Restoran Pao Xiang Bak Kut Teh @ SS 15, Subang Jaya

It may be a common thing for a fast food chain to bloom up like a mushroom after the rain. However, for a Chinese food like Bak Kut Teh to bloom up so quickly under the same name is a very occasion, if not none.

Be it franchise or under the same owner with multiple branches, Pao Xiang Famous Tied String Meat Bak Kut Teh indeed is an emerging brand name of Bak Kut Teh that has itself established since 2006. Ranging from shop outlets to even shopping malls, Pao Xiang Bak Kut Teh has 19 outlets in Malaysia to boast with. Until only recently, I've decided to give Pao Xiang Bak Kut Teh a try with Zoe at the outlet located in SS 15, Subang Jaya.

Restoran Pao Xiang Bak Kut Teh in SS 15, Subang Jaya

The setting of the outlet is very much on the traditional side with wooden chairs, marble tables and Chinese calligraphy gracing the layout.

A resemblance of an ancient Chinese restaurant setting

Their menu

In contrast to the Bak Kut Teh that are always served in claypot, Pao Xiang Bak Kut Teh maintain the traditional form of serving - in a ceramic bowl.

The traditional way of Bak Kut Teh serving

Bak Kut Teh is best enjoyed when the soup are served piping hot. However, this is not achievable if they were serve traditionally. However, Pao Xiang Bak Kut Teh came out with a brilliant idea to counter this, by heating the ceramic bowl beneath with fuel wax. The constant heating were appreciated as the soup will not lose it's heat but can only get hotter.

Fuel wax to heat the ceramic bowl beneath

When dining in Pao Xiang, we cannot order a bowl of Bak Kut Teh that consist a mixture of different parts of the meat and intestines. At Pao Xiang, each bowl of Bak Kut Teh consisted of the only same part of meat or intestines. Having said so, if you want to enjoy 3 different parts of the meat, you will have to order 3 bowls that each consist a different type of the meat.

Sum Chan Bah aka Pork Belly (RM 9.50 per bowl)

The soup were very thick, flavourful and have a strong presence of herbal aroma. Upon after each mouthful of the soup, it gave you an experience that resembles a layer of oil lingering in your mouth due to the thickness of the soup. As for the meat, I really appreciate the huge chunks of pork belly that consist a good balance between meat and fat.

Teng Kia aka Pork Intestines (RM 9.50 per bowl)
The intestines were so chewy and well-infused with the strong herb taste of Bak Kut Teh. Another plus point is that there were not any unpleasant taste from the intestines.

Pork Stomach Intestines (RM 9.50 per bowl)

One of my favourite intestines and this didn't disappoint. The intestines were serve in a very large and thick pieces, offering a good chew. It came in a very generous portion as well.

It is always good to order a pot of tea to compliment your Bak Kut Teh. According to my dad, the tea will cleanse our digestive system after an oily meal especially Bak Kut Teh.

Cha Wang Tea (RM 5 per teabag)

The total amount for the bill came to RM 37.50 which inclusive of rice and 5 % service charge(guess it is the only Bak Kut Teh stall that imposed such charges). With the quality of ingredients and the generousness of the serving, I find the the food were reasonably priced. However, I find the Pao Xiang Bak Kut Teh soup and the taste were just too thick for my liking. Perhaps, it only suits those that really love the thick and a strong presence of herbal aroma in their Bak Kut Teh soup.

Atmosphere: 6/10

Food: 5/10 (non-halal)
Price: 5.5/10
Verdict: Only for those who love to enjoy thick Bak Kut Teh soup!

Pao Xiang Bak Kut Teh
SS 15 Outlet
No 56, Jalan SS15/4
Subang Jaya
46500, Petaling Jaya
Selangor
Tel: 03 - 5621 1779

Ka Ka Bak Kut Teh @ Metro Prima, Kepong

Talk about Kepong, any food lover will not discount this place from the list of food havens. In fact, there is so many food stalls serving good food in Kepong that one will be spoilt by the choices available here.

