When we arrived at Penang it was almost noon and we were hungry after hours of travelling. After we alighted from our car, we immediately started our food hunt. We parked our car directly opposite a coffee shop called Kedai Kopi Ho Ping (和平茶餐室) but that was not here we wanted to have our first meal in Penang. Prior to this vacation of ours, we had already searched for the possible spots to begin our gastronomical journey in George Town. However on that day, the restaurants that we wanted to visit were all closed.

In the end this was where we ended up having our lunch. It looked kinda old right?

We walked for around 20 minutes and headed to our next destinations based on our list. One after another, the restaurants that we intended to have our lunch were not open for business. In the end, we returned to Kedai Kopi Ho Ping which we were reluctant to be. Still, our growling stomachs said otherwise and we dragged our tired feet into the old, dilapidated coffee shop. 

We ordered Wan Tan Mee,  Fried Kueh Teow, Curry Noodles and Roast Pork Rice. Honestly I was not expecting anything at all as these are the usual food that we would have in hawker center right? Then the moment we had our first bite, we knew the food was going to be amazing. The Wan Tan Mee that Jordan boy had was springy and the fried wan tan was crispy ad meaty. My wife ordered the fried Kueh Teow which was equally good as it had that good old "Wok Hei" fragrance to it. The prawns were huge and succulent, making the whole plate a delightful treat against our hunger pangs.

Jordan boy and his Wan Tan Mee

Wifey with her Char Kue Teow

The roast pork and char siew rice belonged to me. The roast pork was tender and crispy while the char siew which was sweetened with honey was really toothsome. Together with the flavourful gravy, everything went really well with every grain of the fluffy rice. As for my daughter, she ordered a bowl of curry noodles for herself. When it landed on our table, I was surprised as it was white curry instead of the usual orange red version. The thick and creamy curry really dovetailed well with the sambal and tofu puff. The unmistakable aroma of curry noodles really whet our appetite. Let;s dig in!

Jasmine girl with her white curry for lunch

It's time to dig in!

We had a pleasant lunch at Kedai Kopi Ho Ping for sure. Though at first we were not interested to have our meal there, it was definitely a good "plot twist" for us. As the saying goes, never judge a book by its cover and Kedai Kopi Ho Ping certainly lives up to this adage. If you are in Penang and want to try something local and familiar, do head over to enjoy your meals here. It is highly recommended and is definitely one of the best places in Penang to have your breakfast or brunch.

211, Jln Penang, George Town, 10000 George Town, Pulau Pinang

Website: www.facebook.com/Hopingcafe

Phone: 012-3328219