to Singapore’s. Both Penang and Singapore version often uses rehydrated dried cuttlefish, giving the dish a firmer, chewier texture. The sauce in Penang is generally lighter and less sweet, allowing the freshness of the vegetables to shine, whereas Singapore’s can be bolder, thicker, and more aggressively sweet with prawn paste.

We also couldn’t resist an oyster egg omelette, another hawker classic. Here again, Penang shows restraint. The omelette was soft at the edges and inside, offering balance rather than extreme crunch. In Singapore, diners often chase heavily charred, ultra-crispy versions.  The oysters were so small as you can see from the pictures.