We were glad to hear that popular Malaysian hawker eatery Ho Jiak has expanded from its original Strathfield location to Haymarket and headed over on a Friday night to check it out.
We were surprised to find that we were not seated in the main dining area which you see when you enter from the street, but rather were taken out of the bustling restaurant and up a staircase next door to a spacious upstairs dining area which is decked out in a colonial-era Malaysia style fit out (complete with vintage ceramic tiles and wallpaper).
First up, we went for the deluxe option for Ho Jiak’s famous Indo Mee Goreng by getting their lobster version. For the premium price, there were just enough chunks of the chewy crustacean thrown in amongst the springy fried noodles which are coated in an addictive sauce that was full of umami flavour thanks to the wok-char on it.
Lobster Indo Mee Goreng, $38
We followed this up with the Kam Heong Razor Clams – we don’t see this distinctive looking shellfish on Sydney menus very often (we last had it in Italy and Portugal) and thought they tasted nice stir fried with the fragrant Kam Heong sauce featuring dried shrimp and belachan (a chilli shrimp paste).
Kam Heong Razor Clams, $25
Moving on from the seafood, we tried their Kapitan Kay which is a dry chicken curry cooked with Nyonya flavours, which are Chinese Malaysian style herbs and spices such as galangal, lemongrass, turmeric and garlic. We found this dish to be not quite as moreish as the others we had, but still tasted decent with the aromatic chicken rice we ordered to accompany it.
Kapitan Kay, $25
It’s no secret that we are big fans of Malaysian cuisine and love that it is becoming more popular in Sydney. Ho Jiak’s Haymarket outpost makes it easier for us to get our fix of authentic flavours and their extensive menu here means that there’s something for everyone. Their spacious annex upstairs makes it a great spot for group gatherings and the good news is that they take bookings.
Ho Jiak
92 Hay Street, Haymarket NSW 2000
Phone: (02) 8040 0252
