Fresh Food Court (新时代饮食中心) is one of the larger hawker centers in Bukit Mertajam. It is located near Pusat Perniagaan Gemilang and has a large parking lot within its compound.
Penang Auntie Big Prawn Char Koay Teow (槟城安娣大虾炒粿条) is a renowned stall here. Non-stop clanks from the wok are evidence of the stall’s popularity. The large plate of Char Koay Teow (炒粿条, RM7.50) contains two large shrimps that are quite fresh. Also included are Chinese sausages (腊肠), duck eggs and pork lard (猪油渣). However, cockles (血蚶) are notably absent in this dish.
This plate of Char Koay Teow exemplifies good application of “fiery aroma” (镬气). I also appreciate the fact that duck egg is fully assimilated into this dish, not as a discrete element. Overall, the taste is balanced and exceeds my expectation with flying colors.
Ayam Belacan (峇拉煎鸡, RM5.50) from another stall is also recommended. Fried chicken thigh and drumstick are marinated with belacan (fermented shrimp paste), then deep-fried to golden perfection. The savoriness of belacan imparts lovely aroma as well as gratifying taste within every bite.
From the Grilled Fish (Ikan Bakar) stall, we ordered four pieces of stingray (pari) for RM29.00. The fish is cooked reasonably well, but they suffer from annoyance of small bones. Meanwhile, the sweet-spicy sauce contains lots of onions to give an extra hint of pungency. While the grilled fish is acceptable in taste, I think the price is too expensive.
Address: 754, Jalan Nangka off Jalan Song Ban Keng, 14000 Bukit Mertajam, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 012-588-9202
Business hours: 8:00am-12:00am