Recently, I was at Kepong with Esther and her boyfriend for a catch up session with my buddy, Eddie who flew back for a short break from Sabah. Initially we opted for a western dinner, however due to the stall relocation, we decided to go for the Kepong most famous Bak Kut Teh, Ka Ka Bak Kut Teh.

Kedai Makanan Ka Ka Bak Kut Teh

It is not hard to locate this stall as Ka Ka Bak Kut Teh is situated along the busy road of Jalan Kepong, overseeing Carrefour Metro Prima across the road. You will notice a long stretch of tables and seats filled with crowds along the road. Though they offer a lot of seats here, however the crowd outnumbered the seats and you will need to be patient for your seat especially during the peak hours.

Extremely crowded especially during the peak hours

The Bak Kut Teh station

We only waited for less than 15 minutes for our food to be served after our orders were taken. I admit that I am amazed by their efficiency considering the amount of huge crowd that were dining in.

Yam Rice
Flavoured rice that come with some chunks of yam. Pretty fragrant and opt for this rice if you are a lover of yam!

Oil Fritters

As the claypot of Bak Kut Teh is being served to the table, I thought we were having a vegetarian version. Just look at the enormous amount of the lettuce.

Comes with a generous amount of lettuce

Ka Ka Bak Kut Teh (RM 10 per pax)
Unlike the Klang version, the soup here tasted way clearer but it did not compromise on the flavour. The herbal aroma is not too strong yet distinctive enough for a decent taste of Bak Kut Teh. Definitely suits those who prefer a milder taste of herbal in the soup.

A claypot full with goodies
Our 4 pax of servings came in a very generous portion that have the claypot filled to the extent that it was almost spilled out.

Everyone has their very own preference of a good Bak Kut Teh and that applies to me as well. Some people might find Ka Ka Bak Kut Teh is the best Bak Kut Teh, but as for me I find it pretty decent only. It is simply because I prefer a slightly thicker version of Bak Kut Teh, one that have a stronger herbal presence.

Atmosphere: 4/10

Food: 5.5/10 (non-halal)
Price: 7.5/10
Verdict: Mild version of Bak Kut Teh with a thin aroma of herbal!

Kedai Makanan Ka Ka Bak Kut Teh
Corner Shop
Jalan 1/32a, Jalan Kepong (Overseeing Carrefour Kepong Metro Prima across the road)
Taman Kepong
Wilayah Persekutuan

Restoran Chuan Chiew Bak Kut Teh @ SS 14, Subang Jaya

I'm a big fan of Bak Kut Teh and I'm sure that my close friends knew about this fact. The best thing about Bak Kut Teh is that each stall has it very own unique recipe of preparing the soup.

Since I ate Bak Kut Teh at least once a week, I'd almost completed my Bak Kut Teh eating experience at the SS 14 area. Another favourite Bak Kut Teh stall in SS 14 of mine is Chuan Chiew Bak Kut Teh. This stall is amongst one of the few that first started the Bak Kut Teh business in the SS 14 area.

Restoran Chuan Chiew Bak Kut Teh

Bak Kut Teh is best eaten when the soup is steaming hot. Chuan Chiew serves it even in a better way, sizzling hot and you can still see the soup bubbles popping up. Watch out for your hand though!

The soup that is still boiling

Chuan Chiew Bak Kut Teh (RM 9 per pax)
Amongst all the stall in SS 14, the soup here has the slightest hint of tong guai, an essential Bak Kut Teh herb that gives the taste of tangy bitterness in the soup. The soup taste might be on the milder side but it still offer the hint of Bak Kut Teh aroma. I'd always come here when I was craving for some not too herbal thick Bak Kut Teh soup. However, if you are a fan of herbal thick Bak Kut Teh soup, then you might find the soup are too heavily flavoured by soy sauce.

They do serve the dry version of Bak Kut Teh as well.

Dry Version Bak Kut Teh (RM 9 per pax)
A decent dry version but tasted slightly bitter. Could have been better should they reduced some proportionate of the dark sauce in the gravy.

