Just when the concrete jungle is thought to be consuming the island of Penang, classic, hidden gems like Tai Wah Coffee House still stands proudly and firm in a heritage building; run down paint, broken windows, and rusty steel makes it more of a beauty than an abandoned block. For over four decades, this coffee shop has been straining and whipping up Wan Tan Mee and for that remarkably long period of time, the experience hands that fill the plates on each table leads to perfection of the flavours and textures of this staple dish.
A particular sight that is pretty uncommon in this age and time is the facade of pioneers working by the push car- taking orders, nodding in acknowledgement, and several moments later serving the piping hot dish.
Even till this day, Tai Wah is persistently flocked with huge crowds and customers, especially when dawn breaks, signifying a beautiful start of the day. This also means that only the early bird catches the worm, with some latecomers finding their table shun of a plate of wondrous Wan Tan Mee.
There are a few fixed ways of eating this dish, from the original wan tan, char siew, or wan tan and char siew. The fresh ingredients and wee hours preparations shows in the final product, be it the dumplings or pork. This is what makes Tai Wah Coffee House such a strong contender for such a long time.
