Bak Kut Teh Hin Hock 兴福肉骨茶 in Tampoi, Johor Bahru

Hin Hock bak kut teh 兴福肉骨茶 is famous for its BKT (of course) and also for their awesome steamed fish. I have been wanting to blog about Hin Hock bak kut teh for a long time and finally made it today, thanks to my JB friend Foong.



It's easy to miss Hin Hock bak kut teh because this weather beaten sign is inconspicuous and usually partially hidden by parked cars. The dining area is also difficult to spot when one is just driving by. (Anyway, Hin Hock is moving soon to new premises but it will just be nearby.)



Ah Hock has been running Hin Hock bak kut teh for over thirty years with his wife and is now assisted by his son (in the background).



Foong and I shared this steamed tilapia fish. It was the best steamed tilapia I have ever tasted whether in Malaysia or Singapore. The whole large fish half submerged in a drippy sauce was smothered in a blanket of savoury fried garlic and chopped spring unions. The tender fish was juicy and meaty, and there was not even the slightest hint of fishiness. Between ouhs and ahs... Foong and I finished this fish pretty fast.



The sauce was savoury and not overly salty. The sauce tasted so delicious, it was drinkable to me. Hin Hock reminded me of the legendary Chan Sow Lin steamed fish in KL which was my favourite when I was living there for a few years. (Of course, Chan Sow Lin's signature is their steamed Song fish head.)



The success of Hin Hock is based on one simple little secret - fresh fish from Pontian.



Customers get to pick and choose the fresh fish they want like it is in a fish market.



The other secret is this fried garlic.



Ah Hock's son dousing the fish with generous doses of Hin Hock's signature sauce and piled in huge heaps of fried garlic and chopped spring unions.

The cooking area which is out in front is a frenzy of activity.

 

Ah Hock making bak kut teh for the large lunch crowd.



Serving the braised pork knuckles.



Ah Hock cutting the pork.



Perfectly done three layer belly pork.



Cooking the popular tofu.



Pig's tail boiling in a clay pot.



Ah! Shall come back for this awesome steamed Ikan Merah and other great food below at Hin Hock.



The simmering braised pork knuckles in a clay pot.



Sweet potato leaves.



Tofu.

Hin Hock bak kut teh is a 5 out of 5-star eatery. If you are a steamed fish fan, come and try it and I am confident that you too will be impressed. I will be going back to Hin Hock bak kut teh soon to try their other dishes and blog about it :))



Restaurant name: Kedai Bak Kut Teh Hin Hock 兴福肉骨茶
Address: Jalan Dato Mohammed Seth, Tampoi, Johor Baharu
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/E29uq
GPS: 1.496813,103.702429
Hours: 08:30am to 3:30pm (Mondays off)
Non Halal

Date visited: 19 Apr 2013

Hin Hock bak kut teh 兴福肉骨茶 is famous for its BKT (of course) and also for their awesome steamed fish. I have been wanting to blog about Hin Hock bak kut teh for a long time and finally made it today, thanks to my JB friend Foong.



It's easy to miss Hin Hock bak kut teh because this weather beaten sign is inconspicuous and usually partially hidden by parked cars. The dining area is also difficult to spot when one is just driving by. (Anyway, Hin Hock is moving soon to new premises but it will just be nearby.)



Ah Hock has been running Hin Hock bak kut teh for over thirty years with his wife and is now assisted by his son (in the background).



Foong and I shared this steamed tilapia fish. It was the best steamed tilapia I have ever tasted whether in Malaysia or Singapore. The whole large fish half submerged in a drippy sauce was smothered in a blanket of savoury fried garlic and chopped spring unions. The tender fish was juicy and meaty, and there was not even the slightest hint of fishiness. Between ouhs and ahs... Foong and I finished this fish pretty fast.



The sauce was savoury and not overly salty. The sauce tasted so delicious, it was drinkable to me. Hin Hock reminded me of the legendary Chan Sow Lin steamed fish in KL which was my favourite when I was living there for a few years. (Of course, Chan Sow Lin's signature is their steamed Song fish head.)



