Lim Chee Guan

yes, i am a bak kwa snob!
yes, i only eat lim chee guan’s bak kwa!
yes, you can put me to a blind taste test and i can tell you if it is the real deal!!!:)
for the uninitiated, bak kwa is basically bbq meat jerky.
and pork being the meat originally used in the manufacturing of this simple wonder.
their signature here is the sliced pork bak kwa.
and that is what i always get here.
but for those of you who fancy some other types of meat, they do have beef and chicken too.
so just what makes them so good?
it is a sweetness without being cloyingly so.
it is a smoky charred bite without tasting burnt ends.
it is the distinctively chewy yet tender pork slices that is not minced.
it is the exquisite dark red hue that exudes an unmatched richness and complexity.
this used to be the one and only branch.
then sprouted one directly opposite at people’s park which many speculated was not authentic.
but now both bear the same logo and shopfront look.
and yet the queue lingers on at this original outlet.
a queue that challenges sanity as each chinese new year approaches.
this year, i heard an unbelievable mention of 7 hours wait in line.
and the price was $ 52/​kg.
the bak kwa index, as i like to call it, is a gauge of inflation.
normally, the price goes up at CNY, retreats a little but still trends up over previous year’s price.
so after the peaks during CNY, today’s bak kwa index stands at $ 50/​kg!
the forties mark are now but a distant memory.
lim chee guan has since gone upmarket with an outlet in ion orchard and it is there where queues are somewhat sane and in aircon comfort.
but for the sadomasochist, who ironically believes nothing short of a 3 hours queue is worth his time, this is just the place to be before CNY each year.

I have no idea why I was here. All I know the 2^nd request from my Sister during our Weekend in Singapore is to come to Lim Chee Guan to pick up some bakkwas.
I guess I was really lucky and was here at Off Peak Hour as there were no one… at all queueing up. We have the full attention of the staff who was just so generous and let us sample most of the products they have for sale,
I love the spicy bakkwas, I can eat that the whole day. The taste of pork can be quite intense as this is the real deal.
My sister ended up picking up some items as souvenirs. Too bad I was not that lucky one!

Although the ‘other’ yellow competitor seems to be more common place, my local friend recommended this one, so I accidentally stumbled across this in Chinatown, in between 2 Bee stores!
Taste: flavourful, glazy, but what biggest diff compared to home is that it’s a lot thicker, chewier… at first, thought this was better value but actually costs more, since you’re paying for weight too.
Packaging: much nicer here, own logo, a polished feel to it… pretty impressed w/​its history too.
Customer service: impressive – these guys would put any hardworking union guys to shame. can’t imagine this tough work they do all day, under pressure w/​long lineups. also allowed to have samples.
Flavours i got were: mini bbq pork, chill, bacon and pork ends. didn’t like the bacon as much.
Verdict? between the BKH at home, i’d say it’s 1A & 1B ;)

Despite being expensive and oily, the many customers who frequent Lim Chee Guan every day are living testimonies to the bahkwa’s tastiness. There are even those who buy up to 2 or more kg worth of bahkwa for the entire family, I’m guessing, maybe to make their time in the queue worth their while. I usually try to go during off-​peak periods since I mostly buy for myself and don’t need a lot, which makes queuing up seem incredibly tiresome. The bahkwa is not too sweet and fragrant, with a nice chewy texture. For a Chinese New Year celebration, I’d say that this is absolutely essential in any household to entertain guests.

Lim Chee Guan’s bakkwa has been a family favourite for as long as I can remember. Although I have had good bakkwas from other brand names such as bee cheng hiang and such, Lim Chee Guan’s bakkwa has been the most consistent in terms of flavour and texture.
It has almost become a family tradition to queue for the bakkwa at Lim Chee Guan during the festive period. While it indeed seems pretty ridiculous to be standing in line for 2−3hours, the standard of bakkwa you get from Lim Chee Guan cannot be found elsewhere.

Arguably the best and most popular traditional bak kwa (bbq pork) shop here in Singapore. During the days leading up to CNY, queues can easily snake all the way to the McDonald’s at Lucky Chinatown, averaging 2 – 4 hours waiting time.
Often quick to scoff at these queues whenever I see them, I found myself amongst them this year. For the record, I waited approximately 2 hrs and 30 mins before my turn. I still find it amazing how bak kwa is a such a prized commodity during CNY. Customers from Hong Kong and Malaysia can be easily found among the Singaporeans buying kilos and kilos as gifts for relatives.
Yet It is not hard to understand why because the bak kwa definitely lives up to its reputation. Soft, tender and flavourful. Not greasy or tough and filled with fat like other commercial brands (i.e. Bee Cheng Hiang and Frangrance). Once you tried it, you wont want any of the cheaper options.
For those of you who have been hiding under a rock or just plain ignorant yet think highly of themselves, they have 3 shops in Singapore. The main and best is the one along New Bridge Road just beside Pagoda St near the MRT. Yes, thats the main one. Not the one across the road at People’s Park Complex or the new fangled one at ION Orchard.