Clarissane reviews: Heng Kee Bak Kut Teh, PJ Old Town

We Malaysian Chinese love our pork! You cannot live without pork once you’ve tasted it.
(heck, I know of some Muslim friends who swear by it!)

I cannot agree more. Pork is utterly divine. Char Siew, Siu Yoke, Bak Gua .. all the finest food in life all made out of pork! How can one resist? :p
(although i clearly know it contributes to the waistline)

Quite hidden in the nooks of the oldtown PJ area is this delicious bak kut teh stall. Bak Kut Teh is basically pork cooked with tea herbs and spices that helps bring out the aroma of the pork. A good Bak Kut Teh lies in the taste of its soup. If this fails, everything fails.

Got there slightly before 8pm and the place was already quite packed with pork-loving enthusiasts like me :D

Service was prompt, even with the large crowd. The bosses themselves go around to take orders and collect money.

We started off with a plate of vegetables. Lettuce with fried garlic, RM8. One cannot really go wrong with vegetables given how simple it is to cook them.

And then came the best part: the Bak Kut Teh of course! I know of some places which serve Bak Kut Teh in huge claypots to share but this place serves it in individual bowls at RM9 per serving. It is very reasonable given the amount of pork given (about five huge pieces in a bowl) and is way more hygienic especially if you go with friends. The portion is just right for one person but if you are a big eater, you would probably need more. We noticed this man in the next table polish three bowls of it by himself! :O
(which very well mean that it is THAT good, or he’s just pure greedy)

Here, you can also request which cut of pork you prefer and I usually have their Nui Kut (the softer parts of the pork near the ligament) as its more tender hence brings out the flavour of the soup even more when it melts in your mouth. They also have spare ribs, innards, intestines and all those other side dishes from the pig.

And of course, KL-style, Bak Kut Teh is incomplete without Yau Char Kwai, RM2 or Fried Crullers. It would be nicer if it was crispier though, I think they left it out too long in the open.

And with the Tofu Pok, RM4 to wash it all down!

One thing i must commend about this place: they are quite generous with the soup. I’ve been to some other Bak Kut Teh joints that show you an unhappy face when you ask for extra soup. With every serving of Bak Kut Teh here, they give you an additional small bowl of soup as extra, FOC. We even asked for more soup towards the end of our meal and they gladly gave us two :D I could just drink the soup alone and I’d be a happy kid already! ^^

Oh, and fret not I don’t think they use much MSG here as I think I drank quite a lot of soup but did not really feel very thirsty even after a few hours, which is good :)

If you’re an avid lover of Bak Kut Teh, trust me, you gotta give this place a go. My dad swears by this place – he says its the best in town and no place else can beat! Our total bill came up to RM47 for four people, with rice and drinks. With reasonable prices, what more can you ask for? :D

Address:
16, Jalan 1/10 (Old Town)
46000 Petaling Jaya.