Malaysia
Singapore
Thailand
During 2 of my road trips to Malaysia, I remember being in a state of euphoria when I savoured herbal and dried bak kut teh for the very first time. Well, thank the heavens that Feng Xiang Bak Kut Teh | Fried Porridge offers both these dishes together with other delightful offerings, all under one roof.
If you’re unaware of its 5 different locations around Singapore, they are: Beauty World Centre, Breadtalk IHQ, VivoCity, Fernvale Hawker Centre and Parkway Parade. There’s even a 6th outlet opening soon at Lao Pa Sat.
Rachel and I visited the Parkway Parade outlet of Feng Xiang Bak Kut Teh | Fried Porridge at the Food Republic food court located at basement 1.
While we waited for our food to be prepared, Rachel said, “I miss their fried porridge.” As it was my first time trying them out, coupled with the fact that I’ve never had fried porridge in my life, I was super excited!
What I tried at Feng Xiang Bak Kut Teh | Fried Porridge, Parkway Parade
Besides the Breadtalk IHQ, Parkway Parade is the only outlet which serves 2 different types of seasonal mee tai mak dishes. These are available for dinner between 5pm to 9pm daily until 14 May 2023.
We kickstarted the afternoon with the Claypot Stir-fried Mee Tai Mak (S$6.90), which consisted of mee tai mak, pork slices, fish cake, egg and green veggies with a luscious egg yolk resting in the middle.
I broke the yolk with my chopsticks and spoon, and proceeded to toss all the ingredients up. The creamy yolk coated every element of the dish, making them look not only shinier but also more drool-worthy in the process.
My first mouthful was an explosion of flavours and textures. The mee tai mak infused my taste buds with robust smoky notes, while the green veggies provided bursts of crunchy freshness. What an awesome start!
I had the privilege of witnessing the young chef preparing my next dish, the Claypot Mee Tai Mak (S$5.90 for small).
After he swung the wok up and down and sent the thick strands of rice flour somersaulting in the air, he threw the rest of the ingredients in and worked his magic.
The ingredients were similar to the previous dish, but had a viscous gravy slathered on top instead. Its first look reminded me of hor fun. To be frank, I did not have high hopes.
And then….. I was dumbfounded after my first spoonful. I said nothing, and kept going for more. Well-seasoned and perfectly balanced, the Claypot Mee Tai Mak was absolutely delicious! Why can’t both these options be a permanent stay on the menu? C’mon, Feng Xiang!
We moved on to the Herbal Bak Kut Teh Soup (S$7.90 for small). The clay pot had a mixture of pork ribs, slices of pork, pig’s stomach, enoki mushrooms, bean curd skin and tau pok.
The broth was simmered really well, possessing the perfect balance of savouriness and slight bitterness from the herbs. The flavour was, in fact, on par with the ones I had in Malaysia.
The pieces of pork rib literally melted in my mouth the instant my teeth sunk into them, an indication that they were braised to perfection. The fatty parts also made it more rich and decadent— I could eat this everyday!
For those who are into innards (like me), the pig’s stomach was clean-tasting and satisfying to chew on. The pieces of enoki also added crunchy textures to the dish.
I was looking forward to the Dry Bak Kut Teh (S$8.90 for small). The pieces of pork ribs and pig’s stomach were stir-fried with dried chilli, okra and dried cuttlefish.
The caramelised pieces of pork ribs were fragrant and had subtle punches of spice. The thin strips of dried cuttlefish enhanced the flavours by injecting gentle bursts of umami-ness.
The charred pieces of okra were an absolute enjoyment to have in-between bites. This dish would be the perfect accompaniment to a piping-hot bowl of rice.
When it was time for the Mixed Pork Organ Fried Porridge (S$7.90), I was elated. The porridge had a light-brownish hue with mini golden nuggets of pork lard, fried shallots and spring onions on top.
I’ve heard so many good things about this dish from friends and colleagues. Would this live up to it?
While mixing the porridge up with my spoon, I uncovered hidden surprises of pork slices, dried cuttlefish as well as pig’s intestines, stomach and liver. The thick concoction had smokey whiffs of wok hei which blew my mind! The pieces of pork lard also made it even more shiok— I was pleased.
I was glad I tried it with minced garlic. It made the porridge less jelak and perfumed it with its slightly spiced and buttery notes.
We were also recommended to pair the fried porridge with their special chilli. I dunked all my condiments into it and was rewarded with a tangy and spicy infusion. Mmm… yummy!
As we were gradually slipping into a state of food coma, we ended our indulgent lunch with the Vinegar Pig’s Trotter (S$6.90). It came with pieces of trotters and a braised egg doused in a dark, vinegary broth.
The trotters were unctuous and fall-off-the-bone tender. The ratio of meat to fat was just right and it had absorbed all the flavours of the broth.
I’ve had my fair share of overly acidic or excessively sweet gravies for this dish. Feng Xiang’s version was calibrated just right.
Final thoughts
You can now kiss goodbye to the massive traffic jams and intense crowd situations at the customs. With Feng Xiang Bak Kut Teh | Fried Porridge, you can savour all your favourite Malaysian dishes without having the need to leave our island.
Expected damage: S$6 – S$16 per pax
*This post is brought to you in partnership with Feng Xiang Bak Kut Teh | Fried Porridge.
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