Penang Asam Laksa is world renowned and there’s no wondering why. This spicy-sour tamarind soup dish comes with rice noodles, chunks of fish, and vegetables like mint leaves, pineapple, onions, chilies, lettuce and cucumber is deliciously savoury. When served with a spoonful of sweetened prawn paste, asam laksa becomes even more flavourful and satisfying.
Even though asam laksa did originate from Penang, the Penangites have perfected their version so well that its iconic namesake is now being used at Asian eateries globally, albeit lacking authenticity; so much so that this particular dish has been drawing tourists from all over the world to Penang for decades now.
One of these popular asam laksa stalls in Penang is of course the one at Ayer Itam market, which has been operating since the 1950s. Uncle Peoh, who is the youngest of five siblings, helped his mother to sell asam laksa everyday to make ends meet; they’d lug the ingredients in a rattan basket and walked almost 4km daily from their home to the market.
Needless to say, Uncle Peoh also picked up his mother’s secret recipe for asam laksa throughout the years and helped his mother full time at the age of 14. He dropped out of school, but made a life-changing decision that has only done him good till this day. Many years later, he moved to the Klang Valley and brought his authentic recipes along with him.
It was then that Angcle Peoh (Ang being his surname) – a non-halal restaurant offering Ayer Itam asam laksa and other popular Penang fare – was born. Even though there are two Angcle Peoh outlets now, Uncle Peoh himself and his daughter still have full control to ensure that every bowl of asam laksa that is made from scratch is up to his standards.
He’s also expanded to include other Penang fare like fried tom yum noodles, fried kuay teow, curry laksa, and many others. All the dishes are cooked by Uncle Peoh, his daughter and his son-in-law to ensure quality of food and consistency. It is no wonder that many Malaysians living in the Klang Valley area flock to Angcle Peoh for yummy and authentic Penang food.
During my visit to Angcle Peoh at Kota Kemuning, I was greeted with a warm and homey welcome by Uncle Peoh’s daughter, who is a caring mother that is extremely down to earth and humble. While she chatted with me about the history of the restaurant and the best-selling dishes available at Angcle Peoh, her husband was cooking up a storm for me.
Here are some of the dishes I’ve tried at Angcle Peoh:
Char Kuay Teow (RM8) – The first thing I noticed when this was served to me was the size of the prawns. They’re huge compared to the usual char kuay teows I’ve had in the Klang Valley. This is one of the better char kuay teows I’ve tried. I could taste the smoky flavours from the pork lard, and it wasn’t too greasy.
Fried Pai Gu Wang Rice (RM11.60) – This is a relatively new item on the menu at Angcle Peoh, and the Imperial pork ribs are served with fried rice, topped off with a fried egg. I liked the sweet and sour sauce that coated the pork, and it is definitely an appetising dish.
Fried Tom Yum (RM10.50) – I thought this was a unique dish and if you love tom yum, you’ll like this spicy and sour dish. It wasn’t mind-blowing and the noodles were too soft (probably overcooked), but I fancied the kick that it gave me.
Prawn Mee – Even though this isn’t the star of the show at the restaurant, it was executed well and the broth, which is boiled for hours on end, was strong and very tantalising. It wasn’t bland whatsoever.
Asam Laksa (RM8) – I love asam laksa and I’ve tried many. I thoroughly enjoyed this as the soup was thick, aromatic and full of flavour. The texture of the noodles was chewy to my liking, and the bowl was filled generously with sardine. I really was not disappointed; if I could, I’d have bowls after bowls of the asam laksa soup.
Rojak – A lovely serving of fruits like pineapple, cucumber, mango and turnip, together with yao char kuay, tossed in a thick, sweet sauce and crunched roasted peanuts. Nothing to shout about, but it’s a great accompaniment to be shared and the sauce isn’t too salty like most rojak sauces are.
Cendol – This cendol is pretty enjoyable, but it’s lacking an intense gula Melaka fragrance and flavour, which I really like in cendol.
Many asam laksa fans will LOVE Angcle Peoh’s version as it tastes really authentic and is delicious. As for the other dishes, some are either a hit or miss. Having said that, I appreciated the fact that everything served was prepared and cooked by the owners of the restaurant. It goes to show how highly they value the quality of their food, and its reliability.
Kota Kemuning branch
27, Jalan Anggerik Vanilla,
AB 31/AB, Seksyen 31,
Kota Kemuning, Shah Alam.
Opening hours: 9am to 8pm
Phone: +603-5131 9378
Bukit Tinggi branch
42, Lorong Batu Nilam 21B,
Bandar Bukit Tinggi 2, 41200 Klang.
Opening hours: 10am to 9pm
Phone: +603-3885 5460