A meal for 3 person with 2 pax of Bak Kut Teh with rice would cost in between the range of RM 20 to RM 22. A very reasonable price for a very reasonable taste of Bak Kut Teh. Another plus point I liked about this stall is the great customer service shown by their workers there.

Atmosphere: 5/10

Food: 6/10 (non-halal)
Price: 6.5/10
Verdict: The taste of a decent Bak Kut Teh with less tong guai herb!

Restoran Chuan Chiew Bak Kut Teh
18, Jalan 14/2
Subang Jaya
47500, Petaling Jaya
Selangor
Tel: 03 - 5633 0629
Business hours: 8am -10pm daily, Closed on Tuesday.

Restoran Ah Ping Bak Kut Teh @ SS 14, Subang Jaya

Yes, it's another Bak Kut Teh post. Not in Klang but merely at my next neighbourhood area SS 14 in Subang Jaya. Needless to mention more as this area is famous for stretches of Bak Kut Teh Stall.

This time round, I patronized the used to be old favourite Bak Kut Teh stall of mine. Named as Ah Ping Bak Kut Teh, this stall has been in operation for decades in this neighbourhood area.

Restoran Ah Ping Bak Kut Teh

I recalled my first time being here was during the time when my parents brought me over. However, due to their not so value for money servings, it has been more than a year since my last visit here.

Since 1989

The owner preparing the BKT

The stall is one of the few famous one in the SS 14 area. Be sure to reach early to avoid disappointment of not getting the favourite parts for the Bak Kut Teh.

Popular with the crowds

I like my Bak Kut Teh to be consisted of pork belly, pork chunks, some ribs, intestines, golden spore mushrooms and tau pok. It was less than 10 minutes before my pot of Bak Kut Teh being served to the table.

Claypot Bak Kut Teh (RM 9 per pax)
The soup pretty much appeal to my taste bud. It was neither too thick nor too bland, offering the right hint of herb that suited well to my preference. The soup was not bitter at all, but instead was fill with some sweetness. The serving was a little generous too compared to the old times where they used to be kinda stingy with the servings.

The price list

Usually the price of 2 pax which includes rice and drinks will cost slightly above RM 20, in the region of RM 20- RM 25.

After a long absent from visiting the stall, the taste from it very much reminds me of my first visit here with my parents. Back then, it was good but then slowly deteriorating till we changed our choice of Bak Kut Teh stall. The question is, can the taste be maintained on my next visit?

Atmosphere: 5/10
Food: 7/10 (non-halal)
Price: 6/10
Verdict: Used to be my old time favourite but the stingy servings last time resulted me to change my preference BKT stall.

Restoran Ah Ping Klang Bak Kut Teh
42, Jalan 14/2
Subang Jaya
47500, Petaling Jaya
Selangor

GPS Coordinates: N3 04.366' E101 35.456'

Restoran Chuan 100% Klang Bak Kut Teh @ SS 14, Subang Jaya

It is well known among the Subang Folks that SS 14 is a place that are fills with Bak Kut Teh stalls. Some may have been there for years, whilst some may have only been there for months.

Located at the row of the SS 14 shoplots, this Restoran Chuan Bak Kut Teh complete the stretch of the Bak Kut Teh stalls. I have known the existence of this stall for some time but have yet to try it until I finally decided to.

Restoran Chuan 100 % Klang Bak Kut Teh

On my second visit, it was after the lunch hours. Better at this kinda of time because it offered a quieter ambiance to enjoy my Bak Kut Teh.

Besides Bak Kut Teh, they do serve other dish as well, namely Chicken Wine Soup and Steamed Fish Head. I have yet to try any of their specialties but would love to when there is a larger group of people.

Their specialties

The station to prepare BKT

A pot of Tau Pok

Oil Fritters (RM 1 per plate)
Extra snack during the BKT meal. Best to dip in the soup.

What's your flavour?
I'd always like to have both minced garlic and cili padi to go with my BKT. I'm not a fan of garlic until I try them with BKT, and yes, I'm addicted to garlic since.

