Lorong Seratus Tahun at SS2 used to be one of my favorite places to go whenever I think of Penang food. They had real Penang hawker food prepared with authentic ingredients and was one of the very few places where you could fine Curry Mee served with coagulated pork blood, which is to me, one of the most crucial item in the that dish.
I was so happy when I first discovered it and wrote a glowing food review.
Lorong Seratus Tahun at SS2, now PORK FREE (yawn)
We ended up there again this afternoon to find that the places is now renovated in the to a familiar Old Town/Kluang Kopitiam style. The menu expanded to include quite a few dishes that you can’t find in Penang hawker stalls, and prices too were increased by some 15-20%. The lady boss told me I can’t snap a picture of the menu, hmm..
Which to me, was still fine if they are still serving good old fashion good. I just wanted my curry mee with coagulated pork blood.
And then I was shown by Suan that the menu said PORK FREE! THE HORROR!
Curry Mee, and Char Kueh Teow without lap cheong (Chinese sausage)
Well since we were already there, we ordered anyway. The place was noticeably busy, so our food took a while to come. However, it was a bit of a bad job for them to serve Horng’s char kueh teow a full 15 minutes before Suan’s.
The Char Kueh Teow now does not come with Lap Cheong (Chinese Sausage), nor do they still use any pork oil in cooking it. A rather good good plate of ckt is now a very ordinary one, RM 7.50.
The Curry Mee, without coagulated pork blood, is not too different from any curry mee you can find anywhere else. Nothing special, RM 6.50. (3 years ago it was RM 4.50).
Horng also ordered a plate of Loh Bak at RM 9.50, and as expected, instead of pork we found chicken breast inside the loh bak. Quite a turn off.
In total, we spent RM 63.95 (5% service charge). Being slightly priceir than other places is fine, but removing all pork ingredients and still calling it “authentic Penang food” is just wrong. Granted the food isn’t terrible, but it’s not at all close to what it used to be.
I’m disappointed, that would be the last time I step foot in the restaurant if it stays this way.
p/s: Happy Merdeka.
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By Mellissa on Aug 31, 2009 | Reply
Wah, that’s quite pricey, especially for disappointing food. Is this the first time you’re writing a non-awesome food review?
By kimberlycun on Aug 31, 2009 | Reply
no….i loved their curry mee
pork-free my arse.
By uLi on Aug 31, 2009 | Reply
Ya, I agreed with you. It will nvr be good and I think it’s over-priced!
By Simon Seow on Aug 31, 2009 | Reply
They’re planning to sell franchise is it? Bloody hell.
By suanie on Aug 31, 2009 | Reply
i used to love them. now i will never go back, unless they bring back ze pork. i don’t think they will. they should have asked their customers before making such changes. good luck have fun, hope you enjoy watching your used-to-be faithful customers disappear.
By rubinho on Aug 31, 2009 | Reply
The bane of globalization.. Everyone just wants to pocket the money and in the process, destroy traditions..
By ShaolinTiger on Aug 31, 2009 | Reply
That sucks, that place used to rock. One of the only places to get proper authentic curry mee.
Looks like it’s just the same as everywhere else now.
By Myhorng on Aug 31, 2009 | Reply
Ya, where is the babi?
but it did make me think of Penang at that moment cos their food sucks now.
By sotong on Aug 31, 2009 | Reply
The food is over-priced and tasteless…
Anyway, I.WILL.NEVER.EVER.GOING.BACK.ANYMORE!!!
kthxbai~
By pr3judice on Aug 31, 2009 | Reply
OMG! that’s exactly how I felt when I went there last Sunday with my family. I felt really disappointed and cheated – ’cause the prices were up by so much to eat something that was not really what I was looking forward too!
By Chef Mel on Aug 31, 2009 | Reply
RM 10.50 for two “Penang Chendol”???!!? o.O That cost like RM 1.20 in Penang – a good one at that! I think they are quite pricier after having the chance to appear in a quite a number of food shows on tv. And since it is run by the family of the good ol’ Lorong Seratus Curry mee owner in Pnenag so we’re paying for the name not the food.
