This is the must try No.7 @ Air Hitam Penang

Seriously if you want to try the one and only listed as No.7 of the world's 50 most delicious food (according to the CNNGo survey), this is the place! It all starts with a bowl of fragrant, mouth-watering asam laksa from this particular stall here located at a T-junction at Jalan Pasar in Air Hitam.




It's a stop you must make before heading to the Kek Lok Si Temple which is just 5 mins walking distance to the foot of the hill where the temple is built.

Maybe the secret lies with the cast-iron pot they used?

I wasn't sure if there's a name for this stall because all you can see is a bold red signage with the word LAKSA printed in gold lettering on the wall behind the stall. I think there's at least 5-6 people manning this small stall here where you could catch all the action. But then, you might be disrupting their flow, just like what I did when I was trying to snap a close-up picture of them.



But this is not a place for everyone. You have to brace the traffic that passes through the narrow streets of Air Hitam, the hassle of looking for a parking (which is not impossible if you're willing to walk under the hot bracing sun), and slurp your asam laksa at the hot and sometimes smelly market under the prying eyes of customers trying to get your table.

Yes, it's going to be an uncomfortable ambiance to dine but who cares if you're having the best of the best asam laksa right? It's always worth going an extra mile for good food.

We called this an Asam Laksa masterpiece.
Don't expect a stellar dining experience but learn to appreciate this messy art.

This is certainly a different kind of asam laksa that I'm used to. The broth is thick and flavourful due to the mashed mackerel fish, lemongrass, drizzles of prawn paste, slices of onions and chilli which makes the soup spicy and tangy. The noodle is cooked "al-dente" without being too soggy and the mint leaves are refreshing. However, don't expect this to be the sour asam laksa that you're used to as this one here has more taste of the fish and the prawn paste which gives it a sweeter finish.



It's very appetising and sometimes you'll end up having 2 bowls like my colleague here. The asam laksa only come in 1 size and it costs RM3.30/bowl (which used to be RM3.00 last year). It's not surprising to be having 2 bowls of this as the portions are really small. I too, would have two bowls if it wasn't a food marathon trip!

I think it's very delicious but I'm somehow not convinced that this is the best asam laksa that is available in Penang. Maybe I've yet to discover the best but so far this is very good.



After that, you can cool down with a glass of refreshing and sweet sugar cane juice freshly squeezed before your eyes.

LAKSA

Pasar Air Itam,
Jalan Pasar,
11500 Air Itam,
Pulau Pinang

Business Hours: Opens daily from 11.15am - 7.30pm