For a modern taste of Malaysia look no further than Ho Jiak in Sydney’s Haymarket. Founded by Malaysian born Junda Khoo, it’s a celebration of Nyonya and Hawker dishes with an Australian twist.

Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Best new cookbooks of 2024 See all stories. Since leaving a career in finance to open his first restaurant, Ho Jiak Strathfield, a decade ...

Junda Khoo, chef-restaurateur of Sydney’s Ho Jiak restaurants, says this version is a cross between Malaysian and Indonesian satay. It’s from his cookbook, also named Ho Jiak, which means “delicious” ...

On a recent weeknight, a young couple was ushered into the spacious dining room at Ho Jiak Junda’s Playground, Sydney chef Junda Khoo’s Malaysian fine-diner. The restaurant sits in the middle of his ...

Junda Khoo is a bit nervous about his new restaurant Ho Jiak. It’s not because of the inevitable financial risk – he and his business partner William Xie have been through all that before with the ...

Malaysian-born Junda Khoo’s Ho Jiak has four iterations across Sydney, including the hatted Town Hall restaurant. Now, Khoo has brought his thrilling brand of Malaysian cooking to Melbourne with a ...

When Amah by Ho Jiak opened in June, the Chatswood locals at the table next to mine were thrilled to have it in their neighbourhood. "We can come back any time we like," said one with glee. They can't ...

Deep-fried then fried again – this time in butter and the jammy yolks of salted duck eggs – Ho Jiak’s kiam ah nui kay might be Sydney’s most extravagant fried chicken. Every mouthful contains big, ...

Junda Khoo’s cooking is almost musical. That’s partly because Malaysian cuisine harmoniously balances the trinity of sweet-salty-sour, but also because the chef creates space to play. Khoo attributes ...

Every restaurant featured in the SMH Good Food Guide 2026 in metro Sydney. See all stories. Crazy-busy mix of amped-up street food, guaranteed good times and home-cooking. It’s hard not to have fun at ...