Rong Cheng Bak Kut Teh – From 1976 & Still Going Strong

Rong Cheng Bak Kut Teh - Midview City Branch

A quick Google on the best Bak Kut Teh in Singapore, more than often you will see the name Rong Cheng Bak Kut Teh ('Rong Cheng BKT') listed as one of the top 10 in some restaurant review site. Rong Cheng BKT opened its door in 1976 and they are also known to be the first BKT shop to introduce the clear broth soup as well as the lion ribs. They currently have two branches in Sin Ming area: Midview City and Blk 22 Sin Ming Road. We visited the one at Midview City.

The Set Up

The must order is of course the Pork Ribs Soup ($7). Each bowl come with the following combo a long Lion rib, a shorter rib and a bulb of garlic. The longer one has a good fat contents that melts in your mouth when you bit into it. The broth is clear, peppery, robust and comforting. From 2 visits here we noticed that the shorter rib was not a good as the longer one. It is almost without fat content, making it dry and hard. As a pork ribs lover, this is the first time I did not finished my ribs. The BKT here is served in a big porcelain bowl, which content a good portion of broth. While I enjoy this as the broth cool down faster, LD prefer smaller bowl as the service staff need to top up the broth more often and the soup remain pipping hot.

Pork Rib Soup

A good companion for the BKT of course is a bowl of You Tiao ($1). It has thick and dense texture, good to absorb the broth of the BKT. For those who prefer Mee Sua ($2), you should try the one here. It is well separated and does not get lumpy easily.

You Tiao

Mee Sua

Other side dishes that normally goes well with the BKT is the Braised Peanuts ($2 for Large), Pig Liver and Kidney Soup ($6), Braised Intestines ($5) and Salted Vegetables ($3 for Large). Braised Peanuts were served at the beginning. It is a good starter, soft and a hint crunchiness. It soaks up the braising liquid well. The same can be said for the braised intestines. It is well cleaned, without any sandy / gritty texture in it. It is tender and not overly chewy. For intestines lover like me, it is a must try.

Braised Peanuts

Salted Vegetables & Braised Intestines

Meanwhile, the Pig Liver and Kidney soup deserve a special mention. It was handle properly, and both liver and kidney are perfectly cooked. It just melts in your mouth. Also a good combination to have with the mee sua. Salted vegetables are generous in portion and mild in the saltiness.

Pig Liver and Kidney Soup

With all the fats and meat going into your body, it is best to end the meal with a thick brew of Gongfu Tea.

Gongfu Tea

The Midview city location is huge as it is in the Industrial building. There were a good distance between the front and back of the restaurant, easily can content more than 100 pax. Service is efficient at first, however during the meal when you want to top up your broth, it can be difficult to catch their attention as they are too far away. They have also other varieties of dishes like steam fish and some Zhi Char dishes to cater for a wider range of customers. The decoration is very traditional, a mix between marble and wooden tables and traditional design wooden chairs used. There are Chinese writing on the wall to explain about the BKT.

The BKT Story

Overall, while we find Rong Cheng BKT serve a very good BKT. While we have to admit if we are given a choice, this will not be our first pick. Our feedback is that we hope the management can look into the consistency of the pork ribs in the BKT. Cheers!!

Food & Drink: 7.5/10

Value: 7/10

Service: 6.5/10

Ambiance: 6.5/10

Budget per Person: $11 - $25

Rong Cheng Bak Kut Teh ( 榕城肉骨茶 )

Blk 26 Sin Ming Lane

#01-117, Midview City

Singapore 573971

T: +65 66841889

W: http://rongchengbkt.com/

F: https://www.facebook.com/rongchengbkt

OH: Daily 07.00 – 21.00

Other Outlet:

Blk 22 Sin Ming Road

#01-258

Singapore 570022

OH: Daily 07.00 – 16.00