Founder Bak Kut Teh Tasting Session
347 Balestier Road
Opening Hours:
Wed - Mon: 12pm - 2:30pm, 6pm - 2am,
Closed Tue
500 Jalan Sultan
#01-09 Hotel Boss
Opening Hours:
Daily: 9am - 5am
http://www.founderbkt.com.sg/
This was an invited media review. I did not pay for the meal during the free hosted tasting session, but I did pay the standard price during subsequent visits.
Special thanks to Founder BKT, Love To Eat The Most, and Justin Food Prints for the invitation and for hosting. Attended with representatives from Zanthrea, Doris Goh, Shitty Vince, Food Gem, and Purple Taste.
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| Bak Kut Teh @ Founder |
A Taste Of Tradition
(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 7
Ambience & Setting: 7
Food & Beverage: 8
Service: 7
Value for Money: 6
Spent about SGD $17 per person.
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Founder Bak Kut Teh needs little introduction. Most Singaporeans would be familiar with their delicious Bak Kut Teh, or Rou Gu Cha / Pork Rib Soup, which Founder Bak Kut Teh has been serving for over 40 years. In fact, they regularly represent the epitome of Singaporean cuisine, having been appointed by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) as the heritage hawker to showcase the Singaporean style of Bak Kut Teh. Having expanded beyond their flagship restaurant at Balestier, with their location at Hotel Boss in January 2016, Founder looks set to grow even further.
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| Founder Bak Kut Teh Exterior |
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| Founder Bak Kut Teh Interior |
Ambience at Founder is clean and functional. The brightly lit place is clean, neatly spaced with sturdy wooden furniture with marble tops. Pictures of celebrity visits, events, and their accolades adorn the walls, along with brief descriptions of their history, and their founder, Mr. Chua. There is a faint smell of peppery broth which hangs in the air, though this doesn't cause any bother. Atmosphere is open and bustling, and ambient noise levels can be rather loud, especially during peak periods.
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| Seating |
Service at Founder is efficient and functional, akin to the style of most hawker centres or casual eateries. Staff converse mostly in Chinese Mandarin, and ordering is an efficient, hassle-free affair. As with most such places, turn around of tables is fast, staff are quick to clear away empty / dirty tables and prepare it for the next diners. Fulfillment of orders is just as quick, all dishes arrive more or less at the same time, and diners would rarely have to wait more than 10 minutes for their meal.
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| Menu |
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| Menu |
Food at Founder is all about Bak Kut Teh (White) / Rou Gu Cha / Pork Rib Soup. The pork meat is sourced fresh daily, from 7-month old pigs, which is apparently the optimum age that has the best taste and texture. Their soup / broth is still robust and tasty, with bold peppery notes. The menu has expanded too, Founder now offers a good variety of dishes to suit all palates. Portions of Bak Kut Teh are sized for individuals, but every other dish is designed for communal dining, and must be shared. Prices however, have risen accordingly. Budget about SGD $17 per person for a meal here.
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| Meal |
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| Meal |
A selection of staples accompany a meal. Choose from either standard White Rice (SGD $1), or the Vermicelli Noodles Soup (SGD $2), which is served in the same robust soup / broth as the pork ribs. Pair the Fried Dough Fritter You Tiao (SGD $2.50) with their soup / broth as well, it's nicely spongy and airy, soaking up all the delicious flavour.
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| Fried Dough Fritter You Tiao (SGD $2.50) |
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| White Rice (SGD $1) |
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| Vermicelli Noodles Soup (SGD $2) |
The robust soup / broth that accompanies all their pork ribs is delicious, a secret recipe blend of herbs and spices. Famously peppery and strong, with bold savoury notes. I feel it's a lot more peppery than I remember, though I still love the taste.
The Bak Kut Teh - Premium Short Ribs (SGD $10.80) is my personal favourite, tender savoury sweet pork meat, layered with silvers of fat in-between. The meat slides off the bone easily, and the ratio of fat to lean meat is nicely balanced, really delicious. The Bak Kut Teh - Premium Ribs (SGD $11.80) has the longest rib bones, with the most amount of meat. Though the ratio of fat is slightly lesser, it's just as tender and tasty.
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| Bak Kut Teh - Premium Short Ribs (SGD $10.80) |
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| Bak Kut Teh - Premium Ribs (SGD $11.80) |
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| Soup |
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| Meal |
Always a delight to have a good, clean bowl of Mixed Organ Soup (SGD $8.80), featuring liver, kidney, and boneless pork loin slices. Served in that delicious, robust soup / broth. The Pig's Trotter (SGD $9.80 / $12.80) is nicely braised, savoury with a light salty flavour, not too overpowering. The meat is fatty and luscious, very satisfiying. Note that this version here does not have vinegar within.
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| Mixed Organ Soup (SGD $8.80) |
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| Mixed Organ Soup |
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| Pig's Trotter (SGD $9.80 / $12.80) |
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| Braised Pig's Intestines (SGD $8.80 / $11.80) |
Like that the Salted Vegetables (SGD $3.80 / $5.80) is not overly salty, and the pickled mustard greens still have a slight crunch to texture. The Steamed Cod Fish (SGD $18.80) was utterly delicious, fresh, clean fish meat that flakes off nicely, good savoury salty sweet flavour. The Steamed Minced Meat (SGD $6.80) is decently savoury, though I would have preferred it more salty, I think most people would be alright with this. Also loved the Crispy Prawn Roll (SGD $5.80 / $10.80), piping hot with a nice soft crunch, the sweet savoury filling within is warm and comforting.
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| Salted Vegetables (SGD $3.80 / $5.80) |
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| Choy Sum With Oyster Sauce (SGD $5.80 / $7.80) |
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| Crispy Prawn Roll (SGD $5.80 / $10.80) |
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| Steamed Cod Fish (SGD $18.80) |
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| Steamed Minced Meat (SGD $6.80) |
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| Trio Steamed Egg (SGD $5.80) |
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| Fried Tofu Beancurd (SGD $5.80) |
When I first started cataloging and blogging about Singapore food back in 2006 / 2007, I had selected Founder Bak Kut Teh as one of my top 3 choices for Bak Kut Teh (White). Today, their consistent quality over the years means they still remain a solid place for Bak Kut Teh, albeit with slightly more premium pricing. Otherwise, I'm very happy with the ambience, service, and food at Founder Bak Kut Teh, and it's a place I have, and still will, return to for more.
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CONVERSATION