Restoran Tauge Ayam Lou Wong — Restaurant in Perak

Cantonese poached chicken or better known in Cantonese as 白切鸡 (bak cham kai) that literally translates to "white cut chicken" is a dish that sounds simple to make, but may take a lifetime to master. This place specializes in it, and when served with local bean sprouts and oily rice becomes the famous Ipoh chicken & bean sprouts rice.

There is always a discussion by the car occupants who are passing by Ipoh on whether to stop by for this dish, and an even more passionate discussion on whether to dine in Lou Wong or Ong Kee (both shops are situated diagonally across one another at the cross junction located in possibly the busiest eating district in town). In my opinion, they are both slightly above average at best, but were elevated by hype and tourism.

Back to the actual review; all the dishes were on the savoury side which is either good or bad depending on whether you are watching your salt intake or going for full flavor assault. I believe the same soy sauce and oil gets poured over the poached chicken, bean sprouts and offal (chicken liver and gizzards), so they have to rely on their natural flavors bring forward their individual nuances. The chicken is tender while the gizzards were perfectly cooked to retain their signature crunch without being too rubbery. The livers were also perfectly cooked, and retained their silky texture (overcooking makes them powdery) and irony taste which I love. The sprouts were juicy and sweet, and contrasted well with the sauce. The braised chicken feet were tender without falling apart, and had a pleasant Chinese herbal taste. The meatballs had an interesting spice added to it that surprised me upon my first bite (neither good not bad, just unexpected, and I've not figured out what it is yet), while the fishballs were decent.

Service is satisfactory with the server taking my orders quickly upon being seated, and the food arriving way faster than expected. Cleanliness is per expectations for an open air coffee shop. Expect to see slightly greasy floors and some stain on the walls from accidental sauce splatters by overeager customers. Tables are wiped down after every customer, so they are generally clean.

While they are not the best Ipoh has to offer, they will continue to be sought after by travellers passing by Ipoh. Unless you know an Ipoh local who's willing to let you in on the secret of where the locals go to eat, this is still a decent place to enjoy this...

Prior to this trip, I had this impression that Lou Wong is some kind of a chicken rice institution. However, coming from Singapore, having eaten far more plates of chicken rice than I care to remember, having eaten chicken rice in almost every country I've visited, and now trying this chicken rice, I've come to a conclusion that Lou Wong's reputation far exceeds the actual product.

Starting with the positives, I'm fairly certain they use kampong chicken, which is nice because you actually get to bite the meat (different texture and mouthfeel compared to the Sakura chicken). Also, Ipoh tauge/towgay is a class of its own - somehow they just seem fatter and crunchier. The staff here are seasoned veterans accustomed to handling large crowds - you won't get the VIP treatment, but neither will you be shunned... unless you behave like some entitled prima donna.

In terms of cooking skill and chicken doneness, I believe Singaporean cooks have a higher skill level. I don't know if Lou Wong does the hot-cold water treatment or if they're just rushing through orders, but the tell-tale sign is the missing gelatin (aspic) on the skin... and that 15% of the chicken we had on the plate was undercooked near the bone.

In terms of taste (of the sauce), the Lou Wong sauce is an odd combination of 45% sweet 55% savoury. For the moment, I think my taste preference leans towards Chiang Mai, KL/Johor, and Singapore, where the aroma of sesame oil and fried shallots is more apparent and balanced with the light soy sauce.

And much as I appreciate the gesture to cut the chicken to bite-size pieces, the cooks at Lou Wong should really sharpen their cleavers. There were many bone fragments in the chicken, and it's very annoying to have to tongue and spit every 3 to 5 seconds.

Avoid the toufu - it's not homemade, and the sauce is that same strange 45-sweet 55-savoury thing.

Conclusion: Been there, done that, got the T-shirt....

Restoran Lou Wong in Ipoh is famous for its tauge ayam, a local dish that combines poached chicken with bean sprouts and is often served with rice or kuey teow.

The restaurant has been around for decades and is considered one of the must-visit spots for this signature dish in Ipoh.

They are located on Jalan Yau Tet Shin, and the area is known for several tauge ayam restaurants, creating a bit of competition among them.

Other than their renowned tauge ayam, Lou Wong also serves a variety of other dishes like poached chicken, Ipoh hor fun, and their famous crunchy and fresh bean sprouts, which are sourced locally and are said to thrive in the unique mineral-rich water of Ipoh.

The tender, lean chicken meat is a favorite among many, although it may not be as tender as the ones you’re used to in Singapore, as they use free-range chickens which tend to have a firmer texture.

This is because these chickens are free to roam around, making the meat more muscular and less tender compared to commercially farmed chickens.

While I visited during off-peak hours and didn’t experience a long wait, it can get quite crowded during meal times.

If you’re planning to visit, it’s best to go early or be prepared for a wait. If you’re not entirely sold on Lou Wong, you could try Restoran Ong Kee, which is just a few steps away and also serves similar dishes. It’s a matter of personal preference as to which one is better.

Overall, while Lou Wong's tauge ayam didn’t quite meet my expectations, especially with the tougher texture of the chicken and the sweeter chili sauce, their bean sprouts were indeed fresh and crunchy.

If you’re in Ipoh and want to experience this iconic dish, it’s still worth a visit to form your...