Hainan Lor Mee Opposite Penang Kuan Yin Teng Temple

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The Hainan Lor Mee near the Kuan Yin Teng Temple is authentic if you plan a solid breakfast of gooey Hainanese noodles.

Since 1957, Hai Beng Coffee Shop has been the iconic pit stop for worshippers at the Taoist temple in Penang.

Locals, worshippers, and visitors slurp down the traditional noodle dishes, Hainan Lor Mee, a carb-laden delicious meal.

The aromatic smell of Hainan Lor Mee draws everyone who visits the Taoist temple in Penang.

Find out why local Penangites love a solid breakfast of gooey Hainan Lor Mee near the Goddess of Mercy Temple (Kuan Yin Teng).

This carb-laden delicious meal is the iconic pit stop for worshippers at the Taoist temple in Penang.

I feel strangely hungrier in the vicinity of the Hai Beng Coffee Shop. Hai Beng Coffee Shop is known locally as Kuan Yin Teng Lor Mee.

The corner coffee shop is beside the 200-year-old Goddess of Mercy Temple at Pitt Street, Penang.

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Hai Beng Coffee Shop started selling the Hainan Lor Mee in 1957.

Penangites love the taste of this “Korcha Bi” Lor Mee.

“Korcha Bi” means the classic taste of food.

This is a cherished institution by the senior Penangites.

Most will pooh-pooh new street food stalls and not even try anything except for the original shop.

The third-generation chefs cook the same authentic Hainanese Lor Mee recipes and serve third-generation customers for some families.

Hainan Lor Mee Opposite Penang Kuan Yin Teng Temple

Hainan Lor Mee Since 1957.

How to Order Hainan Lor Mee like a Boss or Local Penangite?

The locals seem to know the shop owners by name.

You may be perplexed to hear shop owners and customers greet each other as “Boss” in English or even Hokkien or Mandarin.

The ensuing conversation may go something like this.

A customer walks in, and hold-ups two fingers, and says, “Boss, a big one, ah,” which means two big bowls.

The hawker may nod or even reply, “Ok, Boss.”

An endearing Penang trait.

What is Hainan Lor Mee?

Hainan Lor Mee is a Chinese-inspired yellow noodle dish served in a thick starchy gravy, very popular with the Hokkien and Hainanese people in Malaysia and Singapore.

The noodles, Mee, are blanched with hot water to heat it through.

The Gooey Starchy Gravy is the Lor!

The deep, dark, rich, soy-scented thick starchy gravy is not tasty to first-timers.

The thick starch has a slimy texture made with cornstarch, spices, and thin streams of egg whites’ ribbons.

The gravy has a heady, fragrant mix of Penang special five-fragrant spices (no hiang) for flavoring.

The fragrance of fried shallots fills the entire shop of the famous Lor Mee stall. You either love it or hate it!

Hainan Lor Mee has Hokkien Origins

Hainan Lor Mee 卤面 is a popular Malaysian hawker noodle dish with Hokkien origins. It has the smooth consistency of a five-spice-flavored gravy, braised eggs, ngor hiang pork belly, intestines, and pork skin.

Whether it’s spelled “lor” or “loh,” this local Chinese hawker staple refers to the signature dish of thick yellow mee drenched with flavorsome dark gravy.

It is the “Lor” that makes or breaks a Hainan Lor Mee—the gravy’s consistency has to be perfect without being too thick or too watery.

You’ll find a treasure of delicious ingredients inside a bowl – braised Ngor Hiang pork belly, intestines, pork skin, pork lard chips.

Finally, a dash of vinegared minced garlic and chili paste is a must to give the Hainan Lor Mee that extra flavor boost with the distinct savory and sourish oomph!

You will love this dish if you’re a connoisseur of Lor Mee of slurpy, gooey, full soya sauce flavor and Ngor Hiang scented food.

I need to add that the “Lor” is sometimes not enough for the true fan who loves nothing more than drinking the gooey mess.

Yellow Noodles work best for Hainan Lor Mee.

What’s inside a bowl of Hainan Lor Mee?

Some customers prefer rice vermicelli over yellow noodles.
Others may opt for a mix of both.
The ingredients for topping are

braised pork bacon
pork slices
braised ducks’ eggs
pig’s intestines
braised pork skin!

Hainan Lor Mee (RM7)

Each bowl of noodles guarantees the pure satisfaction of eating a high-carb meal.

A mixture of thick yellow noodles and rice noodles, topped with tasty braised pork belly, pork slices, mushrooms, and braised eggs!

The best part of this dish is the generous ladle of thick and well-flavored “Lor” broth poured to the rim for every bowl.

The Vinegared Garlic and Red Chili Paste pack a punch to the Hainan Lor Mee dish.

What is the “Lor” in Hainan Lor Mee?

The best Hainan Lor Mee should have a smooth gravy with the right consistency.

It shouldn’t be too thick – thinning it with water will dilute the flavor. If gravy is too thin, it must be reduced to thicken.

Few can get the consistency and warm all – depending on the stall.

What does Hainan Lor Mee taste like?

I love the thick gravy’s taste, boiled for hours; the soup has a strong flavor.

The Lor keeps pliable by heating it in hot water.

Each spoonful of Lor Mee with added vinegared minced garlic, black vinegar, or chili paste gives it that extra flavor.

The dish is spicy with lard oil, chili paste, and vinegared garlic taste.

For takeaways, no worries – your Hainan Lor Mee condiments are prepacked.

Hai Beng Coffee Shop is the Ultimate Pit Stop for Hainan Lor Mee Lovers.

This ritual is for most worshippers who pray at the Goddess of Mercy Temple.

The devotees will drop in to have a bowl of Lor Mee noodles with a kopi O cup.

My ultimate breakfast – Hainan Lor Mee and Kopi C

What ingredients do I recommend for Hainan Lor Mee?

For my brunch, I like my Lor Mee with just yellow noodles, lots of Bean Sprouts (Taugeh), and two braised duck eggs with sliced lean braised pork.

I like extra gravy, fresh vinegared garlic, and a splash of homemade chili sauce.

My family will order Lor Mee with extra chewy Pork Skin and other choice ingredients and pay more for additional ingredients.

The best toppings are the juicy Lard Crackling (Bak Ewe Pok).

I will have a hot kopi C with my meal. There is a selection of fruit juice and local drinks to try.

There’s a Nutmeg drink, Pat Poh drink (eight treasures herbal tea), and Keat Poh drink (honey-lime).

A strange phenomenon happens in the Lor Mee Shop when all is well and eating, slurping away.

No one talks much.

Perhaps it’s preventing that wonderful, flavourful gravy from spilling over lips and chins and dripping over tabletops and handbags.

Or, possibly, it’s just too delicious to waste time nattering when in the throes of pleasure.

Close to my favorite bowl of Hainan Lor Mee whenever I am in Penang.