小鱼号XIAOYUHAO Ipoh Octagon Brings China’s Famous Savoury Fish Soup to Ipoh
We were supposed to have a simple early dinner, but the moment we joined FB Live host Mohd Nizreal at 小鱼号XIAOYUHAO Ipoh Octagon, the sky outside suddenly opened up. It was the kind of slashing rain that makes you want to cancel everything and stay home.
Except… we were already exactly where we needed to be. Right in front of us were steaming bowls of sour and spicy savoury fish soup.
Honestly, it felt like the universe had the perfect plan for us. As we joked at the table, “With this kind of weather, there’s no better place to be than inside a cosy restaurant with a hot bowl of spicy/sourish soup.”
A Famous China Brand, Now in Ipoh
If you haven’t heard of 小鱼号XIAOYUHAO, here’s the fun part: it’s not a small brand at all. In China alone, they already have more than 800 outlets. Yes, 800.
This is the kind of comforting savoury fish soup people in northern China grow up drinking, especially when the weather turns cold: warm, sour, spicy, and deeply satisfying.
The good news is you don’t need to fly to China or even drive to the Klang Valley anymore, where the first Malaysian 小鱼号XIAOYUHAO is located, because it’s now right here in Ipoh.
小鱼号XIAOYUHAO Ipoh Octagon is located on the ground floor of Wisma Octagon (near the arch). Already in business for eight months, it is quietly building its fan base.
Fish, Chicken, Beef – All Boneless
Despite the restaurant name, it’s not just fish here. You actually get three main protein choices: fish, chicken, and beef. And the best part? All the meat is boneless or carefully deboned. So yes, there’s no need to stress over fish bones anymore.
As the saying goes, every bite is 啖啖肉 (Cantonese: daam daam yuk) – just pure meat, no fuss. That alone makes a lot of customers satisfied.
At first glance, the menu looks modest, with only about 30 items. Don’t be misled, though. The real magic is in how you mix and match everything.
Different fish types, beef, fatty beef, or chicken, then pair them with soup bases like:
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Then there’s the Iron Pot Series, where meats are cooked together with a selection of vegetables in one hearty dish.
Every visit can be different depending on how you choose your meal. It’s a bit like custom comfort food.
What We Ordered
There were three of us, and we wanted to try a little bit of “everything”:
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Of course, we had to try their signatures, especially the pickled cabbage fish soup and the mala grilled fish. Something rich, something spicy, and something crispy, but the sour-spicy balance was very addictive. Every dish has its own appeal.
Generous Portions & Unlimited Rice Refills
One aspect we all noticed instantly: the portions served here are seriously generous. Even when it says “for one pax”, it can easily be shared. And yes, if you order a bowl of fragrant rice, you can actually enjoy unlimited refills of the rice. This is good news because the soup and gravy are very 扯饭 (Cantonese: ce2 faan6). One can easily wallop two or three bowls of rice!
We were eligible for the free rice refill. However, we didn’t go for it – too replete already. Hehehe!
What’s surprising is that after so much soup, we were not thirsty later on. These kinds of strong-flavoured soups usually make you reach for water nonstop, but not here. Speaking of water, there’s also complimentary drinking water from the dispenser.
Spicy Warning: Green Sichuan Pepper Stir-Fried Chicken
The new item on the menu is Green Sichuan Pepper Stir-Fried Chicken. This one is serious business, and we are not joking. It’s spicy, fragrant, numbing, and absolutely fiery. It will make your scalp perspire. Don’t play-play! Order this only if you can handle spice. Otherwise, don’t say we didn’t warn you.
In general, at 小鱼号XIAOYUHAO, spice levels are adjustable, or you can skip spice entirely. And if you really cannot take heat at all, go for the tomato-based soup. That one is comforting, slightly sweet, and very easy to enjoy – kids and the elderly swear by it.
Shockingly Fast Service
Here’s something we didn’t expect: the whole table of food came out in under 10 minutes. This isn’t fast food, and everything is freshly cooked.
While eating, we noticed how smooth the whole operation was. Behind the glass-panel kitchen, everything is very systematic. Ingredients are weighed carefully before cooking, so every dish stays consistent.
It’s not random cooking but a proper system. That’s why every bowl has consistent flavour.
Just Sit, Eat and Unwind
Besides yummy food, the restaurant itself is comfortable, with good ventilation, a clean layout, and a peaceful dining vibe. It’s the kind of place you can:
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One important update is that 小鱼号XIAOYUHAO Ipoh Octagon is currently in the process of applying for Halal certification, so that’s definitely something to look out for in the near future.
As we left the restaurant, the rain had stopped. Two hours flew by just like that with delicious food and great conversation.
小鱼号XIAOYUHAO Ipoh Octagon
Add: L1-06, Wisma Octagon, Jalan Raja Ekram, Taman Jubilee, 30450 Ipoh, Perak.
Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/xZpjQ4p38B8BEBwJ9
Business hours: 11am – 10pm daily
Hotline: +60183125125
