[Halal]
Hankering for some good mee goreng (fried noodles), I decided to try the famous Mee Penang Bukit Tambun. This modest shop by the main road is frequented by locals as well as employees from the nearby Bukit Minyak industrial area. It was quite crowded on a Sunday afternoon but thankfully, they had ample parking lots and seats for dine-in. The menu is not extensive and we decided to order based on the recommendations of their friendly waiters.
Mee Goreng
We tried two versions of their signature mee goreng: one with sambal sotong (sambal cuttlefish) and another with ayam goreng (fried chicken). Both plates of mee goreng arrived in their best form: messy piles of yellow noodles, eggs, boiled potatoes, tofu, and beansprouts, cooked in their special homemade sauce. It was deliciously sweet, savoury, smoky, and had the right amount of heat.
Mee Goreng Sotong (4.5/5)
The rehydrated dried cuttlefish must have been slowly cooked for hours as each piece was delightfully tender and full of sambal aroma. The sambal itself has a sweeter flavour profile that perfectly complements the mee goreng.
Mee Goreng Ayam (3.5/5)
The meat was juicy and featured the signature taste of mamak fried chicken. Sadly, the chicken was pre-fried, and it was served a bit cold. Would have been a solid 4.5/5 if served warn.
Mee Rebus Udang (4.5/5)
You’d be disappointed if you ordered this and expected traditional mee rebus with thick sweet potato sauce. The sauce was much thinner (notice how it’s served in a bowl?) and it packed a ton of prawn flavours. Based on the ingredients used, I’d consider this dish as a successful cross between prawn mee & mee rebus – unique and worth a try!
Ayam Tiga Rasa (3.5/5)
Like the Mee Rebus Udang, this dish tasted vastly different from my expectations. I imagined crispy fried chicken cooked in a tangy sweet & sour sauce. But instead, it was fried chicken drenched in thick pasembur sauce! I quite enjoy how flavoursome the sauce was with generous chunks of crushed peanuts. Not a bad dish despite the mismatch in expectations.
Teh Ais Raja Sultan (3/5) This iced pulled tea with grass jelly is a sight to behold – how could one resist ordering one of these to try? Sadly, the tea might have been steeped too long and it left an unpleasant bitter aftertaste. Other reviews have raved about this drink so perhaps it was just my luck today.
TV3 (3/5)
Fondly called TV3 after the local television channel, the drink tastes like ABC (Air Batu Campur or “Mixed Ice”) and is a concoction of grass jelly, corn, syrup and evaporated milk. I find it too sweet for my liking, although it might be a good drinkable dessert for those with a sweet tooth.
Overall, the restaurant serves tasty mee goreng and a unique take on mee rebus. Their food and drinks can be on the spicier & sweeter side so depending on your preference, you could ask for kurang pedas (less spicy) or kurang manis (less sweet). The restaurant gets a bit warm during the afternoon and cleanliness can be improved. Service is friendly and the price is affordable for the portion sizes.
Sabbylicious Makan Rating
Food : 4/5
Price : 4/5
Environment : 3/5
Service : 4/5
Must order: Mee Goreng Sotong & Mee Rebus Udang
Opening Hours Saturday to Thursday (10:00am–6:00pm).
Closed on Friday.
Location
Mee Penang Bukit Tambun 1579, Jalan Paboi, 14110 Simpang Ampat, Pulau Pinang