You know.... I am not really a big fan of Penang asam laksa because I don't like sour tasting things - most of the Penang laksa that I've had so far made me cringe. (I've had a few in Penang.) I've seen a lot of media coverage about Super Star Original Famous Penang Laksa before but that still doesn't move me 😬 But, when buddy Milton jio-ed (invited) me to join him there, I went along more to lim kopi (drink coffee) nia nia (only) 😬
Super Star Original Famous Penang Laksa occupies a half stall space in a narrow passageway in People's Park Food Centre.
Super Star doesn't sport a long queue but has a constant trickle of customers.
Stall holder Pat hails from Penang and lived in Singapore for the last three decades.
Super Star's Penang laksa starts at $10 per serving. Takeaway starts at $15 per set. That's at least double the price than most Penang laksa stalls in Singapore (and don't get me started on Penang 😬😅).
Penang laksa is not a photogenic dish - it existed long before social media. It was a kampung (village) dish (still is) - it's main purpose is to nourish and provide energy using ingredients available from the environment i.e. the well endowed coasts of northern peninsula Malaysia.
Stall owner Pat suggested I try to have my Penang laksa at room temperature (instead of hot). I went along without hesitation as I viewed Penang laksa as a form of ulam (Malay vegetable and aromatic herb salad) albeit the brothy kind.
I enjoyed this Penang laksa a lot. It is flavourful and didn't have that off putting cringey sourness.
Super Star's rendition is flooded with fish broth made with ikan kembong fish gently spiced with chili pepper, turmeric, asam keping, etc. (Super Star uses asam keping which has a milder, gentler sourness compared to the more commonly used tamarind paste and tamarind juice.)
Super Star uses a fat rice noodle which is spongy tenderly chewy to the bite. There's not too much of it, which is great as I don't really want too much carbs in my meals.
All the ulam vegetables and aromatic herbs were there - fresh torch ginger flower, mint leaf, cucumber, pineapple, chili padi, etc.
Dribbling hae ko (fermented prawn sauce) added an umami savoury sweet layer which moderated any sharp sour edge and held the myriad flavours of the vegetables and herbs together.
I was already full after the room temperature laksa but I enjoyed myself so much that I ordered the hot broth version as well 😬 I shocked everyone including Pat when I finished the second serving too 😅
There wasn't much difference between the two but I slightly preferred the room temperature version. The flavours seemed subtly denser and the raw vegetables and herbs were crispier (as they were not softened by hot broth).
Super Star's takeaway Penang laksa costs $15 a set. The portion is relatively large, enough for two people. The fish broth, rice noodles, ulam and hae ko are all packed separately. As I like my Penang laksa at room temperature, it works for me without heating (very convenient).
Super Star Original Famous Penang Laksa stall serving its laksa at $10 a pop is in its fifth year now, outlasting several Penang laksa stalls that sell at half the price. This is all the more amazing when we consider that Penang laksa is a niche or esoteric dish in Singapore (unlike bak chor mee or chicken rice, for example).
So, there is a market for old school dishes made with fresh, quality ingredients the traditional, artisanal way even at premium prices. (Actually, there is even market for premium priced fusion dishes in hawker centres as long as the food is good, like at A Noodle Story.)
Besides Penang laksa, Pat also serves large blanched cockles with a spicy sauce. Price $12 for 700 grams.
The meaty chewy bloody juicy cockles are terribly addictive with Pat's spicy concoction.
Actually the regular takeaway with all the ingredients & broth mixed in is $10 (no extra charge for the box). However I’d order the $15 version with ingredients packed separately as I actually get 2 portions worth.
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