After collecting my passport at ICA (near Lavender MRT station) and a futile procurement attempt at Textile Centre, Zhuzhu and I decided to head towards Arab Street as directed, for more textile options and not forgetting lunch since we haven't been feeding our bodily temples the whole morning. As luck would have it, we chanced upon Leong Kee, a Bak Kut Teh stall (321 Beach Road) tucked in a corner of Sultan Gate. Well... Bak Kut Teh, literally Pork Rib Tea, is one of the most popular Malaysian Chinese dish everywhere.
Why call it Tea when it's obviously a Soup? Because it's originally served with tea to eliminate the oiliness in the food. It basically comes in peppery or herbal versions. Klang is particularly famous for Bak Kut Teh where you can find many hawker stalls selling Bak Kut Teh in its many variations. And the chef here happens to cook it in Klang style.
So we stopped our food hunt, sat down and ordered Bak Kut Teh and Braised Pork Trotters. I was thinking, eww... trotters are so greasy and cholesterol-high. But I was absolutely WRONG, not considering its cholesterol content. Braised in herbs and spices to perfection, it literally fell off the bone and melted in the mouth. Not greasy and ultra tender! Their Bak Kut Teh is a unique concoction somewhere between the clearish peppery kind and the thick herbal version. Not too spicy with a pleasant herbal taste. Ribs are tender and succulent. Claypot was generously topped with beancurd skins and lettuce, accompanied with jasmine rice to complete a hearty, wholesome meal. Next time you pass by Bugis, put in some footwork and make a 10 min walk down to Leong Kee. You won't regret it!
