Bak Ku Teh Battle

This week I went to the two top Bak Ku Teh (Pork Rib Soup) places in Singapore. What makes these two places the best in S'pore? Simple: Public popularity, long history, and celebrity sightings. So what do the two best in S'pore have in common? Well besides the aforementioned, they have Donald Tsang in common (CEO of Hong Kong SAR).

The first one I went to is called the Ng Ah Sio Stall and it is widely regarded as the best of the two. In fact just a few days before I went, the ex-Prime Minister of Thailand, Mr. Thaksin went there.

When interviewed about the surprise vist, the old time owner said "He seemed like an ok guy. I dunno. I was too busy to notice them. About twenty of them sat at my back tables. I didn't pay them much attention but I know what they ordered. He even thanked me after he was done."

So what about Donald Tsang? Well about a year ago, he tried to go to this place for dinner, but this place is only open from 6 am to 2 pm. So when Donald called up the shop to make a place for dinner, they said no to him.

I guess no one is above the law when it comes to this old guy's Bak Ku Teh. Heh heh heh..

So when he couldn't get Dinner at the Ng Ah Sio Stall, he had to go to the competition. This place is called the Outram Park Stall. That's kind of a funny name since they are located in Tanjong Pagar. Apparently they moved here from Outram Park about 15 years ago, but kept the name sake.

Here is a shot of the Bak Ku Teh I had yesterday. So when The Donald couldn't get his first choice he settled on this place. Once again this is one of those old timey places where the owner is as antique as his furniture.

So how do the two compare? Well it is largely a matter of personal taste, but since I am the Lord and Master of this blog, I will give you my lore and you will accept it as the ultimate authority over all things Bak Ku Teh:

In terms of service, Outram Park is better. The staff tirelessly run around pouring you refills on soup and any other tidbits you'd like to eat. Want more You Tiao (fritters)? No problem. Want more soup? They refill you without even asking. Not to say that Ng Ah Sio had shabby service, but Outram Park was better.

In terms of portion sizes, I gotta give it to Ng Ah Sio. They definitely gave you a little more in comparisson to Outram Park. Although I do have to say that I prefered the taste of Outram Park's stewed pig trotters more than Ng Ah Sio's. This shot of Ng Ah Sio's trotters is definitley a larger portion than Outram Parks' and you do also get this tart and savoury dip of chilli sauce that goes with it. But still, the scale tips slightly towards Outram Parks' trotters in terms of superior flavour. (photo of Outram Park trotter not available due to camera man's preoccupation with eating them).

The kung fu tea that is served with Bak Ku Teh is a must. The idea being these tiny thimble sized servings of strong tea is used to help you digest the fat from the pork. It is also a very enjoyable way to pass the time on a lazy day in the shade. So who wins? Ng Ah Sio. Reason: Their tea was stronger and lasted longer. Furthermore, the hot water kettle next to your table was kept piping hot by old skool charcoal pots rather than the electric ones at Outram Park.

So the verdict?

Ng Ah Sio wins by virtue of its Bak Ku Teh soup. The difference between Ng Ah Sio and Outram Park is that Ng Ah Sio's soup is thicker and is chocked with loads of garlic which give you a very rich soup experience. Otram Park's soup is heavier on pepper and so it has a spicier flavour, but the soup is thin by comparisson. So Ng Ah Sio beats Outram Park.

So who is the ultimate winner? ME! Because I am in a position to sample both Bak Ku Teh's and render the verdict. Therefore my kung fu is stronger than Donald Tsangs! Muha ha ha ha ha ha....