[NON-HALAL]
The main item there is Bak Kut Teh, although the stall also serves Chic Kut Teh, the chicken version of Bak Kut Teh There’s also a Taiwanese dish called Lu Rou Fan.
On Saturdays and Sundays, customers can look forward to Nasi Ulam with Babi Kicap, essentially rice with herbs and pork cooked with fermented soybeans.
One would expect Bak Kut Teh to be an item in a Chinese restaurant or at least to be prepared by a Chinese cook. But not at Babi Kuah Hitam. The cook and the owner of the stall is Logan Terence Lòpez, an Indian from Klang. But then, Klang is known for good Bak Kut Teh.
“It’s something that I grew up eating,” the 38-year-old told FMT Lifestyle.
Lòpez is no stranger to the culinary world. He is also the head chef at Wurst, an establishment he founded in 2018 that serves delicious sausages made from scratch.
He opened Babi Kuah Hitam last May.
He knew that nailing a perfect recipe was important. The herbal pork dish, after all, is a favourite among the Chinese.
So, in his quest for perfection, he visited many of his usual haunts in Klang to learn more about Chinese herbs. He also sought the guidance of the co-owner of Ban Joo Trading, a medical hall located in the same vicinity as Kopitiam Chun Heong.
It took Lòpez about two weeks and many attempts at cooking the dish before he was satisfied. Judging from the number of customers frequenting his stall, it is safe to say that he has found a winning recipe.
Instead of a claypot, Lòpez serves his Bak Kut Teh in individual bowls as he prefers to keep things easy. He also aims to keep his food pocket-friendly and describes it as “B40 Bak Kut Teh”.
The price of each bowl ranges between RM15 and RM18, depending on the cuts of meat selected. Available choices include ribs, belly and soft bone.
“It’s probably not something that you can have daily, but you wouldn’t mind having it two or three times a week because it’s affordable in some sense,” he said.
“I’m not doing Babi Kuah Hitam to build an empire. I’m doing it out of passion. So far, it’s been very well-received by various groups of people from the Chinese to expats.”
So, how does Lòpez’s Bak Kut Teh fare? And would it impress this writer, who also hails from Klang and has had more than a fair share of the dish?
The answer is a resounding yes. The aromatic broth has the right consistency – not too thick and each sip leaves you wanting for more.
The meat, a combination of ribs, belly and soft bone for the FMT team, was juicy and rather heavenly with a heaping spoonful of fragrant scallion rice and You Char Koey.
Go ahead and enjoy your meal with a generous helping of garlic and cili padi, if you dare.
The Chic Kut Teh was equally delightful. The broth, with a pleasant herbal note, comes with a boiled egg and a generous amount of enoki mushroom and tofu puffs while the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender.
Served with scallion rice and the prerequisite You Char Koey, this will hit all the right spots if you’re looking for something comforting and filling.
The Lu Rou Fan is another winner here. The pork belly, flavoured to perfection, simply melts in your mouth. Served with scallion rice and egg, this is a simple dish done well and bound to delight both adults and children.
Whether it’s for a quick weekday meal or a leisurely weekend brunch, drop by Babi Kuah Hitam for scrumptious food and don’t forget to say hello to the Indian from Klang dishing up Bak Kut Teh in Bangsar.
Babi Kuah Hitam [NON-HALAL]
Kopitiam Chun Heong
12, Persiaran Ara Kiri
Bangsar
59100 Kuala Lumpur
Business hours: 8am–2pm (Closed on Monday)