888 Hokkien Mee is one of the nighttime Hokkien Mee pit stops most true-blue homesick Penangites get when they arrive at the island.
Aside from Char Koay Teow, this spicy soup bursting with prawn-flavored soup stock makes mouths water.
Homesick for 888 Hokkien Mee
I worked in KL for a year, and that was dreadful enough.
I shudder when I think of folks who live aboard.
How could we hope to survive without our raw Hokkien hawker food?
Penangites miss their street food whenever they are abroad.
Even going on vacation, I get homesick and miss local Penang food.
What I do is this.
Don’t laugh.
Seriously.
It’s a Penang thing. I will have my Hokkien Mee just before my departure and then the first thing when I land.
Ask your Penang Hokkien friends.
It’s almost cultural.
It’s crazy.
When the craving kicks in, it’s tough. Pungent, smelly prawn heads boiled for soup stock?
You’ve got to be joking.
Nope, I could wax lyrical about this.
Savor the taste of Penang! Enjoy a steaming bowl of Penang 888 Hokkien Mee, rich in flavor and aroma.
888 Hokkien Mee
The pure shrimpy stock is a signature scent that sets prawn lovers drooling.
I would rate it A+, as it’s at the top of every food hunter’s list.
The soup’s color turns a stunning orangey-red prawn consomme;
It’s full-bodied, spicy, piping hot, and wins hands down with its intense aroma and repertoire garnish of prawns, a boiled egg, and pork slices.
Blanched yellow noodles and rice vermicelli never tasted so good in the soup made sweet with a crab thrown in the pot and pork ribs.
Top that with crunchy water spinach, crisp bean sprouts, and extra ingredients like
- crackling roast pork
- tender spare ribs
- boiled pigskin
- stewed chicken feet.
You’ll get an idea of what a Hokkien haven is.
Stir in a spoonful of chili paste to heighten the taste of the piping hot soup.
Topped with fragrant fried shallots, it packs a distinctive punch that transforms a first-timer into a loyal customer.
Top of food hunting list to Penang is Prawn Mee, a soupy noodle dish known as Hokkien Mee.
Rated A++, this pure shrimpy stock is a signature scent that sets prawn lovers drooling.
Delicious, spicy, stunning color, piping hot, this orangey-red Asian prawn consomme is very much sought after by outstation visitors.
It wins hands down with its intense aroma and repertoire garnish of prawns.
Complete with crunchy water spinach and crisp bean sprouts.
They heighten the taste of the piping hot soup.
A spoonful of chili paste, topped with fragrant fried shallots, packs a delicious punch that converts a first-timer to a follower.
For many Penangites returning home, Hokkien Mee is THE hawker dish they make a beeline for their supper! It’s okay, and it’s a list item that should not be missed.
A man expertly chops Sio Bak or Roast Pork, the ultimate ingredient complementing 888 Hokkien Mee.
888 Hokkien Mee Penang is an Everyday Anytime Meal.
Penang’s favorite street food restaurant for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and supper, which draws the crowds at night, is 888 Hokkien Mee Penang at Presgrave Street.
We were at Hin Bus Depot, checking out the exhibits and chilling at the Traven with our cold brew.
It was that blue hour at dusk. We all had separate dinners to attend.
Then one smart Fish said, “We’re just a hop and a skip away from 3rd Road (Sar Tiao Lor) Lebuh Presgrave 888 Hokkien Mee Penang.”
We look at each other.
“We only need 30 minutes for a quick fix!”
We did the next hilarious thing: We all called, texted, and postponed our dinners with others.
Triple delight! Three bowls of savory 888 Hokkien Mee served on a tray, ready to satisfy any craving.
She was parked awkwardly. We stood in the queue. Ordered. Self-serve. Ate with gusto.
And was out in 30 minutes.
“Best quickie I had in a long time,” someone remarked.
Need I say more?
Presgrave Street at night transforms into a foodie heaven with its bustling array of hawker stalls.
