Ho Jiak Town Hall

Yeah we ordered a lot but did we almost smash all of it? Yes, yes we did. The service was SO GOOD?? We had multiple tables and the other table ordered some prawn noodle dish that we wanted to try so the waiter voluntarily went over and took the dish and scooped us some lol 5 stars just for that honestly. Standout dishes was the veggie one with fried leaves, super crispy. Duck was juicy and saucy, king prawn noodles were outstanding

I just had an incredible dining experience at this Malaysian restaurant. From the moment I walked in, the rich aroma of spices filled the air. I ordered the Coral Trout - Canto Steamed, Cantonese Fried Rice, Chilli Crab and Lobster Sang Mee, etc. All dishes were absolutely delightful. The flavors were authentic, and it truly felt like a culinary journey to Malaysia. The staff was attentive and offered great recommendations. I'll definitely be coming back for more and highly recommend this place to anyone craving genuine Malaysian cuisine!

Ho-Jiak Town Hall certainly delivered in the flavour department, particularly with their delectable satay and standout Pipi's dish. While I missed the traditional touch of glutinous rice cubes, the Hainanese chicken rice and Belachan Kangkung were solid options. We did have a late lunch (1.30pm) but we felt rushed with staff seemingly eager to close up shop, which slightly dampened an otherwise enjoyable meal.

Malaysian food can be simplistic, sweet as dessert, and greasy as a hangover cure. None of these are necessary, and this place shows you why. Sure, it is Malaysian, so you will get some sugar, spice and that's ok...they build a flavour profile that's the envy of lesser, and cheaper joints. The service is all pro and efficient as an electric bicycle. It's not a cheap eat, but neither is it overpriced. Even the eponymous beer is really excellent, though full priced at $13. All in all a solid choice.

Unfortunately this version of Ho Jiak misses the mark for me, especially when you want traditional and authentic Malaysian cuisine. A little bit of my Malaysian heritage dies inside when I see dishes like rendang hot pot, chefs special being KFC curry rendang, cola glazed pork ribs or Vegemite short rib… if this place was sold to me as fusion Malaysian instead of trying to be authentic then I’d understand. Essentially it is bastardised Malaysian food, catered for westerners (not even Malaysians raised in the west), this is not real Malaysian. My relatives from Malaysia would scoff at the menu! This is even before you look at the prices, which are exorbitantly high for Malaysian cuisine… but due to lack of options, this is what Sydneysiders are left with in Sydney CBD. So if you like expensive Malaysian food that is catered for a western tastes, then by all means it is your cup of tea. For me, it’s a hard pass and there are Malaysian restaurants elsewhere in Sydney if you’re willing to travel or open for lunch if you really want to satisfy your Malaysian cravings.