Best Fried Bee Hoon in Penang

Sited in a residential area, Soon Lai Seafood is a hidden gem of spellbinding seafood. Akin to diving in an ocean full of flavours, from aromatic fragment to hearty portions, it's irresistible. Patrons go head over heels for their Fried Crab Vermicelli – giant pieces of fresh crab, stir-fried with bee hoon and black pepper sauce. The moment the huge platter lands on the table, your hands struggle to hold patience and your salivary glands hit high. Never hesitate to use your hands, the thick broth soaks up the bee hoon and chunky flesh of the crab, you'll savour till the very last drop. Their Singapore Vermicelli with Mantis Prawns is praiseworthy too.

Frugal, famous and flavourful, char bee hoon is truly satisfying at any time of the day. As the sun takes a dip towards the horizon, this family-run stall along Kimberley Street starts churning out piles of noodles such as bee hoon, koey teow and yellow noodles. Heaps of noodles are fried with black soy sauce, crunchy beans sprouts and fried garlic, it might appear simple yet it takes lots of effort to ensure the soy sauce suffuses over every strand of the noodle. It's served piping hot, topped with deep-fried bean curd skins, pickled chilies and a dollop of chili sambal for a spicy kick. The crowd-favourite is bee hoon, however, it’s best eaten with a mix-and-match of all, offering various textures and taste to the palate. Simple flavours that speaks out loud!

Without a doubt, Bihun Singapore is up there among our favourite noodles. Ask any true blue Penangite, where’s the best, you’ll hear Sungai Pinang immediately. Spanning over two generations, this quaint stall has never faced a dip in quality of food and quantity of customers. The bee hoon is prepared in huge woks, with chopped cabbages, diced meats and eggs. After a few twist and turns under the blistering heat, it results in an airy bee hoon that offers taste and texture in each bite. Need a spicy tap on your tastebuds, add their chopped chilies.

Bukit Tambun is tailor-made for seafood lovers, at every sight you’ll spot on a restaurant offering a range of ocean goodness. Among the feted spots is Jetty Seafood, serving mouth-watering seafood with wallet-friendly prices. Their Fried Bee Hoon is an absolute show stopper, the rice vermicelli is fried in rich soy sauce, eggs, spring onions and generously loaded with fresh “lala” or clams. The juicy clams and the smooth eggy texture complement the bee hoon that mops up all the flavours. Overlooking the calm riverside and rustic fishing boats, the only thing missing is your rocking chair. 

There’s nothing to shout about the ambiance, it’s a regular coffee shop filled with patrons with a huge appetite. If your belly begs to eat like a king, head towards the Big Prawns Fried Fish Bee Hoon Mee stall. You’ll see an amiable uncle dishing up a meal that tugs your heart at first sight. Big juicy prawns and chunks of fresh fish are coated with batter and dropped into hot oil. Once ready, it’s served with a plate of bee hoon fried with mild soy sauce and vegetables, an addictive sambal and chopped chilies. The freshness of the seafood sitting beneath the crunchy batter is a real winner and dipping it into the sambal is impeccable. The bee hoon is good on its own and acts as a vehicle that ignites the flavours together. 

It’s fairly rare a Char Bee Hoon stall becomes a late night hangout spot as its more an on-the-go meal. Changing your frame of mind is this family-run stall at Tye Sin Street, where patrons make beelines for a plate of scrumptious bee hoon which is fried with dark soy sauce, beans sprouts and drizzled with deep-fried bean curd skin as a layer of crunch. What sets them apart from other stalls is customers can top their noodles with fried popiah or loh bak (five-spiced pork roll) which are sliced into smaller pieces. Their homemade chili condiment goes well with both the deep-fried morsels and fried bee hoon. 

Be it lunch or dinner, this restaurant is habitually chock-full despite its mediocre atmosphere. There is no reason not to follow the crowd as there are smorgasbords of Oriental-style food which comes with reasonable price tags. The ideal barrier is choosing a dish, feel free to seek the servers for assistance and you’ll certainly hear Fried Bee Hoon with Salted Fish. The vermicelli is stir-fried with eggs, beans sprouts and the fork-tender hunks of salted fish. The salted fish permeates briny aftertaste which isn’t overwhelming and binds well with the noodles.