PETALING JAYA, July 25 -- Each time I think of char kway teow, I often wonder what makes this simple dish so magical to its avid fans, so much so that they're willing to patiently wait for a freshly fried plate.

Everyone judges it differently but essentially it's a collective of textures as it's fried up in a searing hot wok, where slippery, charred rice noodles tumble with crunchy bean sprouts, juicy prawns, barely cooked cockles, creamy duck egg and chives.

This stall in PJ Old Town, a favourite of many since 1988, meets the brief, making it one of my go-to places when the craving for char kway teow in me strikes.

Friendly Tee Yoon Seong is a master of the wok, getting the textures right including the all- important cockles.

At most...