The success of Hin Hock is based on one simple little secret - fresh fish from Pontian.



Customers get to pick and choose the fresh fish they want like it is in a fish market.



The other secret is this fried garlic.



Ah Hock's son dousing the fish with generous doses of Hin Hock's signature sauce and piled in huge heaps of fried garlic and chopped spring unions.

The cooking area which is out in front is a frenzy of activity.

 

Ah Hock making bak kut teh for the large lunch crowd.



Serving the braised pork knuckles.



Ah Hock cutting the pork.



Perfectly done three layer belly pork.



Cooking the popular tofu.



Pig's tail boiling in a clay pot.



Ah! Shall come back for this awesome steamed Ikan Merah and other great food below at Hin Hock.



The simmering braised pork knuckles in a clay pot.



Sweet potato leaves.



Tofu.

Hin Hock bak kut teh is a 5 out of 5-star eatery. If you are a steamed fish fan, come and try it and I am confident that you too will be impressed. I will be going back to Hin Hock bak kut teh soon to try their other dishes and blog about it :))



Restaurant name: Kedai Bak Kut Teh Hin Hock 兴福肉骨茶
Address: Jalan Dato Mohammed Seth, Tampoi, Johor Baharu
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/E29uq
GPS: 1.496813,103.702429
Hours: 08:30am to 3:30pm (Mondays off)
Non Halal

Date visited: 19 Apr 2013

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Hwa Mei 华美 亚B Bak Kut Teh in Johor Bahru

Hwa Mei 华美 亚B bak kut teh is in an inconspicuous part of Johor Bahru that attracts little, if any tourist traffic at all. Still, Hwa Mei 华美 亚B bak kut teh is full house everyday.



Hwa Mei 华美 亚 B bak kut teh is a very old name in Johor Bahru BKT. This shop has its roots 50 years ago in the push cart stall at the car park at the old Sungei Segget.  



Today, Hwa Mei 华美 亚B Bak Kut Teh is run by Johnny, the third generation owner and his wife.



At Hwa Mei 华美 亚 B BKT, the entire process of cooking the bak kut teh is done with charcoal fire which requires constant attention to both the fire and the meat.



Hwa Mei 华美 亚 B bak kut teh is the only shop in Johor Bahru that still insists on using charcoal for all its cooking including cooking the rice and even just boiling the water for tea. Sticking to the traditional way for three generations, little wonder then that Hwa Mei's regular customers said that the tastes and flavours at Hwa Mei BKT hasn't changed.



This, of course, is the star at Hwa Mei 华美 亚B Bak Kut Teh. The meat was tender yet still had sufficient firmness for a bouncy bite. The firm meat was clinging to the bone yet tender enough to fall off with a light tug with the teeth.



The meat was naturally sweet and had a subtle, lovely porky flavour.



The broth was very mildly herbal and was savoury with slight saltiness. It was not overly greasy and I was comfortable enough to drink it all up. At Hwa Mei 华美 亚B Bak Kut Teh, customers can ask for soup top ups :)



This braised tofu was tender, spongy and heavily loaded with the braising sauce.



The savoury braising sauce gushes out with every bite of the tofu. Don't bite into this too fast if you don't want the braising sauce running down the corner of your mouth :P



Another customer's pork soup. This made my mouth water and I must come back for this soon.



The simple menu and price list are prominently displayed on the wall.

For those who are using public transport, Hwa Mei 华美 亚B Bak Kut Teh is about 10 minutes walk from JB CIQ building.

Restaurant name: Hwa Mei 华美亚B Bak Kut Teh

Address: 146, Jalan Lumba Kuda, Bukit Chagar, Johor Bahru

Map: http://g.co/maps/f2esq
GPS: 1.460851,103.767564
Hours: 08:30am to 2:00pm (Monday off)

Non Halal

Dates visited: 31 Dec 2011, 17 Apr 2013, 4 Sep 2013

Hwa Mei 华美 亚B bak kut teh is in an inconspicuous part of Johor Bahru that attracts little, if any tourist traffic at all. Still, Hwa Mei 华美 亚B bak kut teh is full house everyday.



