Lou Yau – Embark on a Malaysian Food Adventure Here!

Known to locals as Old Town, Ipoh charms with its street art and street food. I spent a week in this quiet town visiting many traditional coffeehouses, and heritage houses. My fondest memory was savouring many bowls of steaming hot chicken “hor fun” from different stalls.

In Ipoh, this dish is known as “nga choy kai”, which is Cantonese for beansprouts chicken. It is usually eaten with chicken rice or hor fun (soup or dry). Now, you don’t have to travel all the way to Ipoh just for this well-loved dish, because you can have it right here in Singapore, at Lou Yau.

SIGNATURE FLAVOURS FROM IPOH

Steamed Kampong chicken is served with bean sprouts, hor fun, homemade chilli sauce and a ginger spring onion dip on the side. This is Lou Yau’s signature One Person Set which costs $8.50. Lou Yau has been perfecting this dish since 2012, so you know you’re getting the real deal here.

At every Lou Yau outlet, there is a display glass that’s full of glistening kampong chicken. The chicken is imported directly from Malaysia, after going through a thorough selection process to make sure that they are of the best quality.

Weighing between 1.6 to 1.8kg each, Kampong Chicken, which is firmer and tastier, is bred naturally in healthier conditions, as compared to commercial breeds. As you can see, their skin has a distinctive yellow colour which farm-bred or commercially-bred chicken do not possess.

At Lou Yau, the chicken is boiled over gentle heat to ensure that the meat stays tender. Right after it exits the boiling pot, the chicken is submerged in an ice bath, which seals the moisture in the chicken, and gives the skin a glossy sheen. Once the chicken is ready, It is served with a bowl of dry/soup hor fun.

If you have been to Lou Yau, and have tried their chicken hor fun, you will know that the hor fun is silky smooth. The brand insists on using hor fun that’s imported from Ipoh, which is prepared with Ipoh’s unfiltered spring water to give it that smooth and silky texture. These noodles need virtually no chewing and slithers smoothly down your throat.

The combination of soy sauce, shallot oil, sesame oil, chicken oil, and garnishing of scallions and coriander makes the dish extra delicious. I like the soup version more. I can imagine myself craving for this on a rainy night. Nothing is more comforting than tucking into a bowl of hot noodle soup.

If you enjoy the silky smooth hor fun, you should also try Lou Yau’s Signature Hor Fun ($7.50) which is completed with handmade meat balls, minced meat and crispy fermented pork belly.

BOLD FLAVOURS IN PENANG

Prawn noodles have different names in various parts of the world. We simply call them prawn noodles, but in Penang, prawn noodles are called Hokkien Mee.

At Lou Yau, there is always a pot full of real prawn stock. Prawn shells, prawn heads and pork ribs are simmered for hours to produce the rich stock. On first sip, you will be struck by a tinge of spiciness, and a lovely sweetness. The mildly spicy noodle soup is topped with kang kong, egg, thin pork slices and pork lard. The Har Mee ($7.90) is robust, addictive, and incredibly satisfying.

The Assam Laksa ($7.50) here is sweet and tasty. You can find chunks of fish in the gravy. Ask for more prawn paste if you like your noodles to be even more flavourful.

TRADITIONAL FLAVOURS FROM KUALA LUMPUR

The herbal Hokkien-style Bak Kut Teh is most popular in Malaysia. It is made with numerous herbs, spices and a mixture of light and dark soy sauce. This sets it apart from the peppery Teochew-style Singapore Bak Kut Teh.

Lou Yau cooks their bak kut teh with traditional Klang bak kut teh herbs. Aromatic, and comforting, the Claypot Bak Kut Teh ($8.50 with rice) comes filled with chunks of pork ribs and pork belly, wolfberries, and enoki mushroom. What is great about this version is that the soup has less oil, and the herbal taste is intense, yet not overpowering.

We don’t see Lou Shee Fun much in Singapore but this is a popular dish in Kuala Lumpur, and definitely one of the must-eats when you are there. Serving it in a claypot keeps the dish warmer for a longer duration and gives it more fragrance.

Lou Yau’s Claypot Mee Tai Mak ($7.90) is topped with pork lard for extra flavour and a raw egg. I like that Lou Yau specially imports handmade Mee Tai Mak noodles directly from Malaysia. It is tasty, fragrant, and not mushy.

And, of course, you should round off your hearty meal with a glass of their homemade Luo Han Guo drink ($3.50) or refreshing Sour Plum Calamansi ($3.50). I prefer the former as it comes with winter melon and longan.

Lou Yau translates to ‘Old Friend’, a term that relates to the brand’s emphasis on building relationships and connecting people through good food and great memories. Lou Yau presents a wide range of authentic and signature dishes from various regions of Malaysia, such as Penang, Ipoh, Kuala Lumpur, Sarawak and Ampang. If you’re missing your time in Malaysia, or craving for your favourite Malaysian fare, Lou Yau is the place for you.

OUTLETS

Bedok Mall
#B2-28 Bedok Mall, 311 New Upper Changi Road, Singapore 467360
Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm

IMM
2 Jurong East Street 21, #01-K09, IMM Building, Singapore 609601
Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm

Sun Plaza
#01-27B, Sembawang Drive, Singapore 757713
Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm

Junction 8 (Ipoh Hor Fun outlet)
#B1-23 Junction 8 Shopping Centre, 9 Bishan Place, Singapore 579837
Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm

Changi Airport
Terminal 4, Level 2M, Departure Transit, International Food Hall
Opening Hours: 6am – 1am

Chinatown Point (Opening Soon)

Website: www.louyau.com.sg
Facebook: facebook.com/LouYau

This post is brought to you by Lou Yau.