Ho Liao
Level 2, 235 Bourke St (Entrance via Rainbow Alley), Melbourne VIC 3000
03 8637 0889
Asian
$$
Food
- Chicken Laksa lunch set
- Teh Tarik
- Chicken Wing
- Pickled Vegetables
The Good
Unfortunately, while there were some solid foundational flavours at play today, no single item was executed well enough to earn a spot in this section without significant caveats.
The Mediocre
The Chicken Laksa as a lunch set was very flavourful, boasting a broth full of creamy, coconutty curry that struck a good balanceโnot too spicy, but not too mild either. The portion size was also generous and decent. However, the dish was let down by the execution: the chicken was clearly repurposed from their Hainan Chicken Rice rather than being cooked in the laksa, making for a weird texture and flavour mismatch. To top it off, the broth simply wasn’t served hot enough.
Teh Tarik had a really nice, silky, and frothy texture that you look for in a good pulled tea. Sadly, it was a bit too sweet for my liking, and much like the laksa, it suffered from a lack of temperature control and wasn’t hot enough.
The Bad
Sides, namely Pickled Vegetables and Chicken Wing were simply not worth it and are an absolute avoid. The pickled vegetables were very average and lacked punch, while the chicken wing was terribly overcooked and dry.
The Verdict
Overall, Ho Liao has a great vibe and the kitchen clearly knows how to build a flavourful broth, but the execution on our visit was lacking. Repurposing ingredients in a way that compromises the dish and serving lukewarm soup are fundamental missteps for a lunch service. I’d need to see some serious temperature control and attention to detail on the hot line before rushing back.
Would Penguin Eat Again?
Maybe.