Claypot Bak Kut Teh in Geylang

The Leong Kee Bah Kut Teh, which came all the way from Klang, is located on Geylang Road and is one of the few Singapore places that serves its meat in a claypot. I decided to head down there to satisfy my Bah Kut Teh cravings after all my examinations are over.

There was a huge variety of food to choose from - almost every part of the pig is part of the menu and other than rice, there is other carbohydrates (like vermicelli or mee sue) that you can choose. Since I was alone, I decided to order the Bah Kut Teh and the salted vegetables.

For any Bah Kut Teh, the two most important components of this dish is the soup and the meat (anything else they put in there is secondary). The soup plays an integral role in blending all the taste of the ingredients that is placed inside - it gives the dish its character. It can be peppery or herbal in nature but its the other ingredients and the skills of the cook that gives each soup (and the dish) its unique character. For this Bah Kut Teh, there is an overwhelming "vegetable" taste within the soup. This is in no small part due to the Tau Kee that they put inside when boiling the soup. Usually there is a large portion of Tau Kee inside the soup but I told them not to include that in my portion. Other than the strong "vegetable" taste, this soup is not as herbal-tasting as its counterparts in Malaysia. It lacks the "strength" that other herbal-type Bah Kut Teh offers (maybe its the extra vegetables that affects the taste).

My Bah Kut Teh with vegetables swimming around

The second most important component of this dish is the meat (for obvious reasons). The meat is a huge positive in this dish. Firstly, the portions are generous. My pot had a hefty five chunks of meat and they weren't very small individually. The meat itself weren't hard and came off the bone easily. On top of that, they were very "meaty" meaning that it was 90% meat and just 10% bone. Bravo for the meat!

Good chunky meat

The salted vegetables was a disappointment. It was cooked with quite a bit of chili (spicy haters beware) and it really showed in the taste. Besides the spiciness, the dish was blend and cold when it came to me. This is not something that I am likely to try again.

Salted Vegetables

One other thing I have to mention is a little incident that I have with one of the stall's server. When my food came, I asked the server for a plate of dark soy sauce without the chili on top. The server simply pointed to the table with all the sauces and told me take it myself (he had dirtied my chopstick and still gave it to me like nothing happened). I was alone and had my valuables on the table so I wasn't willing to leave them unattended to get the sauce. It really ticked me off when he insisted I do it myself especially after I mentioned about my valuables. Luckily the uncle (who I think is the owner) stepped in offer to do it himself. I was very pleased and felt really appreciative when he stepped in and "saved the day". Personally, top-notched service like in a hotel or restaurant is definitely not expected, but simple tasks like this can easily make customers enjoy their experience there. Full marks to the owner for saving the day!

My table

Overall, this Bah Kut Teh is different from the usual peppery ones in Singapore and definitely worth a try. My slight dislike for the soup could possibly be down to the aversion for Tau Kee, so do not take my judgement as the entire story and try it yourself. The salted vegetable may be something that can be avoided. From my other visits, I would recommend the mixed organs soup and pigs trotters, both of each are pretty decent and worth a try.

Name: Leong Kee (Klang) Bak Kut Teh
Address: 251 Geylang Road (Beside Geylang Lor 11)
Opening Hours: 11.15 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Cost: $ ($6.50 for Bah Kut Teh and Salted Vegetables)

Ratings
Food Quality: 65/100
Service: 55/100
Value for Money: 75/100
Overall: 65/100