Food Spot: Ah Sang Bak Kut Teh

When I took my first slurp of the bak kut teh soup at Ah Sang's Bak Kut Teh restaurant, I realized there are more to BKT than just pieces of greasy meat and a bowl of dark soup with enough oil and herbs to choke a herbal-intolerant person! Bak kut teh literally means pork bone soup and is a Hokkien (a dialect) term.

Over at Ah Sang BKT, the "everything-in-a-pot" concept is great, especially with the generous dosage of kum chum (local fresh golden mushroom) to top off the dish in this unique BKT meal. Along with pork, Chinese mushroom, and foo chook (fried bean curd skin), there are also leafy vegetables such as choy sum (Chinese flowering cabbage) to complement the herbal soup. The amount of herbs used for the soup is just right for my taste as well, although I am aware that many people find it a bit strong. I have to agree that, compared to other restaurants, the herbal soup at Ah Sang Bak Kut Teh is a tad bit strong. However, if you like your meal exciting, then you will find this simply perfect. If you cannot get enough of the soup, just ask for more. It's on the house! To add more zing to your meal, most diners like to mix garlic, dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, and chili padi (a small but powerful chili pepper) into a small condiment plate. Add a bit of this mixture to each bite. It is truly amazing!

When visiting Ah Sang BKT, make sure you go early. On weekdays, 12:00 pm to 12:30 pm would be the best times. Once, I was there by 1 pm but already, the yar char kwai (crullers) and garlic rice were all gone! Such is the popularity of this place.

Restaurant details:

Address:                
531, Jalan SS9A/12,                           
Seri Setia, Sungei Way,
47300 Petaling Jaya,
Selangor, Malaysia.

Tel/Fax: +6 03 7876 2299

Business Hours: 7 am - 2 pm daily (Closed on alternate Mondays)

Cuisine: Chinese

Price Factor: Moderate

Cleanliness Factor: 2/5

Service Level: 3/5