Founders Bak Ku Teh

Bak Kut Teh — more aptly known in these parts as Pork Rib Soup. The Singaporean version is known for its black pepper soup base. None is more famous than those pork ribs found at Founders! Ok, ok, ok… Singaporeans may disagree, but those pictures of famous people that line the restaurant walls with the Owner Uncle, tells me other wise. I’ll tell you all a little secret, I don’t recognize anyone on the wall! Ahh.
The Bak Kut Teh at Founders is something I crave at least once a month. There are no frills in the Founders dish. Just Pork ribs and soup. What separates Founders from the rest of the Bak Kuh Teh places on Balestier is the taste of the broth. I can’t explain it, but founders pepper soup is that much better. It’s not too peppery and tastes just right.
Second and most important of all, the ribs are not dry/​stale. You can tell that at some Bak Kuh Teh places, the meat has been sitting in the Pot for the entire day sucking out all the nutrients. This is probably because the founders gets a lot of traffic. Waiting in line is expected, so come before the restaurant opens to avoid the wait.
My only «beef» with founders is they never seem to have Long Ribs. It’s either they can’t find enough of it or they chose not to serve it. This REALLY REALLY frustrates me! Oh well, I just have to live with the mix of long rib and short rib version.
Also, on the free-​refill soup, be mindful that the re-​fill soup can taste slightly different than the soup served in the the original serving.
A true local restaurant that is a must try, if you are from out of town.

I have a new found fascination with bak kut teh — though it’s only fair to declare that more than half that interest is rather the result of the braised pork trotters all bak kut teh stores serve.
if you’re not familiar with this dish, bak kut teh comes in two styles: herbal and peppery. the latter is more popular with my family (and more common, in singapore anyway) — but both are essentially intensely-​flavored soups made with garlic and pork ribs.
over here, it’s a decent peppery broth with pork ribs that tread that line of almost-​too-​fatty, and measures up probably midway in the scale of pepperiness.
dough fritters are essentially a must when having bak kut teh — for dunking into soup — but the ones here were slightly stale and a little too limp.
but my favorite part of the meal was the braised pig trotter — which comes rather satisfying as a whole piece of meat-​falling-​off-​bone hidden under the gelatinously fatty skin. I don’t go much in for the latter — which I know must make me all sorts of embarrassing — it’s the soft, delicious, tender meat under that does me under.
the braising liquid is fragrant with star anise and lots of good stuff, and the darkness permeates the meat so it’s this delicious-​upon-​sight mass that cuts softly, tears easily into long shreds (I love it when meat cooks well this way), and eats far-​too-​easily.
I say yes to the braised pork trotters here, but I figure the soup is a little more take-​it-​or-​not — the peppery broth at the Katong Ng Ah Sio is a little more satisfying that way, and I prefer a higher meat-​to-​fat ratio on my spare ribs.

The other 3 of us were dragged here because a friend was still hungry after 3 large plates of food at a brunch place down the street.
It’s been a while since I’ve eaten at Founders Bak Ku Teh (the last time being 3 years ago) — I recall feeling that the soup was overly peppery at the other branch, but it was fine here. The dough fritters here were a bit too dense and not crispy/​crunchy enough for my liking. Didn’t touch any of the meat as I was stuffed (unlike the person next to me) but she seemed to be enjoying it quite a bit and finished a whole plate of pork trotters by herself (AFTER 3 large plates of food for brunch) so I suppose that’s a good sign!
I like the ambience here a lot more than the original stall in Balestier. It’s bright and airy compared to the cramped, dark and dingy (and plastered with photos of various random celebrities with the owner, some of them repeated– I saw the same Jay Chou photo appear 3 times) other branch.

In the past I didn’t quite enjoy Founders’ Bak Ku Teh @ Balestier as they did not have my favorite kidney soup and have limited side dishes to choose from while enjoying Bak Ku Teh. Recently, a friend suggested going to their relative new branch at Rangoon Road to try. I went there without much expectation that I would enjoy my meal but I was proven wrong.
The menu items here seemed to have increased. (Well, not sure if its the same @ the Balestier branch as I haven’t been back for a while.) Now, they have braised eggs, kidney soup and even mixed (pig) organ soup amongst the other new dishes.
Bak Ku Teh here is of a more peppery taste and is paired nicely with the prime ribs. I would have preferred a more garlic one. My favorite dish of the day was the braised pork trotter. It is done just right. Flavorful and tender yet not too overly fatty.
Definitely, I will be back soon.