Motormouth From Ipoh

To minimize the guilt of over-indulging prior to the festive season, we settled for lean pork only during our Bak Kut Teh session this morning. Yes, I let my cravings got the better of my judgment. 

Now hands up how many of you in KL or PJ got stuck in the congestion around shopping malls over the weekend? Or got caught up in perpetual queues at the check out counters? Last minute shopping frenzy seems to be the activity Malaysians love to indulge in the most; and retailers are having a whale of a time participating in extended hours shopamania.

In a blink of an eye, 2013 has come and gone; not without leaving a trail of memories. And devastation no less. Don’t hit the panic button yet, it’s not of the catastrophic kind but more to bearing witness to a failed healthy eating plan meticulously devised at the end of 2012. Yup, you can read snippets from the Top 13 Ipoh Food Finds post.

Anyway, after one too many cafe visits, I relented and gave in to my carnivorous calling. “Bak Kut Teh!” Waking up at a relatively early hour on a Sunday, to Klang we went. 

Bak Kut Teh and the works. Not in the picture? Chinese tea of course, and DIY hot water refills. Only in Klang where Bak Kut Teh is more commonly served for breakfast rather than lunch or dinner, and steamed white rice is served with optional condiments of fried shallots and dark soy sauce.

The drive from PJ to Klang on a Sunday morning was more than bearable; it was a breath of fresh air really. When it felt like the entire Klang Valley converged at major shopping malls, there was minimal traffic towards the sleepier side of town, especially at such an early hour.

But of course, this was not my first visit to Teluk Pulai Bak Kut Teh Restaurant; having been here for a good couple of times. In fact, this place was my very first Klang bak kut teh experience and still one of the more reliable option when it comes to claypot version of the much hyped and beloved Klang’s signature food. One may beg to differ though, with Klang’s hundreds of stalls competing for the crown. Though my favourite place for the authentic version served in bowl for one remains to be Mo Sang Kor in Pandamaran.

It was really hard not to be enamoured (again) by Teluk Pulai’s version; the soup here still is a delicate balance of herbal and pork flavour that is neither overpowering nor too faint to find its footing in the palate of discerning BKT lovers. The cuts of pork here deserve a mention too; as even the lean meat that we specifically ordered was cooked to a firm yet tender texture; and infused with the flavours from the broth. Of course, I have always frowned upon the addition of bean curd sheets and lettuce in my BKT, but this was forgivable since most claypot BKT places follow this trend. And the rice with fried shallots; plus prior drizzled with what seemed to be lard oil (or could be shallot?) made perfect companion to the claypot filled with meaty goodness. At RM12/USD4 per pax, this was well worth the price paid.

Right in the front of the restaurant is this make shift stall serving freshly prepared rice cakes with peanuts and sesame seeds. For RM10 for a small packet of 6 -8 pieces, and RM16 for a box with more than a dozen pieces, the price seemed steep but damn .. this healthier rendition of CNY snacks made the crowd waited patiently for the preparation steps to be completed right in front of their eyes. And yes, the rice crunch tasted fabulous. (Total Holistic Concept Sdn Bhd)

 And I finally found him again! This uncle operates only on weekend mornings, until about 2pm he said. Or until everything’s sold out. The prawn crackers from Taiping as proclaimed are really good stuff. One packet for RM4, 3 packs for RM11. The stall is located at the road beside the bak kut teh restaurant.

And dear readers, this could be my last post before I make my way home for the season. If you’re driving, please take good care of yourself. And if you are going home to anywhere at all in Perak, and at lost on where to hangout, eat or visit, either drop me an e-mail or read the Ultimate Ipoh Food List or the Perak Good Food List.

*For the complete review on Klang’s Teluk Pulai Bak Kut Teh including address, contact number and map, hop over to THIS POST.