Hao Ji Bean Sprout Chicken (豪记怡保芽菜鸡) @ Lorong Selamat, Georgetown, Penang.

** Update: Unfortunately I was informed that Hao Ji Bean Sprout Chicken has moved out to Bukit Mertajam and has ceased its operation here in Penang branch since beginning of April 2014**

While Chicken Rice can be a common sight at most food courts and hawker centers in Penang but strangely, it is not an easy task to find a decent Ipoh Hor Fun with Chicken and Bean Sprouts. Once again, Penangites are blessed with more choices, especially with the opening of Hao Ji Bean Sprout Chicken. As the name would imply, Hao Ji serves only Ipoh Hor Fun, Chicken (with rice), Bean Sprouts and some of their home-made Yong Tau Fu. Overall, I thought the foods we had were slightly above par and with that wallet-friendly price tags, I will definitely make another trip back here for more. Hao Ji Bean Sprout Chicken (豪记怡保芽菜鸡) is located at Lorong Selamat, two houses away from Coya Vegetarian House and walking distance from New World Park. 

The star dish of the day has got to be this Ipoh Hor Fun (Plain- Rm 2.20), deceptively simple but the real draw of this dish was the extra touch Prawn Oil for the seafood sweetness and ocean wholesomeness. You know you are in the right place when you see Prawn Oil in your Ipoh Hor Fun. The broth was deftly seasoned and beautifully cooked as well, a dish that goes perfectly well with the Chicken and Bean Sprouts. 

Their Chicken (Rm 7/ quarter bird) was well-executed, with silky smooth and tender meat, brilliantly drenched with premium Soy Sauce. We had Chicken Thigh, it felt a little too oily to my liking, I would certainly prefer Chicken Breast. Nevertheless, the Chicken goes well with their lip-numbingly hot home-made Chicken Rice Chili Sauce. 

A quintessential complementing dish for the Ipoh Hor Fun and Chicken- Blanched Bean Sprouts (Rm 2.50), these short, fat and juicy little sprouts were cooked till perfection with absolutely crunchy texture, then drizzled over with some Soy Sauce. Quite an ordinarily-average dish and definitely nothing to shout over. 

Their home-made Yong Tau Fu (Rm 1 per piece) is amongst some of the add-ons available. Diners are more than welcome to choose their preferred cooking style- be it deep fried or blanched; the Yong Tau Fu will then be served together with their clear soup. I was particularly enamored for their Deep Fried Aubergine Yong Tau Fu and Bean Curd Skin, they were beautifully cooked with generous filling of their home-made Fish Paste. The Fish Ball, on the other hand, was rather bouncy but it comes with a mild unpleasant fishy stench, I guess that should be counted as an evidence to proof that the Yong Tau Fu were really made-in-house. 

Ratings:

Taste: 7.5/10 (1-3 bad, 4-7 average, 8-10 good)

Price: 8/10 (1-3 expensive, 4-7 average, 8-10 cheap)

Service: 7/10 (1-3 bad, 4-7 average, 8-10 good)

Parking: 5.5/10 (1-3 bad, 4-7 average, 8-10 good)

Ambiance: 7/10 (1-3 bad, 4-7 average, 8-10 good)

Service Charge: No

Government Tax: No

Additional Information:

Address: G-6A, Lorong Selamat, 10400, Georgetown, Penang.

Business Hours: 11am to 9pm. Closed on every Monday.

Contact Number: 6012- 428 8066