A woman skillfully manages a lor bak stall, serving up delectable fried side dishes.
Add galore with braised pig’s intestines, spare ribs, boiled pig skin, roast pork, and fish ball.
Look out for the tender pork knuckle meat!
The standard bowl is RM4.50 David’s big bowl (at the top) with extra crispy roast pork costs RM7.50
Penang Hokkien Mee Recipe – You can make it at home
The most important base is the soup stock.
Hokkien Mee Soup Stock
10 dried chilies, soaked
10 shallots, skinned peeled
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2-3 Tbsp cooking oil
500g prawn shells and heads
20g rock sugar
3 liters water
1 whole chicken, cut into pieces
Salt to taste
The next is making the Chili Paste.
Chili Paste
15 dried chilies, soaked to soften
5 fresh red chilies
5 shallots, peeled/skinned
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
Getting the noodles
Noodles
800g yellow mee noodles (mee), blanched
200g bee hoon dried rice vermicelli, scalded
300g water convolvulus, scalded
150g bean sprouts, scaled
The garnishings are equally important.
Toppings
500g prawns, deveined, cooked, and shelled
4 eggs, hard-boiled, shelled and quartered
1 fish cake, sliced
100g fried shallot crisps
How to Prepare the Hokkien Mee Stock
- In a wok, fry prawn shells and heads in hot oil till aromatic.
- Dish out and liquidize in a blender.
- In a stockpot, bring water and liquidized prawn shells and heads to boiling. Cover and simmer this stock for at least half an hour for full flavor.
- Strain this stock into a clean stockpot. Roughly chop the dried chilies, shallots, and garlic and blend them into a paste.
- Heat oil in a wok to stir the spice paste until fragrant. Add chicken, chili paste, and rock sugar to the stock and bring to a boil.
- Simmer over low heat for at least 15 minutes.
- Remove from heat.
- Cut chicken meat into slices to add to the topping.
To prepare the chili paste.
- Cut up the chilies and shallots roughly and blend to a fine paste.
- Heat oil and fry the ground chili paste ingredients over low heat until fragrant—season to taste with salt and sugar.
- Set aside.
How To serve Hokkien Mee
- Place a portion of noodles, rice vermicelli, water convolvulus, and bean sprouts in a bowl.
- Ladle hot stock over.
- Top with chicken, prawns, eggs, and fish cake slices, and sprinkle with shallot crisps.
- Serve while hot with the chili paste.
(8 servings)
Note: You may like to add anchovies (Ikan Bilis) and dried shrimp (hare bee) for added flavor.
888 Hokkien Mee
RM 1–20 Hawker stall
Address: 67-A, Lebuh Presgrave, 10300 George Town, Pulau Pinang
RM 1–20 Hawker stall
Address: 67-A, Lebuh Presgrave, 10300 George Town, Pulau Pinang
Business Hours:
Sunday to Wed 3–9:30 pm
Thursday Closed
Google: https://g.co/kgs/Xqsw8jS
If you fancy something more Atas, check out Gen 根 Modern Contemporary Restaurant across the street.
For the best eating trip in George Town, we recommend these hotels near the morning market, cafes, Chinese, Malay, and Mamak restaurants, and the supper places in Penang.
The Wembley – A St Giles Hotel, Penang
Cititel Express Penang
Sunway Hotel Georgetown Penang
MICHELIN Selected Distinction
Noteworthy Update 6 April 2024
It’s worth mentioning that the eatery has recently been recognized in the esteemed The MICHELIN Guide Kuala Lumpur & Penang 2024!
For over thirty years, 888 Hokkien Mee Penang has been serving authentic Hokkien-style noodles in prawn soup, which is appreciated for its rich red color and delightful umami flavor.
Those looking to add variety to their meal can explore options like braised pork ribs or roasted pork, which the guide notably recommends.
Blog Disclosure: This is a NOT sponsored blog post. All opinions are mine. The writer and friends paid for their meal.
888 Hokkien Mee MICHELIN Guide’s Point Of View
