Welcoming another bak kut teh from Singapore, meet Soon Huat Bak Kut Teh. The recently opened store at Pluit Raya not too far from Garuda restaurant is the first ever branch outside Singapore. Having to stay in a city with not so much options to go for Bak Kut Teh, I am happy to find another good place in town.
The story behind Soon Huat is quite amazing. Founded in April 2013, the founder, Jabez Tan is an ex-offender with a total of 13 years imprisonment and 12 strokes of the cane due to drug related offenses. With strong determination to break free from his addiction and old lifestyle, Jabez turn into believing in Christ and decided to pick up cooking skills in Changi prison. Started of washing the dishes, Jabez soon become the main chef due to his outstanding culinary skills. Later on, he came up with a Bak Kut Teh recipe from scratch and started his F&B business with a mission. Beside fulfilling his passion in culinary, his mission is to provide ex-offenders a new start in life with a meaningful career. And yes, the employees at his two branches in Spore are all ex convicts but the one in Jakarta is not.
With two branches in Spore and spreading the branch in Jakarta now, Jabez now has a new lease of life with bak kut teh. He is well known to not only serving one delicious bak kut teh, but also in growing a business of second chance.
People
who stay at Pluit & Muara Karang would be familiar with its
location which took the former place of Cosi. The building is huge and
spacious. Me likey the interior design. Modern touch on Chinese look. I love how they interpret the design into a Chinese dining with modern vibes. Love the china they hang on the walls, the pretty huge flowers around the room, and that one specific room with art deco tiles.
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They offer both soup and dried bak kut teh. Me chose the soup one, but I'll be back for the dried one. It comes in two size, small 65k and large 85k for the soup one. Came in a sizzling hot claypot bowl, the size small is more than enough for one person portion.
What I liked is it comes with not only pork ribs, but also pork liver and stomach with tofu skin. I normally never like herbal soup bak kut teh and tend to always chose the peppery one, but surprisingly I like theirs. The broth is light, I love how I can taste the herbal scent but it wasn't too strong to leave those sort of bitter medicine after taste. The pork itself was good and so tender.
It ain't a complete bak kut teh without these fried cakwe (12k)!
Another recommended dish is their Braised Tow Ki (38k), must must order this tofu skin. You can have it just as is, or dipped it into the soup.
Though I still prefer peppery type of soup, I have a pleasantly good lunch here. If you are someone who into herbal brownish bak kut teh, then this is the place for you. Not to worry about the service, as the owner has experience in other restaurants business before, Tako Suki at Pesanggrahan and Pan & Flip at Karawaci to mention some. So, less worry as you won't bump into a newbie restaurant service like slow serving and others. All the best, Soon Huat!
SOON HUAT BAK KUT TEH
Jl. Pluit Putera Raya No. 15
North Jakarta
Opening hours: 10am - 10pm
Price range: 25k - 85k
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