Pork rib soup, S$6.00.

It was an eagerly anticipated outing. How could it not be? Its long history and glowing reviews make Founder one of the heavyweights in the Singapore’s bak kut teh arena.

And so, our pork-loving makan gang – Camemberu, Hungry Cow, Keropokman+Momo, ladyironchef, and Nic – made our way there last evening for our premiere Founder experience.

Opening the show is the protagonist – Pork Ribs in Teochew-style pepper and garlic broth. Subtly sweet and not too peppery, the soup was milder than I’d expected, but just right for my tastebuds.

However, Pork Ribs was seriously miscast, and hence failed to live up to its meaty role. Well, it was partly our mistake; we should have asked for A-lister Loin Ribs 龙骨, which is more tender and flavorful. You can recognize loin rib with its long, singular bone. The wait staff just assumed we wanted pork ribs 排骨. *sigh* On hindsight, we should have ordered an extra bowl of loin ribs just to compare.

Here are the supporting players that make up the rest of the cast:

Salted vegetable, S$4.00.

Simmered till soft with a pleasant garlicky fragrance, the sweetish Kiam Chye 咸菜 put up a near-flawless performance, if not for the pool of oil it was sitting in.

Tau pok (braised beancurd puff), S$4.00.

A lack of sweetness failed to balance out the saltiness of Tau Pok.

Tau kee (braised beancurd skin), S$4.00.

Tau Kee put up a commendable but unmemorable appearance.

You tiao, S$1.50.

You Tiao looked and felt a bit weary, but who can tell once it’s dunked into hot, peppery broth?

Pig organ soup, S$6.00.

I gave Pig Organ Soup‘s cameo a miss.

Braised pork trotter, S$8.00.

Ah…here’s Pork Trotter, the antagonist who threatened to steal the show! The restrained use of herbs and spices was much appreciated, and the meat, while retaining some bite, was sufficiently tender. But Pork Trotter would have really stolen the show if it had been less lean and more mean!

After averaging out the total cost of the meal, we paid about S$13.00 each person, inclusive of drinks, towels, and GST charges.

We left feeling full, but less than satisfied. Founder’s bak kut teh is definitely better than average. However, I can’t help but feel that it’s a blockbuster that failed to deliver.

Tau huay 豆花, S$1.10.

After dinner, we walked to the nearby Rochor Beancurd (Balestier branch) to gossip over dessert. The warm tau huay was divinely light and silky!

Founder Rou Gu Cha Cafeteria
347 Balestier Road
Ground level of New Orchid Hotel
Singapore 329777
Tel: (65) 6352 6192

Open:
12 to 2:00pm, 6pm to 2:30am
Closed on Tuesdays

Pork ribs soup, S$7.00 (5 pieces of ribs)

We’ve passed by this bak kut teh (BKT) shop a couple of times before, making a mental note to check it out the next time a BKT craving hits. Well, the craving hit Sunday afternoon, so Ricky and I came here for a late lunch.

They serve Teochew-style BKT here, i.e. the broth is brewed using pork ribs, white pepper seeds, and whole cloves of garlic. Ricky prefers KL-style herbal BKT, while I, being a Teochew ah nia (lady, usually pretty), was happy to be in familiar territory.

A good bowl of BKT is judged on its two main elements: the broth and the ribs. My thoughts on…

The broth: Quite balanced in flavor. Not too salty, subtly sweet, and not overly peppery. Although I appreciated that the chef exercised restraint, somehow there was a distinctive identity missing. But when we topped up the soup, the second round was too peppery. It must have come from the bottom of the pot.

The ribs: Good quality, meaty ribs were used. Although I like my ribs to retain some bite, I thought the ribs here could have benefitted from an extra 10 minutes in the pot for more tenderness.

Braised pig trotter, S$5.00.

What’s it with BKT shops serving braised pig trotters? I don’t remember it on the menu years ago. Must be a fairly recent addition.

Like the ribs, I felt the pig trotter could have been braised longer to have that melt-in-your-mouth, fork-tender quality. They were quite generous with the meat, though.