By Christine on Aug 31, 2009 | Reply
I think they are trying to go halal. Maybe it is some requirement for something they are trying to do?
They’re probably trying to justify a price increase. Too bad they don’t know where their bread is buttered.
By JD on Aug 31, 2009 | Reply
I never even tried it yet and it turned to pork-free? Guess I will have to make my way to the real Lorong Seratus Tahun…
By KY on Aug 31, 2009 | Reply
Mellissa,
haha, this is the first time not-so-awesome review, but I had a few BAD reviews.
kimberlycun,
I guess we need to find somewhere else!
uLi,
Yah, so sien!
Simon Seow,
Don’t know what’s up their sleeves. -__-
suanie,
Yah, they should have done a survey or at least talk to the customers first.
rubinho,
I don’t think they’re gonna pocket that much if ppl stop going. hehe
ShaolinTiger,
Yah, no more reason to go there.
Myhorng,
Bring back the babi!!!
sotong,
The feeling is mutual!
pr3judice,
Yah, I guess we’re not the only ones.
Chef Mel,
Was just giving it a try, the chendol was not really too bad, but too pricey for what we got.
Christine,
But it’s SS2, there are virtually no Muslim diners around the area anyway.
JD,
Yah, go to Penang. lol
By Precious Pea on Aug 31, 2009 | Reply
RM10.80 for two bowls of cendol??? Better stick to those cendol vans.
By Paul Tan on Aug 31, 2009 | Reply
urgh
By KY on Aug 31, 2009 | Reply
Precious Pea,
Yahh, a bit too expensive!
Paul Tan,
:S
By Enoch on Aug 31, 2009 | Reply
Sad. Another good food place selling out its soul for the sake of getting a few extra customers.
Speaking of pork, though, have you tried Ribs @ Oasis? It’s good, hearty non-halal stuff
By RealGunners on Aug 31, 2009 | Reply
this is what happens when some punk ass morons with Bachelors in Commerce or Marketing or something comes home to take over family business, then comes up with the brilliant idea of expanding the business, and ultimately… screws up…
By Lydia on Aug 31, 2009 | Reply
WHAT HORROR!!! After 3 years in the UK, I lived for their curry meeee! Looks like I wont be going there anymore
By Cheesie on Sep 1, 2009 | Reply
yucks. that day i had kuey teow teng it was so bad i couldnt even finish it. and my friend’s char kuey teow was hotter than hanabero. or however u spell it.
By hazza on Sep 1, 2009 | Reply
I am familiar with places like these, but I unerstand how they might want to increase the clientele, at the expense of losing some. Profits does not always equal to good food.
By June T on Sep 1, 2009 | Reply
My experience from Taipan, Subang with my boyfriend. The food was lousy! lousy! lousy! I ordered the Meehoon Prawn Noodle (Darn Salty). His Char Kuey Teow looks so plain. Nothing to shout about. My drink Limau Barli is so cloudy and it looks like yesterday’s drink. We will NEVER EVER go there again for any meals. We will also NEVER recommend this place to any of our friends. STRIKE them OUT!!
By KY on Sep 1, 2009 | Reply
Enoch,
And I’m not sure if they manage to get any extra customers that way. Ribs? Not yet, will do that when I have the chance.
RealGunners,
Hahha very good analysis!
Lydia,
Very tragic! I know!!
Cheesie,
No point going there now lorrr
hazza,
At another location perhaps, but if you want to attract Muslim crowd, SS2 isn’t the place
June T,
Yah, out of my list already!
By thenomadGourmand on Sep 1, 2009 | Reply
MY first visit 2 mths ago was the 1st time and last time i stepped into tht place!
