Balik Pulau Pekan Laksa Coffee Shop

Balik Pulau corner coffee shop laksa (2 February 2013)


Balik Pulau Pekan Laksa Coffee Shop (GPS: 5.35192, 100.23578) is a coffee shop in the town or pekan of Balik Pulau, Penang. I call it by that name because of its popular laksa stall. The coffee shop faces the junction of Jalan Balik Pulau and Jalan Tun Sardon.

The laksa stall at this coffee shop offers both laksa asam (aka Penang Laksa) and laksa lemak. You can also order the combo bowl where the gravy of both laksa are combined. That is my favourite.

The laksa at Balik Pulau Laksa Coffee Shop is one of my favourite laksa in Penang, that is, until 23 June, 2013. Unfortunately, the laksa stall now earns a black mark from me, proving once again that all stalls are only as good as the next order.

Visit on 12 May, 2018

Service lately has improve somewhat, and we were able to get our laksa without having to wait a very long time. I think prices have also increased. Done were the days when Balik Pulau was a sleepy village and only a few of us know about its laksa.

Balik Pulau Coffee Shop Laksa (12 May 2018)


My wife enjoying the laksa in Balik Pulau (12 May 2018)


Here I am at Balik Pulau enjoying the laksa at the corner coffee shop. (12 May 2018)

Bad Service at Balik Pulau Laksa Coffee Shop

On that day, we arrived to find that the coffee shop was quite crowded. There were people a few people waiting to be seated. As we have already had our lunch, my wife went to order two packets to go. Instead she was told, "Oh, you need to wait over an hour. At least one and a half hours!"

We pointed out that, considering its impossible to serve people who haven't gotten their tables yet, and there aren't many people ordering to go, surely we could get our orders without having to wait till those eating in get theirs. Instead we were told that we have to wait out turn, whether ordering to go or eating in.

We find the reasoning ... well, unreasonable. Over one and a half hour, for two packages of laksa to go. So we left.

It is unfortunate that hawkers become stuck-up once they get popular. Nonetheless, if they are concerned about getting too popular, I am always willing to oblige helping them become less so.

The problem, here and in many other "too popular" stalls, is that the hawkers do not invest thought in expediting orders. In the case of the Balik Pulau Laksa, we see that they have pre-arranged the noodles and vegetables in bowls and plastic bags. With that prepared, they only have to scoop the laksa gravy. How long do you need to scoop one bowl of gravy? What they should have done is to separate the eat in and to go orders, as is done by McDonald's, with their drive-thru windows. What way, customers ordering to go does not have to join the queue with those eating in. Alas, these hawkers never learn, and hence will pay for their lesson the hard way.

Balik Pulau laksa from the corner coffee shop (2 February 2013)


Balik Pulau stall, before it changed location to a different spot in the coffee shop (2 February 2013)


The Balik Pulau laksa in 2008 (24 May 2015)

Balik Pulau Laksa Coffee Shop is on the Map of Balik Pulau, Penang

List of Coffee Shops in Penang and Coffee Shops in Malaysia