I don't really need to wait long for my BKT to serve even it was during the peak hours of lunch or dinner time. At most 15 minutes, and a claypot of BKT will be served right on the table.

Restoran Chuan 100 % Klang BKT (RM 9 per pax)
The soup is not as thick as those being served in Klang. But I liked it this way, as the soup is clearer in taste but still offer adequate herbal taste accompanied by the appropriate sweetness. It is good to note that the soup were less oily as well.

This stall served the dry version BKT as well. For those that wondered what dry version is all about, the BKT ingredients are being stir fried instead of being served in the soup. You will find most of the dry version BKT consists of cuttlefish and ladyfingers.

Dry version BKT (RM 9 per pax)

The gravy is thick, well flavoured and coated the ingredients perfectly. You will have no complain if you are a fan of dry version BKT.

Unlike most BKT stalls practice, they don't chunk in the big bones to make up the BKT. The portion of their servings are very generous too. It's a standard practice for me to order 2 pax when I'm having it with my parents. 2 pax of BKT which inclusive of rice and drinks would not breach the RM 20 mark and it feed us full.

Atmosphere: 5/10

Food: 7/10 (non-halal)
Price: 8/10
Verdict: Decent Bak Kut Teh with a huge portion. Value for money!

Restoran Chuan 100% Klang Bak Kut Teh
66, Jalan 14/2
Subang Jaya
47500, Petaling Jaya
Selangor

GPS Coordinates: N3 04.366' E101 35.424'

Ah Wang Bak Kut Teh @ Old Klang Road

Right after the chilling session, we headed to Old Klang Road for supper. Man, by this time the clock was already showing 2am. The fact is that we should not eat anything by this time knowing that it was too late for any food. However, our taste bud and cravings got the upper hand.

Been hearing Hock Beng mentioning about this stall weeks ago and supposedly they were famous for their Steamed Fish and Bak Kut Teh.

The road signboard was the famous landmark for this stall

The stall was located just by the busy road of the Old Klang Road. You could see a long stretch of an erected hut canopy from the road side.

Even though it was at 2am, the place was still fairly crowded. This really proves that Malaysians just love food.

While at 2am

We ordered a Sicap Steamed medium size fish head. After 25 minutes, the fish was being served on the table.

Black Bean Sauce Steamed Sung Fish Head (RM 24)
This style of steaming was called the Sicap style in Cantonese. The gravy was heavily flavoured with black bean sauce and drizzled heavily with chili padis and garlics. I find the sauce was too salty and it lacks the sweetness. Making things worse, the fish smelled kinda fishy and with some hint of "muddy" taste.
Was it because of the Kilkenny or maybe the fish was not that fresh? Honestly, I don't really enjoy eating it. I kept on eating it to check whether do I have a problem with my taste bud on that night. But in the end, I suppose it was the fish.

Bak Kut Teh (RM 8 per pax)

Their soup was very clear and not thick. It is not the same version as those being served in Klang area. The soup was mildly flavoured but the hint of the Bak Kut Teh herbs was still there. Those that dislikes thick BKT soup will definitely love this version. However, the servings portion for 2 pax were rather small.

We paid RM 47 for the dishes above that includes 4 bowl of rice and Chinese tea. The fish was just very average but the Bak Kut Teh really stands out. However, I do felt very thirsty and keep on gulping water after the meal. Since I'm a person that am very sensitive to heavy usage of MSG and would result in extreme thirstiness, I suppose they used a lot of MSG in their dishes!

Steamed Fish: 5/10 (non-halal)
Bak Kut Teh: 7/10 (non-halal)

Atmosphere: 5/10

Price: 6/10
Verdict: The fish was forgettable but the Bak Kut Teh was really memorable!

Ah Wang Bak Kut Teh
Batu 4 1/2, Old Klang Road
Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 013-228 2288 / 016-234 1319

Teluk Pulai Bak Kut Teh @ Taman Intan, Klang

I was accompanying Kien Wai traveling to Klang to submit his marathon thingy on one Sunday. By the time he finishes, it was near to 12pm. He asked me to recommend him some great food at Klang. Well, I'm not really familiar with Klang area, and honestly the food that I thought of was Bak Kut Teh at Taman Intan.

