Just what is so specal about bak kut teh that politicians court potential embarrassment just to get a taste of it at this stall? This is the BKT stall which turned down Mr Donald Tsang's request for a bowl of the fragrant soup. Another local satirical site claims it kicked out Mr Thaksin Shinawatra after a disagreement over a bowl of innards...
Anyway, I can't understand why Mr Thaksin would come here for Ter Kah (braised pig trotters) because the ones I had in Thailand were so much better. The pig trotters here was not as soft as I expected it to be. It could be that this was a new batch and did not spend enough time in the braising sauce. 3.75/5
The soup was a peppery blast - typical of Teochew-style bak kut teh. Robust and spicy, it is guaranteed to clear your sinuses (if it doesn't, please see your doctor!). The garlic and pepper residue at the bottom of each bowl is evidence of how long the stuff has been boiled. Unfortunately, I did not manage to order the prime ribs that day and we ended up having off cuts, so the meat was a bit dry. I think the prime ribs would have been better. 4.25/5
Eating bak kut teh without tea would be blasphemy, wouldn't it? There is a good reason that it is called bak kut teh, it is literally "Pork Bone Tea" after all. It is believed that the tea's astringent properties neutralizes the fats/cholesterol from the pork fat and bone marrow.
Drinking tea is one of those things that the older people do that I have started to appreciate. You know you are getting older when you start enjoying the stuff that your grandparents used to enjoy when you were a kid. You know, things like drinking herbal stuff and chinese tea along with - horrors of horrors - rosewood furniture! (No, I am still not old enough to appreciate Rosewood furniture yet!)
Conclusion
Yes the Bak Kut Teh soup was very enjoyable but I am still left wondering if it is really worth risking one's reputation for?
Ng Ah Sio Pork Ribs Soup Eating House 208 Rangoon Road
Te: 62947545
Opening hours: 6am to 2pm; closed on Mondays
Leslie Tay is a guest contributor to AsiaOne Wine, Dine and Unwind. A self-professed foodie and amateur photographer, he has made it his personal mission to compile a picture archive of Singapore's culinary heritage. His blog, ieatishootipost, features many established hawker favourites which define Singaporean food culture. When he is not blogging he spends his time treating families in his clinic at Tampines Central Community Complex.
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The soup was a peppery blast - typical of Teochew-style bak kut teh. Robust and spicy, it is guaranteed to clear your sinuses (if it doesn't, please see your doctor!). The garlic and pepper residue at the bottom of each bowl is evidence of how long the stuff has been boiled. Unfortunately, I did not manage to order the prime ribs that day and we ended up having off cuts, so the meat was a bit dry. I think the prime ribs would have been better. 4.25/5
