I first learnt about Yang Yang Hong from my cousin, who told me the food was good. It’s been a while since I went back to Sitiawan, so my food radar needed an update.
Yang Yang Hong offers classic Hock Chew dishes on top of regular tai chow items for those who aren’t accustomed to the kind of food we eat. The Hock Chew dishes here remind me of what I used to eat whenever we stayed with my grandparents.
Red rice wine chicken soup
I used to (red rice wine chicken soup with mee suah) is a quintessential dish that we’d often eat, especially on special occasions like birthdays, Chinese New Year and homecomings. The flavour depends on the quality of the rice wine and the cook, and Yang Yang Hong does it well.
There’s a good kick from the ginger, and I like the flavour of the red rice wine used. It has a mild sweetness on top of the fermented notes, and the chef balances the savoury, sweet and gingery elements just right. Mee suah is nicely cooked so it retained a chewy bite.
Hock Chew tofu soup
Hock Chew tofu soup is one of the staples my grandparents fed my siblings and me when we stayed with them, so this dish holds a special place in my heart. Think of it as a poor man’s version of shark’s fin soup — hearty, flavourful and comforting. This place serves the best version I’ve eaten so far, and a dash of black vinegar really elevates the flavour.
Lam peh yoke (sweet and sour pork ribs with pickled mustard stem and yam)
Lam peh yoke (lan pai gu in Mandarin) is essentially a “mashed” pork ribs dish made with spicy pickled mustard stem and yam. It’s one of my favourite things to eat in Hock Chew cuisine and one that’s rare to find these days. Yang Yang Hong does a pretty decent version and even after freezing (I bought a few packs back to KL)the flavours didn’t deteriorate much.
Sweet and sour fish fillet
Sweet and sour fish fillet has a bold tangy-sweet flavour, so it’s best eaten with white rice. The kids and non-Hock Chews at our table enjoyed this, though I’ve never been a fan of the dish since I was a kid. I always picked the lam peh yoke over this.
Hock Chew lohbak
Hock Chew lohbak may look just like any other lohbak, but our version is more meat-forward (read: chewier) without as much five-spice powder. We usually eat this with Kampung Koh chilli sauce. It’s my first time coming across lohbak as a singular dish — it used to be served as part of the Four Seasons platter during banquets.
Sweet & sour fish maw soup
The chef at Yang Yang Hong makes a mean koh ru (sweet and sour fish maw soup). I dare say it’s even better than Lido (my previous favourite) and Bei King (which belongs to a relative of my late mother). The gravy is spicy enough, tangy and sweet, while the fish maw is cooked properly so it’s airy and soft.
Hock Chew oyster omelette
Hock Chew-style oh chien (oyster omelette) is usually deep-fried like a fritter, so it’s crispy and light with savoury notes from the oysters. I would have preferred a fluffier centre rather than a deep-fried omelette overall. Still, we all found it enjoyable.
Hock Chew chap chye
They also serve good Hock Chew chap chye which had depth in flavour. This reminded me of the chap chye my late grandmother would cook over charcoal fire so I enjoyed this a lot. Wok hei is strong, so you get a smoky aroma as you bite into the vegetables and glass noodle mix.
Stir-fried dragon’s beard (for the non-Hock Chews)
I ordered a packet of chai yu mee to try later that night and it was quite decent. This noodle dish is an acquired taste as it’s like a wet-fried noodle with plenty of gravy. Some places do it poorly, so the alkaline taste in the yellow noodles becomes very prominent. Yang Yang Hong balances the flavour with wok hei, so Jien and I both enjoyed it.
The bill was RM341 for all the above, including two more lam peh yoke and one chai yu mein (takeaway)
Overall, I like the food at Yang Yang Hong. While I didn’t try their non-Hock Chew dishes, I find their cooking style true to the Hock Chew palate — one that hits the spot for me. If you’re planning to go, keep an open mind because Hock Chew cuisine can be an acquired taste.
Also, just like most places in Sitiawan, don’t be surprised to see housefly paper traps on tables — it’s common.
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Ambiance: 5.5/10
Price: 7/10
Food: 7/10 (non-halal)
Verdict: They serve the best version of sweet and sour fish maw and tofu soup in Sitiawan so far.
Do you have a food recommendation? Tell us!
Yang Yang Hong Restaurant
No. 3, Taman Ria Jaya,
King Omar Street,
32000 Sitiawan, Perak.
Tel: 016-555 4713
Business hours: 6pm till 10pm
(closed Wednesday)
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