Hong Kong Bar, Penang

Travel2015

Jun 21

Written By Alice .

For the first time after five years of living in Penang, I finally step foot into Hong Kong Bar at Chulia Street. For this, I thank a friend, Simon Penny, because without his and his friends' postings on social media, I wouldn't have noticed this super cool, old-fashioned (but in a very good way) bar.

I took the bus, stopped at the Jetty and walked my way to Chulia Street. I was greeted along the way by some locals thinking I'm a foreign tourist. And then…I found it! The Hong Kong Bar is the corner shop. I stepped into this unassuming bar and it’s love at first sight for everything looks so vintage and old-school. Also, there's no air-conditioning, so please come in light clothing...

The nice cold beer, the lovely hosts Jenny and Peter, the oldies music, all that history displayed on the wall, I just sat there and took them all in. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes was playing in the background. And then Only You... came on. Side chit-chat: Jenny thought I’m Japanese.

Hong Kong Bar (HKB) is a family-run business going a long way back since 1955 and has always been a popular spot for servicemen from the RAF/RAAF Butterworth days. I read from the Internet that there was a major fire at the bar in September 2004, which gutted much of the interior and destroyed the old photo books.

HKB's walls are lined with plaques and photos, mementos left by the servicemen of their many hours spent in the bar. I asked Jenny—she’s such a wonderful and sweet lady—if I may take photos, and she was like, take all the photos you want! Yay! I also asked Jenny if I could step behind the bar counter to get a wider shot of the wall and she was totally accommodating. By this time, I was already in love with her.

The bar soon filled up with every chair, bench and nook taken, so I ‘disturb’ Jenny less and less so that she can do her thing.

Jenny took out some photo albums and I spent a good hour browsing through them. Hong Kong Bar has a custom of keeping photos of all its customers. Lots of really good looking men in the pictures. What a perfect way to spend an afternoon over a few beer! I signed the guestbook too. My handwriting's awful...

When I say Jenny is really nice, I mean she is REALLY nice. I was blessed with a bowl of hot “sai yong choi” (vegetable) soup oozing with home-cooked goodness. Delicious! Perfect to go with the yam rice she cooked. What a dinner treat!

I left the bar at about 7:30 PM or so. Thank you so much, Jenny, for the wonderful hospitality. I will see you and Hong Kong Bar again (and again).