Flight of Flavours

Because poached poultry counts among our nation’s favourite comfort foods, Emmilyn Yeoh goes north to compile the ultimate guide to chicken rice and hor fun in Ipoh

If you think that chicken is the same everywhere, think again! Our local food expert travels to Ipoh to sniff out the most iconic 'kai fun' and 'hor fun'

LOU WONG

It is impossible to miss Lou Wong, located smack in the middle of Old Town, what with its eye-catching yellow signage and girth—the restaurant occupies three whole shoplots! The 62-yearold restaurant is currently being run by the second generation, yet nothing has changed, as there’s no reason to. The poached chicken arrives supple, its glistening skin translucent, and is best eaten with oily chicken rice and sweet ginger chilli sauce. Lightly blanched and tossed with soy sauce and fragrant sesame oil, the crunchy and plump bean sprouts add extra oomph.

Ipoh Restoran Tauge Ayam Lou Wong 49, Jalan Yau Tet Shin, Taman Jubilee, Ipoh, Perak

Call 05-254 4199

NAM HEONG WHITE COFFEE

Nam Heong has come a long way since it was a single coffee shop on the corner of Jalan Bandar Timah and Persiaran Bijeh Timah. Initially renowned for their fresh-out-of-the-oven egg tarts and traditional white coffee brewed using three types of beans and palm oil, the franchise now spans multiple outposts across the Klang Valley, yet Nam Heong has still stayed true to its roots. A family favourite, Nam Heong lets you enjoy Ipoh’s popular hawker delights under one roof, from classic dim sum to silky smooth chicken hor fun. The latter is submerged in a comforting broth and topped with shredded chicken and plump prawns.

Nam Heong White Coffee

2, Jalan Bandar Timah, Ipoh, Perak Call 012-588 8766

No nga choy kai meal in Ipoh isn’t complete without short and stubby bean sprouts

COWAN STREET

Cowan Street is notorious for its erratic opening hours. It may feel like you’re tempting fate when you show up hungry to find it closed, but your failed trips will be worth the trouble the day you finally chow down on their delightfully tasty chicken. Another noteworthy dish here is the sar hor fun, which looks painfully plain, but packs a flavourful punch. Advocates of nose-to-tail dining can order the likes of stewed chicken feet—so tender that you can suck the flesh off the toes—and perfectly cooked innards.

Cowan Street Ayam Tauge & Koitiau Restaurant

44, Jalan Raja Ekram, Ipoh, Perak Call 012-520 3322

YOON KEE

Some three decades old, Yoon Kee is where one comes to live and breathe nostalgia. Deemed Tan Sri Michelle Yeoh’s go-to for her chicken rice fix, Yoon Kee is committed to the timehonoured craft of nga choy kai aka bean sprouts chicken. In this oldschool set-up next to Stadium Ipoh, juicy poultry is flavoured with ample oil and soy sauce. The sinful marriage between gelatinised chicken skin and succulent meat is further enhanced by a house-made chilli sauce that’s both garlicky and fiery.

Yoon Kee Bean Sprouts Chicken

23, Medan Selera Stadium Ipoh, Ipoh, Perak Call 016-440 3160

AH LOI

Don’t let the sad few hanging chickens and quiet premises deter you from paying this obscure establishment a visit. The poached chickens here have larger bones and a firmer bite, which shows the owners’ preference for roosters. Generously doused in sesame oil, soy sauce and white pepper, the birds are delicious paired with sar hor fun; the dry rice noodles are doused in a deeply delicious dark soy sauce. No nga choy kai meal in Ipoh is complete without short and stubby bean sprouts, sourced locally and blanched quickly, as the finishing piece to the delicious yet no-nonsense meal.

Restoran Ah Loi

125, Jalan Pengkalan Barat, Taman Shatin Baru, Ipoh, Perak Call 017-581 8912