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 iconic dish.