DayS out in Klang

Emerging as one of the most notable earliest human settlements in peninsular Malaysia, the prehistoric town of Klang is reputed to be the birthplace of Bak Kut Teh, which literally translated as "meat bone tea" in vernacular Hokkien. Rumour had it that the famous dish was invented by the labourers working at the wharves to provide them with enough energy for their uphill works. There are actually a couple of interesting variants on the origin of this dish, so you might just as well spend some time to do some research if you are keen to know the story behind it.

what is Bak kut teh?
Well, it is basically a dish comprised of pork simmered in a complex herbal broth for hours, and additional ingredients such as Chinese Cabbage, offal, fried tofu puff, Shiitake Mushroom may also be included. It is normally served together with you tiao (fried dough) cut into pieces as well as oolong Chnese Tea.

I have been to Klang twice in search of the "heavenly" Bak Kut Teh which people are raving over, and the first time I was here:

Seng Huat Bak Kut Teh, Jalan Besar, Klang

Located in the vicinity of Klang Bridge, this coffee shop is known by the locals as 桥底 (Under The Bridge), and its stone-throw distance from the Klang's KTM station is indeed an added convenience to the people. This place is said to serve the best Bak Kut Teh in the town, and is always packed with foodies. It also attracts a number of celebrities to patronise the shop.  I've heard a friend of mine saying that the Bak Kut Teh served here is no longer up to par, while in fact it's getting worse with the course of time. There is another friend who resides there told me that this place is not the best, and that's why I went to Klang twice......

Here comes the acid test:
This place serves the Hokkien style Bak Kut Teh, which uses more soy sauce in the cooking, and therefore the broth is darker and saltier. It does not have the expected strong herbal taste, instead, to be frank, the saltiness is way too overpowering. I am not saying that it is bad, but it is just not to my liking. After all, it is still better than many Bak Kut Teh in some other places, which are more like "Pork simmered in CLEAR SOUP".

Ah Meng Bak Kut Teh, Taman Sentosa, Klang

This place seems to enjoy brisk business as well though it is less famous than Seng Huat on the internet. I was brought by a friend from Klang to here as she said that this is the best shop for Bak Kut Teh.

Well, to be honest, this is much better than what I had at Seng Huat. There are two main reasons why I think so. Firstly, the Bak Kut Teh here has a stronger herbal taste. Secondly, the broth is thicker and has a very tangy aroma of lard, which is something that tickles my fancy.   

Footnote:
*Gulping down a lot of oolong Chinese tea after the lard-laden breakfast to dilute the copious amount of fat* HAHA!!

See YOU!!