Salted vegetables, S$1.00.

A classic accompaniment for BKT, this is one of my favorite side dishes for Teochew porridge as well. It was done so-so here; I’d have preferred it to be cooked slightly sweeter. Of course, taste is a very subjective issue.

Stewed groundnuts, S$1.00.

Same opinion as the stewed pickled veggie (please refer to above paragraph).

Fried you tiao (dough fritters), S$1.00.

How do you eat your you tiao with BKT? I like to dunk mine in the BKT soup to soak up the broth!

Gongfu tea set, S$3.00.

Actually, I enjoy eating BKT not just for the food, but for the whole experience. After satisfying the hunger, it’s time to relax, make Chinese gongfu tea, sip tea, and chit chat. It’s very therapeutic!

Isn’t the fish-shaped tea tray a scream? I think it looks like a pomfret!

Hot water and condiments.

If you opt for indoor seating, there are custom-made side tables with electric kettles and even a tap (blocked by the condiments tray) for you to refill the kettle!

Gongfu tea (no, there’s no martial arts involved) is concentrated, bitter, and drunk neat in miniature teacups. The perfect way to aid digestion of a heavy meal. Click here for a tutorial.

Conclusion: The food here is average. Not my ultimate BKT, but can do when I’m desperate. Plus points: Convenient location, brisk service, and despite no air-conditioning, seating is relatively comfortable. The menu is quite extensive too.

Song Fa

Song Fa Bak Kut Teh
11 New Bridge Road (opp. Clarke Quay MRT)
#01-01
Singapore 059383
Tel: (65) 6533 6128
URL: www.sbestfood.com/songfa.htm

Opening hours:
8:00 am to 11:00 pm
Closed on Mondays

*They have another branch at Rochor Center

The VIPs putting on their rubbers. Gloves, that is. What were you thinking?

The guest-of-honor was Minister of State for Trade and Industry, Mr Lee Yi Shyan (second from left in above photo). He tried his hand at making one of Singapore’s iconic hawker dishes, char kway teow. The other VIP made rojak.

The pro showing the con artist minister how to fry it right.

Guiding him every step of the way was Mr Saw Cheng Poh. Wonder whether the minister’s char kway teow passed the taste test?

Drummers giving their all.

After that, the Singapore Food Festival was declared officially open, with the drummers giving a rousing performance.

The sample platter for invited guests.

This was the platter that was served to invited guests. It was a sampler of popular hawker dishes like char kway teow, roti prata with curry, chicken rice, laksa, and satay.

This was more for photography rather than consumption, cos all the dishes were already cold (read: not nice to eat).

Cuppa cappucino

One of the perks of wearing the “media” pass was being plied with samples, like free java. The cappucino was actually pretty good.

Our local brand liquid gold.

Free booze! Alas, I don’t drink beer. Now, if only they gave out champagne…

That’s Nic of Black Tie, White Lie angling for a good shot in the background! I also met up with Keropokman and Momo of Singapura Daily Makan.

Char kway teow.

We were each given a stored-value card by the organizers to purchase food from the vendors at Lau Pa Sat. The char kway teow at Stall 77 Lakeview Char Kway Teow was great, as evidenced by the long queue.

Chai tow kway (fried radish cake with black sauce)

The chai tow kway, from the same stall, was also not bad.

Bak kut teh.

From Stall 14, this is a S$6.00 portion of bak kut teh. This is the Teochew version, pork ribs stewed with white pepper seeds and garlic in a clear broth. I liked the light, sweet broth that wasn’t too peppery, but the ribs weren’t tender enough.

Braised duck set.

Also from Stall 14, there was very little duck given. Taste was so-so.

Rojak.

Someone from our table got this. Not bad, but I don’t know which stall it came from.

To reflect the retro theme of this year’s festival, old black-and-white movies will be screened at Lau Pa Sat in the evenings. There are many other food-related activities and events throughout the month of July. For details, go to the official website: www.singaporefoodfestival.com