Hwa Mei 华美 亚 B bak kut teh is a very old name in Johor Bahru BKT. This shop has its roots 50 years ago in the push cart stall at the car park at the old Sungei Segget.  



Today, Hwa Mei 华美 亚B Bak Kut Teh is run by Johnny, the third generation owner and his wife.



At Hwa Mei 华美 亚 B BKT, the entire process of cooking the bak kut teh is done with charcoal fire which requires constant attention to both the fire and the meat.



Hwa Mei 华美 亚 B bak kut teh is the only shop in Johor Bahru that still insists on using charcoal for all its cooking including cooking the rice and even just boiling the water for tea. Sticking to the traditional way for three generations, little wonder then that Hwa Mei's regular customers said that the tastes and flavours at Hwa Mei BKT hasn't changed.



This, of course, is the star at Hwa Mei 华美 亚B Bak Kut Teh. The meat was tender yet still had sufficient firmness for a bouncy bite. The firm meat was clinging to the bone yet tender enough to fall off with a light tug with the teeth.



The meat was naturally sweet and had a subtle, lovely porky flavour.



The broth was very mildly herbal and was savoury with slight saltiness. It was not overly greasy and I was comfortable enough to drink it all up. At Hwa Mei 华美 亚B Bak Kut Teh, customers can ask for soup top ups :)



This braised tofu was tender, spongy and heavily loaded with the braising sauce.



The savoury braising sauce gushes out with every bite of the tofu. Don't bite into this too fast if you don't want the braising sauce running down the corner of your mouth :P



Another customer's pork soup. This made my mouth water and I must come back for this soon.



The simple menu and price list are prominently displayed on the wall.

For those who are using public transport, Hwa Mei 华美 亚B Bak Kut Teh is about 10 minutes walk from JB CIQ building.

Restaurant name: Hwa Mei 华美亚B Bak Kut Teh

Address: 146, Jalan Lumba Kuda, Bukit Chagar, Johor Bahru

Map: http://g.co/maps/f2esq
GPS: 1.460851,103.767564
Hours: 08:30am to 2:00pm (Monday off)

Non Halal

Dates visited: 31 Dec 2011, 17 Apr 2013, 4 Sep 2013

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Ah Loong Bak Kut Teh in Masai, Johor Bahru

Bryan (of Food & Fun Johor) brought Ian and I to Masai to show us Ah Loong Bak Kut Teh, his favourite BKT shop since his childhood. 



Ah Loong BKT is located just at the edge of the Pasir Gudang industrial area, and had been here for over 20 years. In this part of Johor Bahru, Ah Loong is the most established and oldest BKT shop. The sun bleached signboard is testimony to Ah Loong's vintage in JB BKT genealogy.



The boss, Ah Loong, has many regular Japanese customers who work in the factories in nearby Pasir Gudang. I heard Ah Loong speaking with them in fluent Japanese!



If you are expecting BKT, the likes of downtown favourites like Ah Soon and Soon Huat, you are in for a surprise. Unlike the uptown boys, Ah Loong's BKT has only very slight herbal notes and has a distinct refreshing taste of fresh green vegetables. Uniquely, Ah Loong uses a lot of celery in his BKT broth. I would even describe Ah Loong's BKT as vegetable soup with pork ribs added. Ah Loong also added Chinese cooking wine to the soup. Though this is definitely not the usual Teochew BKT commonly found in downtown JB, I liked this.



Ah Loong took a lot of trouble to ensure his pork ribs are fresh, very well cleaned and cooked to perfection. Ah Loong personally handles all the cooking to ensure perfection in his BKT.



Fats are removed as much as possible so that you won't see much if any fat on the bone and the broth doesn't have that off putting, oily sludge.



Bryan loved this tender, fall-off-the-bone ribs so much that he ordered another serving which we gladly helped him finish without any invitation :P



The pork intestines were also very well cleaned and had all the fats painstakingly snipped off. Sweet, tender with savoury, slight bitter taste.



I loved braised dishes. I especially love Ah Loong's braised pork and radish.



The thick chunky radish slices, infused with savoury braising sauce had a squishy, melon like mouth feel. Each bite released spurts of savoury juices gushing onto the longing taste buds. I love this.



