The best bak kut teh in Malaysia, according to local chefs

Local chefs share their go-to spots for the best bak kut teh

Just like many other local dishes, bak kut teh is a dish that garners many opinions from Malaysians. Some might like it Teochew-style, which has more pepper and garlic in the soup base, whereas some would favour the darker and fragrant Hokkien-style bak kut teh. There are also crowds who would prefer the increasingly popular dry style of bak kut teh as opposed to the traditional soupy version.

Bak kut teh plays a major role in the Malaysian-Chinese culinary culture. This was seen during the Malaysian Klang Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry's collaboration of five bak kut teh restaurants from Klang making the world's biggest bowl of Hokkien-style bak kut teh back in 2008. The bowl measured 182.88cm wide and 91.44cm tall, and contained 500kg of pork, 450 litres of bak kut teh soup base, and 50kg of herbs.

With an abundance of bak kut teh restaurants to choose from, we spoke to five local chefs to find out where to go to get their fill of their beloved bak kut teh.

1. Hing Kee Bak Kut Teh

Metro Prima

Above The dry version of bak kut teh is darker and thicker (Photo: Soh Yong Zhi)

"Hing Kee Bak Kut Teh is my favourite bak kut teh restaurant. For me, a bak kut teh meal must include both the dry and soup version. The soup version must have the fragrance of the herbs, but it can’t be overpowering. The dry version needs to have a nice char with the soy sauce, dry squid and chilli.

Side dishes also play an important role in a bak kut teh meal. You must have the yau char gwai (Chinese fried dough) and taufu pok (tofu puffs). The rice must be cooked with shallot oil. This particular shop has a nice yau fan (rice cooked with oil) and other side dishes such as braised chicken feet. Another reason why I like this restaurant is because that during my days in college, I often came here with chef Lee, who is the other half of Eat and Cook, and other coursemates."

–Soh Yong Zhi, Eat and Cook

"This place was recently named on Kuala Lumpur's Bib Gourmand list and I've been going here for a very long time."

–Aidan Low, Akâr Dining

Hing Kee Bak Kut Teh

Address: 121, Jln Kepong, Metro Prima, 52100 Kuala Lumpur

Map

Call

2. Ka Ka Bak Kut Teh

Kepong Baru

Above A full bak kut teh spread at Ka Ka Bak Kut Teh (Photo: @clthelow/Instagram)

"My pick is a little unorthodox, but it's the place I grew up with: Ka Ka Bak Kut Teh. It's a classic example of simple food done well. It's open until late at night, which is perfect for our after-hours meals and has a pretty decent fragrant onion oil rice. I used to go there during late nights and its rice always stood out to me."

–Lim Heng Kit, Li Restaurant

"The taste and service at Ka Ka Bak Kut Teh are unbeatable. The selection of items available is also impressive; I can't find any other restaurant that does kidney dishes so nicely. I always get both the normal soup and dry bak kut teh, drunken chicken, and of course, the kidney. Its dry bak kut teh is very fragrant.

I found this place by accident one day after visiting a clinic opposite the restaurant and it quickly became one of my favourite bak kut teh shops in Malaysia."

–Andy Choy, Chateau Dionne

Ka Ka Bak Kut Teh

Address: Jalan 1/32a, Kepong Baru, 52100 Kuala Lumpur

Map

Call