Ah Sai Koay Teow Th’ng started selling at Sin Hoe Peng Coffee Shop in 1980.
I first tasted it in 1983.
At that time, I was working around Beach Street, then part of Penang’s Central Business District.
George Town would later be named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008.
A few colleagues introduced me to the stall.
Ah Sai was just a little older than me and newly married to Ah Kuan.
The Whiteaways Arcade
Back then, we often had it for lunch in the “Hot House”, our nickname The Whiteaways Arcade before it was renovated.
Anyone who worked on Beach Street in the 1990s will remember this—the mix of offices, banks, and hawker energy all around.
The Whiteaways Arcade quickly became one of the most popular kopitiam food courts.
Other stalls were part of that ecosystem.
The aunty who sold Yee Sung Kai Chok kept her pepper in an empty Hazeline Snow jar.
Its screw-top lid cover punched with holes.
The recycle cough mixture bottles for soy sauce.
We would go “eeeeerrrrr,” vowing never to touch them because of the smells.
More than fear of contamination, it was the potential Hazeline smell that put us off—but still, we ate it anyway.
There was also an old uncle making pancakes with banana, raisin, and sesame seeds.
Among all the stalls, the most famous was the legendary Ah Sai Koay Teow Th’ng.
At the “Hot House”, the prized seats were in the courtyard, where it was cooler and offered relief from the sweltering heat.
The hottest seats were near Ah Sai’s gas stove, where the soups cooked instantly.
Ah Sai Koay Teow Th’ng, was everyone’s favourite stall even if it meant waiting patiently for our lunch.
Sin Hoe Peng Coffee Shop, still modest from the outside, where generations of office workers have lined up for Ah Sai Koay Teow Th’ng since 1980.
Sin Hoe Peng Coffee Shop
Today, the stall operates at Sin Hoe Peng Coffee Shop on King Street, across from the Great Eastern.
I make my annual pilgrimage there to eat.
The coffee shop operate is the same man from the “Hot House”
Ah Sai and Ah Kuan still recognize me.
No big greeting, just smiles and quiet familiarity.
Ah Sai is 67 now, still fit and steady behind the stall.
Watching him work is reassuring, like some rhythms don’t need updating.
“Ah Sai” – A simple sign, but one that’s been familiar to locals for decades.
The area has changed with the new Wisma Great Eastern (GE), a conservation project completed in 2005.
The mid-19th century Chung Siew Yin building, and its later Art Deco addition, was once tenanted by the Straits Times Press.
A modern extension with a curtain wall was added, designed to act as a backdrop.
Nearby, Nero Nero Italian Restaurant and the refurbished Chinese Chamber of Commerce show how the neighbourhood has been revitalised.
Old and new now sit side by side.
Ah Sai Koay Teow Th’ng
Ah Kuan cooks the noodles while husband was resting before the lunch crowds.
The bowl arrives just like it always has.
Porky goodness and lots of mustard greens.
Flat rice noodles in a clear, non-oily soup.
The broth is clean, almost water-like, not cloudy or foamy, yet full of flavour.
Now that I’m older and my tummy more sensitive, I ask for the pork liver to be cooked a little longer.
I miss the soft, tender bite of just-cooked liver, an intense, complex sensory experience, but tastes change with age.
The beauty here is that the bowl adjusts to you—it always has.
Prices and Portions
Prices have risen over the years. In 2009, a small bowl cost RM3.00, medium RM3.50, and large RM4.20.
Today, it’s small RM6.50, medium RM7.00, and big RM8.00.
Still modest for freshly cooked Penang Koay Teow Soup, and you can request small changes.
These days, I always ask for the liver to be cooked a little longer.
A medium bowl of clear, non-oily soup, noodles, and fresh ingredients—exactly how it was in the 1980s, with the comforting flavor unchanged over time.
Large bowl – Generous, piping-hot, and still perfectly balanced. Even with a larger portion, the clear soup never loses its delicate taste.
Customisable Bowls
At Ah Sai Koay Teow Th’ng, you can choose your noodles and ingredients.
There’s pork porridge, mee suah, bee hoon, koay teow and yellow mee.
Ingredients can be standard or customised with extras.
I texted Yvonne in Ipoh to remind her I need to take her to Ah Sai’s.
It’s one of those places where the old-style taste still feels familiar in Penang.
If someone younger asked why this bowl still matters, I’d say it’s cooked fresh and stays well balanced.
The clear soup relies on flavour, not oil or excess.
This isn’t about chasing nostalgia.
It’s about returning to something that has quietly stayed true.
Some places mark time by reinventing themselves.
The stall marks time by simply being itself.
A George Town hawker stall that continues to feel like home.
Ah Sai Koay Teow Th’ng (Koay Tiao Soup)
Address: 1F, King Street, George Town, 10200 George Town, Pulau Pinang
Hours: 7:30 am–1 pm, Monday to Friday
Google Map
Blog Disclosure: This blog is written independently. No compensation, free meals, payments, or services have been received from any featured establishments. All reviews are based on the editor’s personal visits with friends while exploring Penang.
