Sunday, July 5, 2009

Chowrasta Street Market(吉寧仔萬山)

Chowrasta Market or Chowrasta Bazaar(吉寧仔萬山)

Chowrasta Market is called "Kelinga Bangsan" by local Hockkien Chinese. "Bangsan"(萬山)in Chinese is market place. Kelinga is corrupt term for Keling, literally it means "Keling Market. The name Chowrasta comes from Urdu language, meaning " four cross roads". The building is located with facade facing Penang Road, and the rear facing Jalan Kuala Kangsa, left is Tamil Street and right is Chowrasta Street, thus four cross roads. It is a wet market located in the building facing or opposite the Penang Central Police Station. The old building which has been dismantled, was built in 1890 by the Commissioner of Municipality of Georgetown(now MPPP Majlis Perbandaran Pulau Pinang)with the cost of RM16,471. In 1920, there was extension in the Penang Road side. That may be the reason why is is called Kalinga bansan, and the Lebuh Tamil still remain, the Indian Muslim are selling fish and meat(mutton, beef there).


The Street Market( 江沙律早市巴剎)

The street market is outside the building. It is a larger square area between Kimberley Street (汕頭街)on the east and Campbell Street( 新街 )in the west,along Jalan Kuala Kangsar (瓜拉江沙路, 吉寧萬山後街)in the south, Penang Road(槟榔路) in the North. There are two roads joining the Jalan Kuala Kangsar, Lebuh Tamil (淡米尔街)and Jalan Chowrasta(吉寧萬山街)The busiest street market is at Jalan kuala Kangsar, and Jalan Chowrasta. The Lebuh Tamil are mainly shops opened by the Tamil community.

There are two coffee shops in Jalan Kuala Kangsar(吉寧萬山後街)which are popular breakfast shop in the street market. One is at the corner of Jalan Chowrasta/Jalan Kuala Kangsar, just beside the pork shop. The other is more popular shop opposite the shop, but more crowded, Soon Yuan(順園茶室). There is another open air eating place at Jalan Chowrasta.

The best Penang food are found in the old market place, like Chowrasta Market,other being Pulau tikus,Jelutong, Anson Road, Air Itam etc,and Rifle Range Flats Market. Look at the crowd, it is the indicator of its popularity. You still can found some originality there.......I still remember the curry mee I have eaten at Jalan Kuala Kangsar, a street stall owned by a mah cheh, sitting at the long bench fronting the stall, enjoying the hot curry noodle, sweating on the face, whcih indicate good noodle. I still have fond memory of that ....



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The coffee shop which is popular in Chowrasta Market, Soon Yuan.















It is packed, especially on weekend















Lam Mee















Hockian Mee or Prawn Mee stall





























Curry Mee Stall














A bowl of curry mee















Wantan Mee stall















Chee Chong Fan stall















Chee Chong Fan, anyone?















Look at the crowd















Koay Teow Te'ng stall















Fish balls















Chicken with vegetables

































A bowl of Koay Teow Te'ng. My wife said this is the best Koay Teow Te'ng in Penang.















View of the coffee shop from Chee Chong Fan stall















The coffee shop was formerly a pork shop, called Soon Yuan(順園茶室)















The pork shop opposite the Soon Yuan coffee shop















This man sell living fishes















cutting and cleaning the fish sold















Soy or soya bean water. The yellow and green thing in the boxes are he-ya-kea, a street food which is rare now.















Char Mee Hoon or Fried Mee Hoon stall at Jalan Kuala Kangsar















Lebuh Tamil, only street with the shops of Tamil Muslim















Lehuh Tamil shops, owned by Indian community, less busy
























The view of the entrance from Kimberley street, the background is Komtar.











































Fish monger






























































































Ham Chee Pen with glutinous rice filling





























The Ham Chin Pen stall


































This is the entrance from Cambell street, turning to Jalan Kuala Kangsar

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