AN 'OLD FRIEND' INVITES YOU TO SAVOUR NEW AND MUST-TRY MALAYSIAN DISHES

‘Lou Yau’ is Cantonese for ‘old friend’, and just like a comfortable relationship that has stood the test of time, this fast-casual restaurant specialising in recreating authentic Malaysian dishes will warm the hearts of even the pickiest eaters. Launched on 30 October 2019, the refreshed menu – with its new and must-try dishes – has been deftly curated to include dishes that are comforting, much-loved, culinary essentials eaten regularly by Malaysians, and sought after by Singaporeans when they visit Malaysia. Lou Yau is a one-stop destination for food from different Malaysian states.

Lou Yau’s attention to detail is key to creating an experience of real Malaysian flavours for its customers, where even the most unassuming of ingredients like the hor fun is imported from Ipoh and is made with mineral-rich underground spring water.

Owned and managed by Select Group, Lou Yau first opened its doors in 2012 and now has a total of seven outlets that are strategically located in each corner of Singapore – centred in the bustling Chinatown and spreading out to the serene heartlands. Lou Yau’s outlets are reminiscent of old coffee shops ubiquitous in Malaysia with textured, wooden floors as well as wooden chairs and tables that set diners at ease in a relaxed setting.

Head Chef Tan Goon Mun from Puchong, Malaysia expounds on his passion for sharing a piece of home with customers in Singapore, “The food in each Malaysian state has a different taste, and at Lou Yau we are committed to recreating the signature dishes of each state. We achieve this by using quality ingredients, some directly from Malaysia, and constantly working to maintain a consistent and authentic flavour. Lou Yau is a special place where Singaporeans can gather under one roof to try food from all over Malaysia.”

Spring Water Hor Fun
Lou Yau’s hor fun is not like any other. Produced in Ipoh the hor fun comes in fresh three times a week to maintain optimal freshness and quality. Rice is ground and steamed with mineral-rich underground spring water from the mountainous regions of Ipoh to make this famed hor fun, which breathes into each strand the raw flavours of the Malaysia landscape and creates an unparalleled smoother and tender finish.

The spring water hor fun is used in many of Lou Yau’s dishes to create as closely as possible the same taste found in Malaysia – Char Kway Teow with Prawn ($6.50), Kai Si Hor Fun ($6.50), Curry Hor Fun with Kampong Chicken ($6.90), Signature Hor Fun ($6.90) and One Person Set (Hor Fun Soup/Dry/Rice) ($8.50).

THE NEW ENTRIES

Char Kway Teow with Prawn ($6.50)
The spring water hor fun is used in the Penang-style Char Kway Teow with Prawn, where it is fried with soya and fish sauces that seep deep into the fibres of each the noodle. Generous portions of fresh prawns, cockles and lap cheong peek out from under this glorious brown heap. *Unavailable at the Bedok Mall outlet

Char Kway Teow with Prawn ($6.50)

Big Bowl Curry Mee ($7.50)
Probably one of the messiest meals you’ll ever have from Kuala Lumpur, the Big Bowl Curry Mee has everything piled on top of each other – bee hoon and yellow noodles, kampong chicken, brinjal, long beans, roast pork, cockles, fried bean curd skin, tau pok, bean sprouts and a meatball – and is then filled with so much curry that a saucer has to be placed under the bowl to collect the spillover. It is truly a dish made for Instagram.

Big Bowl Curry Mee ($7.50)

Chilli Pan Mee ($6.90)
A staple dish in the Kuala Lumpur supper scene, each mouthful contains a few chubby strands of wheat flour noodle coated with Lou Yau’s homemade chilli sauce, the bright yellow of the yolk of a broken soft-boiled egg and bits of minced pork.

Chilli Pan Mee ($6.90)

#liftingnoodles

Penang Cendol ($2.50)
A popular dessert in Penang – Lou Yau’s Penang Cendol comprises light green tendrils of cendol, naturally coloured with pandan juice, crowding the peak of a small mound of crushed ice. Between both those layers is a sticky, viscous black-brown sauce concocted from melting down pure gula Melaka cubes imported directly from Malacca.

Addresses of Lou Yau Outlets:
Chinatown Point #B1-52A, 133 New Bridge Rd, Singapore 059413 (opened 2013)

Bedok Mall #B2-28, 311 New Upper Changi Road, Singapore 467360 (opened 2013)

Changi Airport Terminal 4 Level 2M, Departure Transit, International Food Hall (opened 2017)

IMM #01-K09, 2 Jurong East Street 21, Singapore 609601 (opened 2012)

Junction 8 #B1-23, 9 Bishan Place, Singapore 579837 (opened 2013)

Oasis Terraces #01-12, 681 Punggol Drive, Singapore 820681 (opened 2019)

Sun Plaza #01-27A, Sembawang Drive, Singapore 757713 (opened 2018)

Opening Hours: 11am-10pm (Changi Aiport T4 outlet: 6am to 1am)