KLANG, Oct 11 — I did a double take when I saw the fried goodies at Penang Tiam Kuih Kopitiam in Klang.
They looked just like what I remember from my holidays to Penang. Even the smell was the same... that unmistakable whiff of coconut.
It turns out the eatery is run by Colin Lim who is part of the family that runs the stall in Tanjung Bungah which fed me as a child.
At his restaurant located in Bandar Bukit Raja, there's a wall with a write-up dedicated to his father, Lim Khim Chang, the founder of this business.
Back in 1970, Lim started out by selling fruits. He swapped to selling banana fritters due to customer's demands.
Using a three-wheeled push cart, he would ply his trade at various popular spots — offering deep fried bananas, sweet potato slices, tapioca and jackfruit.
This earned him the nickname "Tiam Kuih". Eventually he ended up setting a permanent spot on the left side of the road leading to Batu Ferringhi, at the road shoulder of the entry into Chee Seng Garden.
His legacy was passed to his son Lim Thuan Hin and nephew Teh Choon Pin. The business went by the name "Hin Pin" which is an amalgamation of the two cousins' names.
Colin, who is the youngest in the family (there's six of them), had retired after working in a Klang factory nearby. In January this year, he decided to open this place continuing his father's legacy in Bandar Bukit Raja.
The menu is an eclectic mix of Chinese, Western and Japanese! The highlight are the Hin Pin signature fritters that include banana, nien koh, sweet potato and yam fries, and their Penang style ice kacang with candied nutmeg.
If you want to grab lunch here, select from rice, spaghetti and noodle dishes. The offerings range from sweet and sour pork rice to black pepper chicken or pork chop with fries and Japanese curry chicken rice.
For lunch, you have a special menu; for RM9.90 you select from honey grilled chicken, Thai style chicken or Peking pork chop with rice and a free drink (a choice of five types like green tea and chrysanthemum). This menu is only available from Tuesday to Friday, between 12pm to 3pm.
If your main focus is just the fritters, order the different varieties to share.
There's Banana Fritters (RM3.90 for two pieces), made using pisang raja. You also have the 3 in 1 T-Kuih (RM3.90 for two pieces), the sandwich of yam, sweet potato and gooey nien koh. You can also get the Mixed Fries (RM6) where it's a combination of yam and sweet potatoes. The two items can also be ordered separately, where it's RM5 per portion.
The fritters have a thin, crispy filigree-like crust. As you hold each fritter in your hands, there's no oily residue too. There's also a distinct coconut aroma as they use refined coconut oil.
With the banana fritters, you get a soft, sweet taste of the ripe bananas. Unfortunately with the rising costs, the size of the bananas have shrunk. Moreover, they use the pricier pisang raja variant too.
For the 3 in 1 T-Kuih, it's that addictive combination of fluffy yam and sweet potato with that sticky nien koh. One bite is not enough for this version especially with that crispy crust.
The sweet potato and yam fries are the perfect pick-me-up snack with that irresistible fluffiness. I reckon I can polish off a mountain of these myself.
In an episode of the television series Jason's Daily Eats by Jason Yeoh or Axian, the owners of Hin Pin in Penang explained that as their batter is thin, it's double dipped in the batter before frying.
This shortens the frying time too. They are also one of the few stalls that use refined coconut oil, which is pricier. This method gives it that unique fragrance, attracting customers as they walk by the stall. As coconut oil has a higher smoking point, the fritters are fried faster so there's less breakage too.
You will find they also serve Penang Style Ice Kacang (ABC) with Nutmeg (RM6.90). It's the perfect heat buster and a heavenly combination with the crispy fritters.
What stood out was the fluffy, fine shaved ice. Not many stalls do this, hence I relished each spoonful of the ice doused with rose-sarsaparilla syrup and evaporated milk flavours.
The shaved ice is crowned with creamed corn but the hidden treasure is buried underneath. I liked how there is chopped candied nutmeg, giving bursts of the sweetness with the grass jelly cubes and peanuts.
If you're looking for a more substantial meal, the surprise was their Japanese Curry Chicken Rice (RM16.90). There's also a pork version.
Colin tells me the curry is made from scratch. It's a recipe he picked up from his Japanese brother-in-law. Hence the chicken katsu is complemented with a slightly sweet curry fashioned from apples and pears.
The place gets busy during lunch where tables fill up with diners from nearby offices and factories.
If you're taking away the fritters, you can WhatsApp them to prep it ahead for you.
Penang Tiam Kuih Kopitiam, 12G, Jalan Astaka 4C/KU2, Bandar Bukit Raja, Klang. Open: 11am to 6pm. Closed on Monday. Tel: 011-39931911. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100094405942655
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