Ho Jiak Melbourne – Junda’s Playground

Level 1, Rainbow Alley
Melbourne, VIC 3000
https://www.hojiak.com.au/melbourne/

In booking Ho Jiak Melbourne – Junda’s Playground, I had inadvertently made the mistake multiple people seem to have done. I know and love Ho Jiak from my time in Sydney, where the main branch in Haymarket served up slightly more upmarket versions of Malaysian classics. And if I had wanted the same, I should’ve booked Ho Liao – the casual restaurant on the third floor of chef Junda’s Melbourne empire. But you know what? Like Bob Ross famously said: there are no mistakes, only happy little accidents. Because frankly, Ho Jiak is great fun. The name truly gives the game away here. Though rooted in traditional Malay cooking, Junda has taken the age-old flavours and run with them, creating modern iterations that are equal parts intriguing and delicious. I was similarly a fan of the décor, which reminded me of an expensive hotel restaurant in Asia in the late 90s for reasons I can’t quite put my finger on. I think it might be the music.

Rating: 14.5/20 – gen z malay.
Noteworthy: attentive, knowledgeable service.

The Raw Spencer Gulf Kingfish ($9ea) is the ideal starter to whet the palate. Classic kingfish sashimi is given the Malay treatment by the addition of lemongrass and galangal-heavy Assam Laksa granita, its iciness keeping the bold flavours in check so as to not overwhelm the subtle fish.

The Ho Jiak Signature Laksa Bombs ($27) is definitely worth ordering. Combining the joys of both noodle soup and dumplings, these plump parcels encase a mixture of pork, prawn, and noodles within its silken wrapper, before being bathed in a smooth yet robust laksa broth, complete with crunchy sprouts and house-made sambal.

One of the more unusual fusion offerings on the menu, the Darwin Mud Crab Caesar Salad ($33) was a gamble that paid off. Think Caesar salad, except the croutons are crunchy bits of pork fat, the anchovies are replaced with hand-picked crab, and the eggs unexpectedly smoky. It’s then all drenched in a creamy dressing, spiked with the salty, umami flavour of Indomie seasoning. It shouldn’t work… but it all works so well.

On the more classic end of things is the Cantonese Roast Pork ($48), served wrap-style with fresh leaves and herbs, calamansi sriracha, and a phenomenal shallot sambal.

For carbs, do not go past the Malaysian Claypot Rice ($38). Yes we all know and love claypot rice, with its piping hot, crispy rice bottom. But that indulgent richness really gets turned up to 11 here, with the addition of woodland fungus and sweet truffle soy, all bound together by a gooey egg yolk. And the fried kale is not just for show either – it adds a welcome robustness to an otherwise simple dish,

The Pandan Lava Cake ($19) sounded good on paper, but somehow, along with the whiskey crème and gula melaka, failed to form a cohesive whole.

Frankly, I much preferred the complimentary Kueh, which boasted a delectable centre of crushed peanuts, brown sugar, and coconut.

To round things out, there are some great drinks on offer. I loved my Calamansi, Plum, and Bitters ($8) – a tangier and slightly more savoury version of the classic that pairs well with the richer dishes on offer. Alternatively, the Mango Tango ($12) is an apt choice if you want your drink to have main character energy. The sweet, floral notes of the tropical fruit get a grown-up twist with the addition of warm spices, and the wine foam adds a creamy mouthfeel that brings to mind a pina colada. I liked the concept of the smoked paprika rim, however the execution fell short. Though the flavour profile worked well, unlike salt, paprika doesn’t dissolve nicely in the mouth, but instead forms a sort of clumpy, powdery mess that detracts from the experience.