By beetrice on Sep 1, 2009 | Reply
went there recently and thought the food was just “meh”…managed to get shots of the menu since the staff were just rushing around and the tables and chairs were haphazardly placed everywhere there was a bit of space..can foresee disaster for any folks requiring physical assistance..
if they bring back the pork, maybe i’d consider going there again, but not otherwise…
By J2Kfm on Sep 1, 2009 | Reply
aiks, such a sour post and Happy Merdeka?
hehe, how ironic.
i wasnt sold on the concept of modernizing the outlet at all.
By taufulou on Sep 1, 2009 | Reply
wow, now it has turn bad ha..
i used to dine there quite often last year.
By snoop on Sep 1, 2009 | Reply
Went there one week after renovation/upgrade. Didn’t manage to order THE CURRY MEE as it has finished apparently (guess I didn’t miss much as there is no pork). Have to order something else as replacement. After eat when paying time, spoke to the lady boss. Apparently she receive quite a few customer comment/suggestion to upgrade the shop, and her “CONSULTANT” also suggested to change the style due to the business has come to bottleneck/stagnant…
By KY on Sep 1, 2009 | Reply
thenomadGourmand,
Can’t blame you.
beetrice,
Agree totally.
J2Kfm,
Hahaha, yah true, true!
taufulou,
Yah, same lor!
snoop,
change the style is fine, but change for the better instead of this change for the worse :S
By eiling on Sep 1, 2009 | Reply
why would they wanna make it pork free now? People knew that all these while that it’s not halal and it wouldn’t make a difference now! How silly…
By Jac on Sep 1, 2009 | Reply
I was there just yesterday.. around 1230pm! What a coincidence.. I actually don’t mind the CKT and rojak there.. Curry mee is alright too. It’s difficult to find decent CKT. And cleaner compared to coffeeshops..
By miss phe on Sep 1, 2009 | Reply
I went there a day after their renovation and was looking forward to trying the curry noodles everyone was talking about. it was definitely a disappointment, the contents were little for that kinda price and the taste is more terrible than the curry noodle i get in ss2 coffee shop. worst thing is i had a serious bout of food poisoning about 4hrs after i consumed their contaminated food! i know its the curry noodles because i did not eat anything b4 that =( those damned noodles caused me so much pain, not to mention my medication fees! now i cringe inwardly whenever i see the words ‘lorong seratus tahun’. i really really discourage anyone from eating there again.
By KY on Sep 2, 2009 | Reply
eiling,
Weirdest logic ever if you ask me. I don’t think it’s gonna work.
Jac,
True, but if you’ve had what they used to serve, you’d be disappointed.
miss phe,
Yahhh, I guess the search for a better place begins
By lotsofcravings on Sep 2, 2009 | Reply
aiyohh i didnt even get to try the non halal version..tat sucks..
By fattyjean on Sep 2, 2009 | Reply
i went to this restaurant many times before, like thier char keoy toew. but now…. price increase , food tasteless …
rojak need RM6.50 ++ …nothing special
so , i wont go bk AGAIN
By Paul Tan on Sep 2, 2009 | Reply
http://masak-masak.blogspot.com/2008/05/curry-mee-lam-mee-loh-mee-har-mee-desa.html
Here it says got pig’s blood.
By Yatz on Sep 2, 2009 | Reply
happy merdeka..that’s why..the concept of 1Malaysia isn’t getting ALL Malaysians to eat pork, but to get ALL Malaysians to go pork free!!!
By KY on Sep 3, 2009 | Reply
lotsofcravings,
Too bad!
fattyjean,
Yah, exactly how we felt
Paul Tan,
Thanks!
Yatz,
Blaaa nothing to do with 1Malaysia laaa lets not politicize
By jason on Sep 4, 2009 | Reply
KY is the man.
i will too, boycott pork free place
By KY on Sep 7, 2009 | Reply
jason,
Oh well, very tragic isn’t it!
By boon on Sep 20, 2009 | Reply
Looks like a usual practice of trying to widen market share but unable to retain those market which they already have. They try to get new customers but push their die hard fans away. What’s a bad move.
By KY on Sep 20, 2009 | Reply
Boon,
Yah, how disappointing, haih