Pek Sin Choon and Ng Ah Sio Bak Kut Teh: Tea Time with Kym Ng

Although the soup recipe remains intact, Ng has made changes to keep up with evolving tastes and customer demand. Previously his father only sold pork ribs, pork tail and rice, but now the extensive menu includes different cuts of meat. The most coveted is the premium rib loin, also known as long gu (“dragon bone”) found in their exclusive S$12.80 set.

But really, you can’t go wrong with the s.superior set of pork ribs (S$11.80), with a generous ratio of fat to meat.

“Very tasty. See the fat here? That’s why after boiling, the pork becomes very soft,” Kym noted. Delicious and tender, this was a good option to eat with white rice between soy sauce sauces dark with slices of red chili.

Backbone, which was traditionally a cheaper cut preferred by workers looking for a nutritious yet affordable meal, is a leaner option. “NORTHNowadays, people like to eat these parts because they are not greasy,” Mr Ng shared.

Even without meat, the bracing, warming broth would have been delicious enough to enjoy alone. But again, Kym and I agreed that the non-negotiable was sweet and salty. chie buay (canned vegetables for S$3.80) and you tiao (dough fritters for S$2.20). “It acts like a sponge, so you dip it in the soup and put it in your mouth and the whole soup is like, wow, it explodes,” she enthused.