After our little kueh kueh tea break at Moh Teng Pheow Nyonya Koay, we visited a Penangite Chinese friend to check out her very pretty ‘Secret Garden’.
Checking out a local resident’s secret garden
She didn’t just have green fingers but I thought she was really creative to use/recycle everyday items such as flip-flops, boots, fan cover, rice cookers, etc as gardening accessories. The whole presentation of the garden was done up very nicely.
Trying the popular Hock Seng Rojak King at Macallum Street
After marvelling at this interesting garden, we made our way to a nearby residential estate where the famed Hock Seng Rojak was.
Somewhere on Gat Lebuh Cecil, you should be able to spot this pushcart with a queue. Macallum Street Night Market that operates on Monday evenings is only a short distance away.
Looking at Google Map, there seems to be another rojak seller nearby so make sure you look out for the right banner and go to the correct one.
Hock Seng Rojak – Operating hours
Hock Seng Rojak opens for business from 3.30pm to 8.30pm (or till sold out) on Wednesdays to Sundays. They are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Honestly I’ve never seen a rojak paste as thick as this. I believe this special concoction is the element that makes Hock Seng Rojak different from others.
Their rojak came in three sizes: Small RM7, Medium RM10 and Large RM14. We got the Medium one which was good enough for 2 persons to share.
Besides the thick and gooey paste, another thing that was unique about this rojak was the addition of dried shrimps on top.
The ingredients included an assortment of fruits and vegetables like green mango, jicama, cucumber, guava and pineapple. There were also you tiao and cured cuttlefish.
A party in your mouth
I must say the rojak paste was really extraordinary in terms of its taste. It was like caramel infused with shrimp paste flavour. On the sweet side but when combined with the rest of the ingredients, this rojak really tasted fantastic. Every mouthful was like a party of flavours. There were tanginess, sweetness, savouriness, nuttiness and a hint of spice from chilli. The dried shrimps added a touch of umami too.
Textures wise – outstanding. Crunch from the peanuts and vegetables. Crispiness from the you tiao. Juicy fruits. Wow. Really didn’t expect their rojak to taste like this. What an unexpected surprise!
The you tiao was worth a further mention. It was probably double or triple fried till firm and crunchy. And when paired with that rojak sauce, it really reminded me of ma hua 麻花 (candied fried dough twists).
Final Thoughts
I wouldn’t compare Hock Seng Rojak with the regular fruit rojak that most of us are familiar with. This rojak is like a completely different recipe which I think everyone should give a try when in Penang. It just opens up another experience for the tastebuds. Though I wish their rojak sauce can be a little less sweet (as it can get sickly if you eat too much), but I think it’s difficult to do so because it’s all about that deep and rich caramelised flavour. And in order to achieve that, they have to use lots of sugar, lol. Nonetheless, I give my two thumbs up for Hock Seng Rojak. It’s a rojak on a different level. A must try!
Closed on Mondays & Tuesdays.