Rojak is undoubtedly one of our favourite childhood snacks we still eat to this day. Not to be confused with the rojak mamak often found in other areas including Kuala Lumpur, Penang rojak typically refers to mixed fruit salad. Which is completely covered in a sweet shrimp sauce also known to some as “har koh”, the biggest novelty factor of this dish. To round this up, a few sprinkles of chopped or crushed peanuts are poured on top for a more wholesome fruity snack. While Gurney Drive has several stalls that have had a long standing reputation for serving some of the best Penang rojak in the country, the stall that’s able to create just as much buzz is 101 Rojak (Ho Wei Jeng), located in the Esplanade Food Court.
The rojak here stands out for a few reasons. For starters, the fruits and the sauces aren’t mixed together. For example, if you’re looking to have pineapple or turnip in your rojak, they’re served in slices as opposed to the cubed chunks regularly found in most rojak stalls. In the event the fruit can’t be easily sliced, it will be skewered. This is done intentionally to make sure no moisture seeps out of the fruits and causes any soggyness in the fruits or spoil the shrimp paste. The sauce is also known to be sweeter and less savoury than other rojak sauces, which is a welcome change for many. What’s even better is that the sauce is sold on its own should people want some to take home.
In short, if you’re looking for another Penang rojak destination besides Gurney Drive the 101 Rojak stall will fit the bill just right.
