LEBUH Keng Kwee is usually thronged with visitors who come for the Penang Road famous Teochew cendol during the day but is quite deserted at night.
But the short street which runs from Penang Road to Kuala Kangsar Road in George Town, about 200m in length, came alive tonight as the Heritage Night Market opened to a fairly good crowd despite the wet weather.
Komtar assemblyman Teh Lai Heng, who launched the night market, was happy to see the turnout and congratulated organiser Kevin Yap and his team at the Rimba Events.
“I hope this three-month pilot project will proceed smoothly and be successful so that it will continue after the pilot project is over,” said Teh, who is also the political secretary to Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow.
“What makes this night market different is that it includes themed events that will be changed on a regular basis. This will give the market a different flavour every time you visit. For the opening week, apart from live music performances, there will also be a Chinese orchestra performance.
“If this is successful, we will open up more night markets in other streets. I ask the vendors not to worry. In Hong Kong and Taiwan, there are a lot of night markets going on at the same time. Like them, we want our night markets to complement each other, not to compete against each other.”
Teh, who was welcomed by a lion dance performance, later visited the stalls with Francis Lai (the representative of the property owner of Lebuh Keng Kwee), Penang State Art Gallery chairman Lee Khai, Kevin Yap and his organising committee members.
Visitors were spoilt for choice from the wide array of food and drinks available. There were stalls selling fried dumpling, Korean mozzarella cheese hotdog, nyonya kuih, Taiwan oyster mee suah, traditional snack, muah chee, Boba toast, pop corn, cookies and cakes.
For those who were thirsty, there were stalls selling coconut drinks, herbal tea, dragon fruit juice, air mata kucing, avocado and soursop drinks.
There were also stalls selling silver jewellery, hats, T-shirts, shorts and pants, and paper airplanes and boats.
Two Australian couples – Noel Buswell and Suzanne, and George Beattieg and Christine – were seen enjoying some drinks and food together at one of the tables.
“The performance by the Chinese musicians is very entertaining and colourful. We’re amazed by the culture. We’ve have staying in Batu Ferringhi for a couple of days and when I read that there would be a night market here we decided to come,” said Buswell, a retired 63-year-old army man. He came across the news from Penang Free Sheet website.
Suzanne chipped in: “Of course, we come here for the food.”
Beattieg, who arrived in Penang today with Christine, said he was taking a four-day break from Singapore where he is working as a chemical engineer.
“It’s a bonus for us. We didn’t know about this night market. I am making use of the Raya holidays and this is my first visit to Penang,” said Beattieg, 56.
On May 19, the opening ‘Supper at Batu Lancang’, was launched by Batu Lancang assemblyman Ong Ah Teong at the open-air car park of the market.
This event, likened to a pasar malam food truck, is on every Saturday night from 7pm on a three-month trial period.
The Heritage Night Market at Lebuh Keng Kwee is, however, held on every Saturday and Sunday night.
Story by K.H. Ong
Pix by Alissala Thian