The braised meat too was no slouch in taste. The braised meat was tender, savoury, sweet and creamy when chewed with the fat and skin.



The crunchy preserved mustard was tangy, sweet and savoury.

I will plan trips to Ah Loong's BKT because of his unique vegetable soup BKT.

Restaurant name: Kedai Makanan Loong
Address: 32, Jalan Ara 2, Taman Rinting, Masai, Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/pzGWe
GPS: 1.492673,103.874316
Hours: 7:30am to 2:00pm
Non Halal

Date visited: 1 Mar 2013

Bryan (of Food & Fun Johor) brought Ian and I to Masai to show us Ah Loong Bak Kut Teh, his favourite BKT shop since his childhood. 



Ah Loong BKT is located just at the edge of the Pasir Gudang industrial area, and had been here for over 20 years. In this part of Johor Bahru, Ah Loong is the most established and oldest BKT shop. The sun bleached signboard is testimony to Ah Loong's vintage in JB BKT genealogy.



The boss, Ah Loong, has many regular Japanese customers who work in the factories in nearby Pasir Gudang. I heard Ah Loong speaking with them in fluent Japanese!



If you are expecting BKT, the likes of downtown favourites like Ah Soon and Soon Huat, you are in for a surprise. Unlike the uptown boys, Ah Loong's BKT has only very slight herbal notes and has a distinct refreshing taste of fresh green vegetables. Uniquely, Ah Loong uses a lot of celery in his BKT broth. I would even describe Ah Loong's BKT as vegetable soup with pork ribs added. Ah Loong also added Chinese cooking wine to the soup. Though this is definitely not the usual Teochew BKT commonly found in downtown JB, I liked this.



Ah Loong took a lot of trouble to ensure his pork ribs are fresh, very well cleaned and cooked to perfection. Ah Loong personally handles all the cooking to ensure perfection in his BKT.



Fats are removed as much as possible so that you won't see much if any fat on the bone and the broth doesn't have that off putting, oily sludge.



Bryan loved this tender, fall-off-the-bone ribs so much that he ordered another serving which we gladly helped him finish without any invitation :P



The pork intestines were also very well cleaned and had all the fats painstakingly snipped off. Sweet, tender with savoury, slight bitter taste.



I loved braised dishes. I especially love Ah Loong's braised pork and radish.



The thick chunky radish slices, infused with savoury braising sauce had a squishy, melon like mouth feel. Each bite released spurts of savoury juices gushing onto the longing taste buds. I love this.



The braised meat too was no slouch in taste. The braised meat was tender, savoury, sweet and creamy when chewed with the fat and skin.



The crunchy preserved mustard was tangy, sweet and savoury.

I will plan trips to Ah Loong's BKT because of his unique vegetable soup BKT.

Restaurant name: Kedai Makanan Loong
Address: 32, Jalan Ara 2, Taman Rinting, Masai, Johor Bahru
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/pzGWe
GPS: 1.492673,103.874316
Hours: 7:30am to 2:00pm
Non Halal

Date visited: 1 Mar 2013

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Sini Ada Bak Kut Teh 这里有肉骨茶 in Taman Mount Austin (near Jusco Tebrau), Johor Bahru (This Restaurant has Closed.)

 

Sini Ada Bak Kut Teh 这里有肉骨茶 opened (near Jusco Tebrau) about a month ago and there was already quite a buzz about it on foodie chats online. Sini Ada Bak Kut Teh is a new kid on the block and its style of BKT was different from what people are familiar with in Johor Bahru. With so much talk and different opinions about it, we decided to make a trip to find things out for ourselves.

When we entered the double storey shop, the first thing that struck us was the contemporary, well appointed decor, unlike the familiar kopitiam or bare bones shoplot stalls.



Everything in the restaurant was spic and spank, and the ordering system too uses the latest wireless technology and mobile devices. Still, the atmosphere was cosy and relaxed. The staff in cheery yellow tops greeted every customer in an earnest and cheerful way as they arrive and as they leave.



