GEORGE TOWN, Aug 28 — Cooked in a claypot, bak kut teh may not be a famous Penang hawker fare but unsurprisingly, it is one of the hawker foods that locals have enjoyed for breakfast for at least several decades.
For many years, several bak kut teh stalls along Gurney Drive were the go-to places for the tender soft bak kut (pork ribs) simmering in hot, herbal soups served with fluffy white rice and washed down with Chinese tea.
Over the years, many of these stalls have closed, leaving only one stall that continues to serve bak kut teh as breakfast while other stalls have opened up around the island for the dinner and supper crowd.
Due to the what the ethnic Chinese believe to be the “heaty” nature of the soup, it is expected that this particular food be available either early in the morning or in the evening till late at night.
The bak kut teh stalls in Penang usually take up spots in coffee shops and some are on pavements outside the coffee shops but one thing is for sure, the stalls are usually open till past midnight to serve the supper crowd.
Though each stall serves a different mix of ingredients in each claypot, the usual ingredients will consist of pork ribs, mushrooms, bean curd, meat balls and several other parts of the pig from the tail to the trotters, tongue and intestines. There will also be a plate of deep fried crullers (eu char koay) to dip into the soup before eating.
To balance up the decidedly meaty dish, most bak kut teh stalls will also offer side dishes such as lightly blanched iceberg lettuce topped with meat floss and sesame oil for added flavours. At some stalls, they also offer deep fried crispy tau kua (beancurd) topped with spicy sauce and shredded vegetables.
These are then served with plain white rice or the more flavourful yam rice. To spice it up a bit, they have cili padi in soy sauce and chopped garlic in dark soy sauce to dip the meat into for extra flavours.
There are not many good bak kut teh stalls in Penang, at least not as good as the ones in Klang some may claim, but there are still those that offer up tasty concoctions that are perfectly flavourful without being too overpowering.
Here is our pick of five places to try bak kut teh in Penang:
Zealand Bak Kut Teh, Persiaran Gurney
GPS: 5.432269, 100.317509
Time: 7am-2pm
This is the only breakfast bak kut teh to be had in Penang and this stall has been around for several decades. They serve up smaller portions but their soup is lighter without an overpowering herbal taste to it.
Kedai Kopi Classic, Jalan Perak
GPS: 5.413911, 100.316149
Time: 7pm-3am
This stall is a particular favourite for those who work late or those looking for late night supper as it operates till the early hours of the morning. It may be situated at a coffee shop but the stall is placed outside and customers sit along the corridor of the shops there.
Lai Lai Bak Kut Teh @ Yummy Cottage, Jalan Macalister
GPS: 5.416638, 100.323167
Time: 6pm-2.30am
This stall is located within the coffee shop and though it has been around for decades too, the ownership has changed a few times. The current owner serves up a nicely balanced herbal soup, not too bitter or strong, and gives quite large portions.
Ah Keat Bak Kut Teh, Jalan Air Itam
GPS: 5.406072, 100.296338
Time: 6pm-2am
Bak kut teh is often found in Chinese areas and Air Itam has at least two quite well-known stalls. Like other stalls, this one has options for you to choose each ingredient and instead of serving the iceberg lettuce separately, it is used to top the claypot soup.
Jalan Air Itam
GPS: 5.413604, 100.312331
Time: 7pm-2am
Finally, this roadside stall has no name but it is very easy to spot as it will have tables lining the corridors and its stall has only one name “Bak Kut Teh” in red. Similarly, this stall serves a late crowd so it is best to go later as they will only be starting to set up at 7pm.
