A rather established Bak Kut Teh joint in its own right, Ban Lee Bak Kut Teh has been catering to many eager mouths in search for a Bak Kut Teh restaurant to call home. Over the years of churning out decadent pork bone soup, prepared over a charcoal fire -authentic much; Ban Lee's BKT concoction has managed to retain quite a huge customer base while bringing in new BKT enthusiasts under its fan club to date.
On the other hand, nothing to shout about the ambience as all attention gyrates in the kitchen. Tables and chairs are scattered inside and outside of the restaurant while plenty of fans festoon on the plain walls, a typical BKT atmosphere in other words.
Now, despite no longer utilising charcoal for the heating process, opting instead for the stove alternative, Ban Lee is more efficient than ever - and for good reason, too; as Ban Lee is known as one of the few BKT joints to operate 24-hour-a-day basis. In terms of what they serve, let us begin in the enlightenment of Ban Lee's soupy affair. In essence, Ban Lee boasts two different type of pork bone soup, one with the darker coloration sporting a herbal flavour with a rather bitter aftertaste, sought after by those with an acquired taste or the lighter version which is sweet and savoury with next to no trace of bitterness. Both are good in their own way and patrons are more than welcome to try both variations. Do note however, that the lighter variation is limited to a certain number daily and reservations made beforehand are more advisable than walk-ins.
And when talking about bak kut teh, one can never forgo the importance of the porky goodness entailed within the dish. Otherwise it hardly lives up to its namesake. Here in Ban Lee Bak Kut Teh, not only do they provide the usual pork fare of lean and fatty meat along with succulent ribs, they also accommodate to a whole pork bone (Yat Chi Kuat), where the dish comes in a HUGE pork bone where meat was all falling-off-the-bone-tender and the gelatinous strip of skin has minimal fat, not forgetting the optional addition of pork offals.
Accompanied by the usual load of BKT condiments such as tau fu pok, lettuce, enoki mushrooms and crispy Chinese cruller (Yoo Tiao), the dish is as delectable as it gets. Definitely the first thought that comes to mind whenever comfort food is involved.
