Teluk Pulai Bak Kut Teh

How would I describe a PERFECT Sunday morning? Laying in bed until 11 am (tired from the usual Saturday night out) and start off the day (half, actually) with a good brunch, read the newspaper for awhile, and head back to dreamland once more. But then again, that’s just wishful thinking. When I’m back in KL, Sunday mornings are spent packing for the later trip back to Singapore.

Last Sunday, there was a slight change in plan though. Due to the overwhelmingly lack of bus tickets these few months (we all know why) and the end of the long weekend, bus tickets to Singapore were sold out the week before and the only available resort was the midnight bus. That means I’ll be going back to work on Monday with a “cooler than thou” junkie look while proclaiming that panda eyes are the next IN thing after doughnuts.

Pathetic stories aside, it was a blessing in disguise as I was able to join Cousin Andy for Bak Kut Teh (pork in herbal soup) in Klang! According to him, Teluk Pulai is one of the most celebrated Bak Kut Teh restaurants in the area. So, we had to get up quite early (there goes one half of my PERFECT Sunday) as it was quite a distance from our residence in KL and the fact that this place gets very crowded with meat worshippers, especially on weekends.

By the time we arrived around 9.45 am, the restaurant was already packed to the brim. Despite the chaos, service was attentive and the courteous lady boss (I presumed) assured us that we will be seated as soon as a table is available. About 20 minutes later, we managed to secure our seats at a rather cosy corner in the restaurant.

Since we came with empty stomachs, orders were quickly placed. The typical yau char gwai (deep fried dough) was served, as a starter. Though not too oily, the skin was not crispy and the fried dough was not aromatic. On the other hand, the herbal soup to soak the fried dough was rather flavourful. There was a burst of flavours from the five-spice powder, Chinese angelica and soya sauce.

While waiting for the rest of the dishes, we brewed ourselves a pot of warm and soothing Chinese Tea with tea leaves courtesy of an aunt of mine. I could only identify the tea as a superior "high mountain" breed from China.

It didn't take long before 2 bowls of spare ribs were served. The meat was tender and I must say it came in quite a generous portion. The soup tasted rich and was similar to the one served with the fried dough, only sweeter, thanks to the juice from the meat and the bone marrow. The fluffy rice went well with the soup.

We also had the braised chicken feet. The succulent feet were firm with a touch of elasticity, thanks to the collagen content. The deep fried layer of skin was quite aromatic and tasted sweet, most probably due to the infusion of the braising herbal stock. Though a good choice, I personally preferred the soft, almost overcooked type of chicken feet.

Last came the signature Claypot Bak Kut Teh, which was served pipping and topped with crisphead. Being a Hokkien-styled Bak Kut Teh, the sweet, refreshing dark brown coloured soup was again, rich with five-spice powder, Chinese angelica and soya sauce. Where's the cilantro, by the way? But the star of the dish has got to be the parts of the unfortunate pig, each part contributing a different texture and taste to the dish. The pork belly was soft and (for the daring ones) the layer of fat was aromatic and slightly springy. The stomach was smooth and tender, much to everyone's delight. The soya sauce soaked bird eye chilies complemented the bland stomach well. I personally enjoyed the intestines the most. Honestly, I have not had such huge intestines in a very long time. The well-cooked pieces were soft and flavourful. It was also quite aromatic and did not leave an unpleasant smell that most intestines exhibit. Since I was quite excited about this dish, I didn't snap as much photo as I should. In fact, I only took 1 shot.

The breakfast cost us RM78.70 (for 6 pax). A commendable price considering the generous portions and the fact that each of us had 2 plates of rice! I should also note that the pork used was very fresh too.

All the dishes were flavourful and we didn't suffer one of those after-meal-MSG-thirst effect. As much as I enjoyed the meal, I thought it lacked in subtlety. It could have tasted even better with the addition of cilantro, black peppercorn and cloves of garlic. Well, at least I have enjoyed the other half of a PERFECT Sunday with a good brunch!

Teluk Pulai Claypot Bak Kut Teh
32, Jalan Batai Laut 5, Kaw. 16
Taman Intan, 41300 Klang
Selangor.
Tel: +603-33445196, +6012-2389806, +6012-6571236 (Mr. Ng)