Penang Food For Thought: Port Weld Hawker Centre

This article is part of my 2018 Taiping and Kuala Sepetang trip series.

Kuala Sepetang, formerly known as Port Weld, used to export tin ore from the mines of Taiping. The first railway in Malaysia was built by the British administration between Port Weld and Taiping. Although the railway track has been decommissioned, the station's signboard and ticket booth at Port Weld are preserved to this day.

There are several hawker stalls near the former train station. One of them is Kuala Sepetang Curry Mee (十八丁咖喱面). Operated by Ah Thai (阿呆), this family business serves noodles and drinks. The stall is open from 1:00pm to 10:00pm, and is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

The Curry Mee (咖哩面, RM4.00) is quite rich and tasty. Taking advantage of the abundance of fresh seafood in this fishing village, the recipe contains fresh prawns too. Also included in the bowl are pig blood curd (猪血), bean sprouts and tofu puffs (豆腐卜). Ah Thai serves Curry Mee from 3:00pm onwards.

Ah Thai's Laksa (拉沙, RM4.00) is very similar to Penang's asam laksa. However, the fish broth is not as thick as the typical Penang version. Nevertheless, it has a pleasant degree of sourness from tamarind (asam).

Hor Ka Sai (虎咬狮, RM2.30) is the signature drink in Taiping and nearby villages. It is essentially a mixture of black coffee and Milo. The drink literally translates as "tiger bites lion". It is believed that this drink will make one as energetic as a tiger!

Iced Blended Red Bean (红豆搅, RM2.30) is another popular drink here. Bits of red bean remain suspended in the slushy beverage. It is the perfect drink to cool the body down during a hot Saturday afternoon!

Port Weld Prawn Fritters (十八丁大街虾饼) is another popular stall here. It is open from 12:00pm to 5:00pm. Fried items at this stall include Fried Prawn Fritters (炸虾饼), Fried Banana Fritters (炸香蕉), Kuih Bakul (炸年糕), Curry Puffs (咖喱角), Spring Rolls (春卷) and more. The wok is kept busy all the time due to the continuous flow of customers.

The Fried Prawn Fritters (炸虾饼, RM1.20 each) are made from flour batter, prawns, bean sprouts, onions and scallions. Crispy and scrumptious, the fritters are best enjoyed while they are still hot from the wok. Chili sauce is provided as condiment.