This was my third time being here. I remembered my first time being here was somewhere near the end of 2008 with my buddy Chee. Then, somewhere near the end of last year, I was here again with my ex colleagues for an early brunch.

As usual, the business was unsurprisingly good and was packed with people. The flow of the people were like an endless water supply, with crowd leaving and were replaced by another new crowd. There were no empty table were spotted.

Hugely popular with the crowd
Accordingly, this is the most popular Bak Kut Teh stall in Taman Intan.

On the way to the washroom, you will passed by an area where you could see the workers all busily preparing the Bak Kut Teh like the machines. Their movements, chopping skills were swift and smooth, just like the machine!

The ever busy stove!

Nothing beats Chinese Tea when it comes to Bak Kut Teh, so a pot of it for the two of us.

Tit Guan Yin Chinese Tea

Bak Kut Teh

The soup was very thick and rich with herbal smell. All the meat were well infused with the herbal smell of BKT. It gave you an after taste aroma with some stickiness of the pork oil lingering in your mouth. However, it was not one of my preferred BKT though as I find the soup was too thick for my likings.

The total bill came to RM 33.80 which includes 2 pax of BKT, a pot of tea and 2 bowl of rice. Honestly, I find the price was a little too pricey considering the fact that the portion of their servings were stingy! At it's price, I could get my preferred BKT for 3 pax at a place near to where I stay and with bigger portion!

The next time I'm in Klang, I would prefer to visit the stall just right beside it.

Atmosphere: 5/10

Food: 6/10 (non-halal)
Price: 5/10
Verdict: Worth a visit only if you like very thick soup of BKT. Otherwise, nothing really great after all especially their expensive price.

Restoran Teluk Pulai Bak Kut Teh
32, Jalan Batai Laut 5
Kawasan 16, Taman Intan
Klang, 41300
Selangor

Restoran Weng Heong Bak Kut Teh @ Taman Intan, Klang

We were suppose to have dinner at Baby Seafood. Unfortunately, the shop was close during our visit and we opted for Bak Kut Teh since we were at the heart of it. Furthermore, we were very hungry after landed at the jetty and it does not allow us to be a little bit more adventurous with food at that moment.

The shop was located at Taman Rasnah, a popular place that was filled with lots of Bak Kut Teh stall. This is my very first visit being here.

Oil Fritters
Usually being served first and best to go with a dip in the soup of Bak Kut Teh.

Tau Foo Pok
It feels great when the tau foo pok were bursting with soup upon each bite.

Blanched Lettuce with Oyster Sauce

Bak Kut Teh
The soup was thick and was full with flavour. Even though it has a strong taste of herbs, the soup does not lack of sweetness, making it very addictive from a sip to another sip. The meat and intestines meanwhile were well-infused with the strong herb taste of Bak Kut Teh.

Multiple layers of a pork intestine
The pork intestine were stuffed over and over again with the same intestine. I reckon they repeat the process more than 7 times resulting to a thick intestine that was very chewy. You will love this if you are a fan of pork intestine.

'Cha Wang" Chinese Tea

Obviously, it was good to drain some oil with some Chinese tea.

The total bill costs us RM 98.70 for 6 pax of Bak Kut Teh which includes rice as well. The price was very reasonable taking into the account that the portion were indeed quite generous and for Klang standard because Bak Kut Teh here were pricey. Personally, I preferred this stall than the more popular Teluk Pulai stall, situated just beside it. Would definitely love to be back here if I ever frequent the Klang area.

Atmosphere: 5/10
Food: 7/10 (non-halal)
Price: 6.5/10
Verdict: One of the most reasonably priced BKT in Klang. And the pork intestine were superb!

Restoran Weng Heong Bak Kut Teh
28, 30, Jalan Batai Laut 5
Kawasan 16, Taman Intan
Klang, Selangor
Tel: 012-3824408