This Famous JB Eatery Has Herbal Bak Kut Teh And Poached Fish That’s Approved By Locals

Kedai Bak Kut Teh Hin Hock in JB

Bak kut teh, as we know it, comes in several styles. There’s the lighter, peppery Teochew style; the darker, stronger Hokkien version; a less salty, more herbaceous Cantonese style; and the drier, stew-like Klang version. Casually referred to as the Tampoi BKT amongst locals, Kedai Bak Kut Teh Hin Hock has been around for more than 40 years, run by owner Ah Hock and his family.

The set-up at Kedai Bak Kut Teh Hin Hock is simple: the no-frills structure behind a large set of gates is split into an open kitchen, where you can watch your meal being prepared, and a sea of foldable tables and stools.

It’s where you get to pick your fish of choice—said to be freshly delivered from Pontian each morning—from an ice box.

This Poached Fish (market price) is what you simply must order here, not least because it’s perfectly poached rather than steamed or fried, but also for the fried garlic and house blend of sauce it comes drenched in.

Similarly flavourful is their Minced Meat Tofu (RM7/~S$2.30) dish, which may look unappetising with its blanket of almost-black meat sauce, but is supremely moreish.

Unlike the other herbal BKT around, the Claypot Bak Kut Teh (from RM15/~S$4.80) at Hin Hock is sharply accented with the taste of Chinese liquorice, otherwise known as 甘草 (gān cǎo). As a result, this BKT with its slightly medicinal sweetness may not be for everyone.

If you appreciate it, you’d definitely love the pieces of you tiao that come in the claypot, soaking up the rich broth. Besides the requisite bak kut, AKA pork bones, or ribs, this BKT also has pieces of liver and other offal bits.

Without having to cross the Causeway, there’s plenty of BKT in Singapore too, and we’ve got a list of where to eat BKT for you to check out. Otherwise, check out Old World Bakuteh for fried porridge to go along with your BKT fix!

Address: 72, Jalan Dato Mohammed Seth, Taman Tampoi Indah 2, 81200 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 9:30am to 4:30pm
Tel: +60 19-779 3434
Website
Kedai Bak Kut Teh Hin Hock is not a halal-certified eatery

Photos taken by Brad Harrison Lee
This was an independent visit by Eatbook.SG