Googgle Man — Restaurant in George Town

I have waited a long time to have an opportunity to trying Goggles Man Char Koay Teow! The main reason is that I am limited by the size of my stomach and the several days I'm afforded every single year for the last decade that I am on my annual foody pilgrimage to Penang! As I am staying reasonably close by this season, I made Goggles Man and KTG Cafe my very first stop and he did not disappoint in the least!

His plate came to our table piping hot with lots of wok hei 🔥. It was beautifully seasoned and balanced with just the right amount of spice. The shrimps were large and plump but the highlight of the dish for me that separates it from many of the competitors is how thinly sliced the laap cheong were. They are sliced so incredibly thin that when stir-fried, they come out literally crispy and bursting with flavor. Initially, they were so tasty that I even missed the fact that he elects NOT to add blood cockles to his dish! After savouring the meal, I had a chance to chat with him some more regarding his decision to omit blood cockles. He stated that after the pandemic, blood cockle prices have gone up substantially and the size has dropped as well making them more of a liability in the dish rather than an asset so he has opted to eliminate them moving forward. Plus, not everybody likes them and some people even pick around them and nothing ruins a good dish of CKT than a few fishy blood cockles mixed in! Lol! Overall it was a great experience to finally try one of penang's OG CKT Masters and had an opportunity to visit with him to chat! I highly recommend that as he is very friendly and is more than happy to talk about Penang food history and his take on this classic dish! An easy 5 stars...

This is what mastery tastes like. This is obviously a man who has honed his craft over many years. I cannot point out a single fault with this dish. The noodle texture is perfect. The choreography of ingredients is perfect. The ratios between the egg and the bean sprouts adds just enough crunch and texture variation to the noodles while not being a detractor from the overall dish composition. The shrimp is also perfect every time. Just the right amount of bite. Not overcooked at all. And I think the magic is really the seasoning here. The seasoning is mixed to perfection. It's got a kick of spice, a tinge of salt, and some indescribable cacophony of deliciousness. If you like spicy, I highly recommend getting the extra spicy version. It adds a kick that elevates the flavor even more. If you could earn Michelin stars on food alone, then this place definitely deserves one.

However, the atmosphere and service are a bit lacking. The wait times are quite long, even during off-peak hours. And when you ask about your current spot in line, they just tell you to sit down and wait your turn. So that aspect is not a great experience. But the food more than makes up for it. If I could give this place six stars for food, I would.

If I had one request, it would be to add a third prawn, even if you have to raise the price, currently the prawn to noodle...

Deceptive business and rude. Ordered a CKT for RM13 as advertised. On the picture menu.. there was 3 big prawns on the plate...

My ordered came with only 2 prawns. When I asked him why only 2 prawns and not 3 prawns.. he said only 2 prawns for CKT. To make things worst.. the next plate of CKT he was frying.. there were 3 prawns... so I asked him again.. and he said this was for his friend. Wah liau eh.. like that no need do business for other people lah.. just do business with his friends lah...

In fact you see the pics that ppl post.. all the foreigners got only 2 prawns.. locals got 3-4 prawns... so inconsistent and based on his mood. It's like 1 group of people deserve less for the money spent.

I am not even a foreigner and I am pissed off with his attitude and business method. Will not buy his CKT again.

There are other CKT that taste better lah.. like the CKT auntie just a few meters away (Btw.. this is the OG Big Prawn CKT .. only went to Goggleman CKT because the auntie went to CNY Holiday), Siam Road CKT and even the old Genting Cafe CKT is better lah.

Take your business elsewhere if you don't feel like...