I have only recently had the chance to try out the Sister’s Char Koay Teow at Macalister road. I have always heard of the Sister’s Char Koay Teow, from friends and to guide books, but could never find the stall. I have thought the Lorong Selamat Char Koay Teow to be the Sisters Char Koay Teow. I was wrong. Many of my friends also made the same mistake, and none of the people I knew really knows where this famed Sisters Char Koay Teow is. Everyone knows that it is somewhere in Macalister road, but none know exactly where on Macalister. Finally, with the help of “Famous Street Food of Penang” book (recently launched at Upper Penang Road), I manage to locate the Sisters Char Koay Teow shop. They are situated at the beginning (or end) of Macalister road, in the Lam Heng Coffee shop. According to the book, the Sisters have been serving Char Koay Teow for half a century now. Imagine that, 50 years, could you be in the same profession for that long? The sisters did and are now 68 & 71 years old.

We were there on a Sunday noon, and the place was busy. Not exactly packed, there were still some empty seats, but everyone is waiting for the Char Koay Teow. When ordered, the sister said (in hokkien) “It will be long, are you willing to wait?”, I quickly said yes, and made it to the nearest empty table. She will do a bulk fry, and then customize at one end of the wok based on customer demand, like less chilli, or no prawns, or more chilli, etc.. 20-30 minutes later, our two plates arrived. I was surprise to see crab meat sprinkle all over and a nice big prawn sitting on top of the Koay Teow. These were the only visual plus points. I was a little turn off by the styroform plates, and the wet look of the Char Koay Teow. I like it dry, just a personal preference.

After all this anticipation, I finally get to taste the famed Sisters Char Koay Teow. We were a little disappointed. It was very salty, and the taste was not consistent through out the plate. It felt like not properly done. It was unfortunate that both or plates were like that. It could be our expectation were too high, or we were just unlucky to get a lemon. I believe that the Char Koay Teow is better than this, and therefore, we are not concluding yet. Anyway, how could 50 years of fame be wrong, rite…