The bak kut teh was in the soupy Teochew style but it tastes different from the popular old names in JB. It is not surprising then that Johoreans are split between those who welcome this new flavour and others who prefer the old familiar taste.  The soup here was thicker than the usual Teochew style BKT and there was very little of the savoury sweetness that JB Teochew BKT is famous for. The taste of herbs was present with a very subtle hint of "kam" flavour - the kind of taste that we get from dried Mandarin orange peel. The "kam" taste lingered in the mouth for a while after eating. Initially, I was was not wowed as I expected the usual savoury sweet taste, but as the meal went on, I found the taste pleasant though different. My companion adjusted to the new taste faster than me and actually enjoyed it more.



The meat was the firmer kind similar to other popular places that serve Teochew style BKT. You have to try it and decide for yourself if you like it or not. Looking at the steady stream of customers around, it appeared that JBrians are slowly accepting this new taste. 



The BKT are cooked in small batches throughout the day to ensure that customers are served only freshly cooked meat.



The mixed claypot of braised items like pork, tendons and intestines. We also had a claypot of braised trotters.



The braised items were less controversial as they were quite similar to the familiar local tastes. The braised meat was the tender type (not soft) with the bouncy firm feel. Personally, I liked my braised pork very soft, like tung po rou style.



Flavour wise, the braised items were a blend of sweetness and savouriness. The braising sauce was also heavier than the other usual BKT shops.



I love tendons and this savoury braised tendon was nicely tender and gummy chewy.



Try this small intestines stuffed with.... more small intestines :)) It has a firm, bouncy texture and a slightly bitter flavour which blended well with the sweet and savoury braising sauce. 



Braised chicken claws are a must have for me at BKT shops. The braised chicken claws here were competent, and just nice in terms of tenderness and saltiness. (Average braised chicken claws tend to be overly salty but not at Sini Ada BKT.) At my next visit, I shall ask the staff for more braising sauce with my chicken feet as I like my chicken feet to be soaking wet in savoury sauce.



Simple greens stir fried with garlic and soy sauce. Nicely executed, we cleaned up this dish.



This preserved vegetable was sweet and crunchy.



These chunky tau pok did an excellent job of sponging up the braising sauce.

Pricing for reference (small claypot size - the size we had):

Bak kut teh - RM15
Pork ribs only - RM20
Pig tail in bak kut teh soup - RM18
Braised pork belly - RM18
Braised pork trotter - RM12
Braised mixed meat (includes intestines) - RM22

Price wise, Sini Ada BKT is at a slight premium over basic shoplot stall or kopitiam prices. For people who prefer their eating places to be very clean and to have a nicer, more comfortable ambiance, the premium may be worth paying.

Based on what I read in foodie online chats and my own chat with David, the manager here, Sini Ada BKT has been adjusting their servings and arrangements following customer feedback. David said that they have changed some of the serving containers and utensils to enhance efficiency.

In other aspects, David said Sini Ada BKT decided to persist. For example, Sini Ada BKT does not use any synthetic flavourings like MSG, relying solely on boiling stock bones to extract flavours.

If I am in the Mount Austin area, I will drop by Sini Ada BKT again to try their pig's tail in herbal BKT soup which I missed today. If you haven't tried Sini Ada BKT, you may want to check it out for its style of BKT and its ambiance. See for yourself, if you like this.



Restaurant name: Sini Ada Bak Kut Teh 这里有肉骨茶
Address: G01, Jalan Mutiara Emas 9/3, Taman Mount Austin, Johor Bahru (near Jusco Tebrau)
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/xEscn
GPS: 1.545108,103.789504
Hours: 7:00am to 9:00pm (Closed on alternate Monday)
Non Halal

Date visited: 25 Jan 2013

 

Sini Ada Bak Kut Teh 这里有肉骨茶 opened (near Jusco Tebrau) about a month ago and there was already quite a buzz about it on foodie chats online. Sini Ada Bak Kut Teh is a new kid on the block and its style of BKT was different from what people are familiar with in Johor Bahru. With so much talk and different opinions about it, we decided to make a trip to find things out for ourselves.

