SUNGAI PETANI, April 6 — It is no fancy café or coffee place but when residents in this small town hanker for a specialty drink, they head for this riverside hawker stall which sells specialty blended drinks of corn, red beans or roasted groundnuts that are perfect thirst quenchers on a hot, humid day.
The stall, which has been in operation since 1976, is situated right next to the very river the town is named after, the Sungai Petani, and offers a river view to patrons as they enjoy their drinks.
If you are a fan of fancy blended drinks, this place is worth a stopover on your way up north to Alor Setar or when you happen to be in the neighbourhood.
As strange as it sounds, the blended corn drink is a creamy, sweet and smooth concoction made from blending creamed corn with ice and a dash of syrup.
Their blended red bean drink, which is a popular drink offered by a few coffee shops in the northern region, is almost like a liquified ais kacang without the other ingredients so it is just pure rich red beans.
Peanut butter fans will definitely love the blended roasted groundnuts because it is like slurping down a tall, cold glass of fragrant liquid peanut butter that is thick, rich and full of nutty goodness.
The stall, simply named Kedai Ch’ng Chong Kooi, doesn’t only offer these drinks but also serves simple snacks such as laksa, fruit rojak and fresh boiled cockles served with a special chilli sauce.
The laksa, unlike the Penang assam laksa, is similar to that of the Kedah-style one that is more savoury, less spicy and not as sour too but is good in its own way.
It may not have a strong fishy aroma, unlike the usual overpowering aroma of the Penang assam laksa, but it makes up for it by the smooth combination of a bit of saltiness, the slightest hint of fish and layered with a not-too-sweet shrimp paste.
They use homemade rice noodles with the laksa which gives the dish that extra bite and a springy consistency, immediately enhancing the simple bowl of laksa.
Similarly, the fruit rojak — a medley of fresh cut fruits in a thick shrimp paste — lacks the overpowering shrimpy aroma that is common in shrimp paste used in Penang but it makes up for it in taste as it is sweet and equally balanced out by some saltiness.
Finally, their fresh boiled cockles if perfect for kerang fans; the tiny morsels are dug out using toothpicks and then dipped in the special chilli concoction giving it a spicy sweetness taste.
So, if ever you are in this little town in Kedah, do remember to visit the stall and try their specialty blended drinks which you won’t be able to find at any fancy cafés or restaurants.
Ch’ng Chong Kooi Coffee Shop
Sungai Petani bus station hawker centre
Off Jalan Petri, Sungai Petani
GPS: 5.639435,100.488288
Time: 10am — 6pm (closed on Wednesdays)
