17-04-2025
The Kopi Pot: Serves the best Penang char kway teow I've ever had & nasi lemak kerabu with giant fried chicken
Believe it or not, I'd been meaning to visit The Kopi Pot at Big Three Food Square for nearly 2 years. I remembered how my friends used to rave about their supposedly 'super good' char kway teow, promising to take me there since it was conveniently close to their parents' offices.
Then, as things go, it completely slipped my mind — until 2 years later, when I finally found myself standing at Menara Binjai, ready to see what the fuss was all about.
Big Three Food Square is a cosy, enclosed dining space with a food court vibe, home to 3 different eateries — The Kopi Pot being one of them. When I arrived, most tables had already been claimed by office workers with foresight (and reservations), but luck was on my side: I managed to snag a seat right in the centre.
While I originally came for their char kway teow, my eyes naturally wandered to the nasi lemak section on the menu. I'd already tried 3 different nasi lemak spots in the past 2 weeks, so I was meaning to skip it — until my friend casually mentioned, 'Oh, theirs is good too.' With a sigh and a hint of FOMO, I added it to the order.
The regular nasi lemak was, unfortunately, unavailable, so I went with the Nasi Lemak Kerabu Fried Chicken (RM17.80). The only thing 'kerabu' about it was the gentle blue hue of the coconut rice — courtesy of blue pea flower — but that wasn't the first thing that caught my eye when the plate arrived. It was the enormous chicken.
For a second, I wondered if I'd been served something… I wasn't supposed to eat. But no — just a massive cut of fried chicken. More on that soon.
First, the rice. To put it bluntly: it was a letdown. The grains were dry and slightly tough, with none of that creamy richness you'd expect from santan-infused rice. A real shame, because the aromatics were beautifully balanced, made even more fragrant with the blue pea flower. Could the sambal save the day?
The sambal had that nostalgic, old-school belacan kick — not my vibe, but my friend was into it. It wasn't spicy, but there was a nice sweetness from the onions. Still, paired with the underwhelming rice, it just didn't work. With nasi lemak, the rice is the soul of the dish — and here, it just didn't sing.
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The ikan bilis, though of a larger variety, were light and crispy. The sunny-side-up egg was alright, though I would've preferred the yolk to be more runny. Cucumber slices and roasted peanuts were decent — nothing to rave about.
Now, back to that beast of a chicken. Okay, maybe not Godzilla-sized, but the leg was chopped into 3, and each piece was as big as a standalone portion. Wild.
The batter was airy and crisp, and the chicken inside was tender, juicy, and satisfying to bite into. It had all the makings of a classic fried chicken — though if they eased up on the salt just a tad, it would've been perfect.
Now onto the star of the show: the Penang Char Kway Teow (RM16.80). At first glance, the portion looked small for the price. But appearances can be deceiving — I couldn't even finish it.
They used a thinner noodle variety (my favourite!), not quite as delicate as Thai noodles, but definitely lighter than the usual fare. From the first bite, I was hit with that glorious wok hei — you could even see it, charred slightly onto the noodles. The flavour hit a beautiful balance between sweet soy, salty soy, smokiness, and a touch of heat from red chilli paste.
Ingredient-wise, it was generous. The chicken chunks were big and tender, the shrimps and cockles plump and bouncy. That said, some of the shrimps hadn't been deveined (yikes), and while the cockles had great texture, a few tasted slightly fishy.
A side of chopped pickled chillies added a nice tangy zing — though sadly, no heat. Still, that hit of acidity really elevated the dish and tied everything together.
Despite the disappointing coconut rice that dragged down the nasi lemak experience, my overall visit exceeded expectations. The portion was generous, and those juicy, oversized pieces of fried chicken more than made up for it. As for the char kway teow — easily one of the best I've had of its kind (though the mamak-style still holds a special place in my heart). That's no small praise coming from someone who's been eating CKT at least twice a week for over 19 years.
It's easy to see why office workers flock here for lunch — but if I came here every day? Let's just say my wallet would be in serious trouble.
Expected damage: RM16.80 – RM17.80 per pax
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