KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 22 — Suggest bak kut teh for a meal to an urban Klang Valley crowd, and you’ll likely find yourself having to justify the trek to Klang.

Never mind that certain pockets of PJ and KL suffer from a dearth of good Klang-style bak kut teh, with Kepong or KL-style being the more dominant options – most folks will still hesitate to make the trip.

But I’m not here to tell you that you have to. I get lazy too, which is why finding a spot for Klang-style bak kut teh in PJ or KL feels like such a scoop.

Enter Tua Bak Kia Bak Kut Teh, nestled on the ground floor of the Sri Lempah flats on Lorong Jugra, just off Old Klang Road.

The surrounding area can appear shabby and almost pitch-black at night, but that does little to deter diners from flocking to the restaurant. The place was full on a Wednesday night.

The storefront is just about the only thing that is lit up at night. — Picture by Ethan Lau

Comfortable digs despite the shabby overall environment. — Picture by Ethan Lau

Here, you can order different cuts of meat — including knuckle, spare ribs, collar, intestines, belly, fat and lean meat — served in separate, small bowls of soup, true to classic Klang style.

Or, you might choose to have it all come in one big clay pot. I am neither from nor was I in Klang that night, so I opted for the latter.

A bubbling cauldron of our chosen cuts arrived: belly (RM20), knuckle (RM20), and a half-and-half mix of lean and fatty meat (RM18).

The fatter pieces were sinful delights, but even the leaner cuts were tender and cooked well, as opposed to dry and stringy.

Fattier cuts like the belly are delicious. — Picture by Ethan Lau

The knuckle contained nice chunks of gelatinous fat and skin – soft little pockets of greasy glee.

The broth was dark, rich, and had a nice glossy sheen from the fatty pieces we’d picked.

Even leaner cuts are tender and cooked well. — Picture by Ethan Lau

I’d read some reviews describing a lack of herbal quality, but I didn’t find it particularly lacking.

Sure, bitterness and depth are the usual markers of Chinese medicinal herbs, and sure, the bitterness and depth here don’t exactly jump out at you – but that doesn’t mean they aren’t there.

They linger in the background, like the designated driver on a night out, patiently waiting for friends to wrap up and take everyone home.

The rich, savoury notes of black garlic are the life of the party, taking centre stage, but they still rely on the herbs to bring everything together. It’s lip-smacking; it’s good bak kut teh soup, period.

The next time a craving for bak kut teh comes around, give Tua Bak Kia a try. But don’t keep Klang off the radar forever – there’s plenty of good eating there waiting for you.

大眼仔肉骨茶 Tua Bak Kia Bak Kut Teh

3, Block D, Flat Taman Seri Lempah, Lorong Jugra, Jalan Klang Lama, 58100 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan

Open Tuesday to Sunday, 9am-3pm, 6-9pm

Tel: 03-7988 0251

* This is an independent review where the writer paid for the meal.

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