Is Kedai Makanan Ah Soon The Best Bak Kut Teh In JB? 

Kedai Makanan Ah Soon serves Malaysian bak kut teh in JB

Though we Singaporeans swear by local bak kut teh (BKT), that shouldn’t stop us from enjoying the herbal version favoured by our neighbours. One of the best ways to do so is to cross the border and visit Kedai Makanan Ah Soon, a Johor Bahru eatery known for its authentic Malaysian-style bak kut teh.

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For the uninitiated, Malaysian-style bak kut teh is quite different from the version we have here. Though both broths rely heavily on pork bones to flavour them, Singapore’s version is peppery and light, while Malaysian-style BKT is herbal-forward and on the richer end.

Our team has had our fair share of Malaysian-style BKT in Singapore, but we haven’t had the opportunity to review one from its country of origin. So we crossed the border to evaluate this eatery, well aware that we were about to try a legendary name with more than 50 years of heritage. 

Food at Kedai Makanan Ah Soon

The prices of the items below can vary, so we’ll just note that our meal costs a total of RM65 for two people.

For starters, we tucked into the pièce de resistance of the meal: Ah Soon Bak Kut Teh. As soon as the bubbling claypot of soup was served to our table, we were greeted with a fragrant aroma, prompting us to tuck in. 

The first thing I noticed was that the soup was much clearer than most of the Malaysian-style bak kut teh served in Singapore. Intrigued, my dining companion and I took a sip and immediately exchanged eye contact as our way of saying, “This might just be the one”. 

Despite being notably paler in colour, it still boasted that key herbal flavour from the liberal spices and herbs that went into the dish. Crucially, however, the aftertaste was rather clean and light. I could also taste a subtle sweetness, which I found out later was due to the use of goji berries and dates.

Another aspect that makes a good bak kut teh great is its pork ribs. Safe to say, the pork meat here peeled off the bone with ease, and had a good balance of chew and tenderness. 

An issue I had with a lot of BKT was not the flavours of the broth, but the lack of meat on the bones. Thankfully, this was not the case here as the ribs were generously meaty. There were also plenty of pork liver, which were meaty but not gamey, an indication that they were fresh and cleaned pretty well. 

Upon giving the soup a stir to see what other treasures would rise to the surface, we also found clumps of enoki mushrooms and slivers of fried beancurd skin, which provided the dish with additional texture. Each of these components fit like bits and pieces of a puzzle, forming a delicious and memorable bowl of Malaysian-style BKT. 

Bak kut teh aside, I have to show my appreciation for their Sesame Chicken.

The claypot dish consisted of chicken drumlets bathed in a rich sesame gravy. As the chicken was slowly braised for hours in the stew, it resulted in each bite being extremely flavourful and tender. 

The gravy was also rich, savoury, and aromatic—-with a combination of ginger, soy sauce, and sesame oil forming the soul of the dish. If I weren’t so worried about my sodium intake, I would have wiped the pot clean. 

We enjoyed pairing this dish with rice and the Salted Vegetables they provided on the side. These must have been pickled as they were not only salty, but had a piquant sourness to them as well. 

Other than greens, they also had Braised Tofu, which they take special pride in churning out from scratch daily. Braising seemed to be a recurring theme here, and thankfully, Ah Soon is pretty skilled at it, as the tofu turned out to be ultra tender and moist.

We also relished in a bowl of their Dough Fritter, AKA youtiao. The deep-fried pieces of dough were airy and crispy, and we loved using them to mop up the leftover sesame gravy. 

Ambience at Kedai Makanan Ah Soon

Kedai Makanan Ah Soon can house up to forty diners at a time, and they have plenty of large five-seater tables. The space is well-ventilated since there’s an open front, lots of windows, and fans. There are also shutters occupying the storefront, which shield diners from the heat. The space is not fancy, but it does the job of giving customers a comfortable and clean area to dine.

Kedai Makanan Ah Soon is a 13-minute drive from the JB customs. 

Kedai Makanan Ah Soon – Eatbook review

Overall, our meal at Kedai Makanan Ah Soon was beyond satisfactory. If you’re looking for the perfect introduction to Malaysian-style bak kut teh that would also appeal to fans of Singaporean BKT, this is the place. 

If you’re not willing to travel just for Malaysian-style bak kut teh, get your fix at En Yeoh Bak Kut Teh, a popular Malaysian BKT eatery at Chinatown Point. In other news, check out Pacific Kopi, a popular local eatery in JB with matcha egg tart, chilli ban mian, and more.

Address: 141, Jalan Keris 1, Taman Sri Tebrau, 80050 Johor Bahru, Johor Darul Ta’zim, Malaysia
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 8am to 4pm
Tel: +60 16-773 1262
Kedai Makanan Ah Soon is not a halal-certified eatery.

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Photos taken by Paula Formantes.
This was an independent visit by Eatbook.sg