When we entered the double storey shop, the first thing that struck us was the contemporary, well appointed decor, unlike the familiar kopitiam or bare bones shoplot stalls.



Everything in the restaurant was spic and spank, and the ordering system too uses the latest wireless technology and mobile devices. Still, the atmosphere was cosy and relaxed. The staff in cheery yellow tops greeted every customer in an earnest and cheerful way as they arrive and as they leave.



The bak kut teh was in the soupy Teochew style but it tastes different from the popular old names in JB. It is not surprising then that Johoreans are split between those who welcome this new flavour and others who prefer the old familiar taste.  The soup here was thicker than the usual Teochew style BKT and there was very little of the savoury sweetness that JB Teochew BKT is famous for. The taste of herbs was present with a very subtle hint of "kam" flavour - the kind of taste that we get from dried Mandarin orange peel. The "kam" taste lingered in the mouth for a while after eating. Initially, I was was not wowed as I expected the usual savoury sweet taste, but as the meal went on, I found the taste pleasant though different. My companion adjusted to the new taste faster than me and actually enjoyed it more.



The meat was the firmer kind similar to other popular places that serve Teochew style BKT. You have to try it and decide for yourself if you like it or not. Looking at the steady stream of customers around, it appeared that JBrians are slowly accepting this new taste. 



The BKT are cooked in small batches throughout the day to ensure that customers are served only freshly cooked meat.



The mixed claypot of braised items like pork, tendons and intestines. We also had a claypot of braised trotters.



The braised items were less controversial as they were quite similar to the familiar local tastes. The braised meat was the tender type (not soft) with the bouncy firm feel. Personally, I liked my braised pork very soft, like tung po rou style.



Flavour wise, the braised items were a blend of sweetness and savouriness. The braising sauce was also heavier than the other usual BKT shops.



I love tendons and this savoury braised tendon was nicely tender and gummy chewy.



Try this small intestines stuffed with.... more small intestines :)) It has a firm, bouncy texture and a slightly bitter flavour which blended well with the sweet and savoury braising sauce. 



Braised chicken claws are a must have for me at BKT shops. The braised chicken claws here were competent, and just nice in terms of tenderness and saltiness. (Average braised chicken claws tend to be overly salty but not at Sini Ada BKT.) At my next visit, I shall ask the staff for more braising sauce with my chicken feet as I like my chicken feet to be soaking wet in savoury sauce.



Simple greens stir fried with garlic and soy sauce. Nicely executed, we cleaned up this dish.



This preserved vegetable was sweet and crunchy.



These chunky tau pok did an excellent job of sponging up the braising sauce.

Pricing for reference (small claypot size - the size we had):

Bak kut teh - RM15
Pork ribs only - RM20
Pig tail in bak kut teh soup - RM18
Braised pork belly - RM18
Braised pork trotter - RM12
Braised mixed meat (includes intestines) - RM22

Price wise, Sini Ada BKT is at a slight premium over basic shoplot stall or kopitiam prices. For people who prefer their eating places to be very clean and to have a nicer, more comfortable ambiance, the premium may be worth paying.

Based on what I read in foodie online chats and my own chat with David, the manager here, Sini Ada BKT has been adjusting their servings and arrangements following customer feedback. David said that they have changed some of the serving containers and utensils to enhance efficiency.

In other aspects, David said Sini Ada BKT decided to persist. For example, Sini Ada BKT does not use any synthetic flavourings like MSG, relying solely on boiling stock bones to extract flavours.

If I am in the Mount Austin area, I will drop by Sini Ada BKT again to try their pig's tail in herbal BKT soup which I missed today. If you haven't tried Sini Ada BKT, you may want to check it out for its style of BKT and its ambiance. See for yourself, if you like this.



Restaurant name: Sini Ada Bak Kut Teh 这里有肉骨茶
Address: G01, Jalan Mutiara Emas 9/3, Taman Mount Austin, Johor Bahru (near Jusco Tebrau)
Map: http://goo.gl/maps/xEscn
GPS: 1.545108,103.789504
Hours: 7:00am to 9:00pm (Closed on alternate Monday)
Non Halal

Date visited: 25 Jan 2013

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