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When it comes to bak kut teh, I enjoy both the local peppery version and the Malaysian herbal variety, as each has its own unique character. However, besides my personal gatekept favourite, I have yet to find any other solid herbal bak kut teh spots in Singapore. That was until my colleague Dean and me checked out Herbs N Bone, a home-based herbal bak kut teh business in Kovan.
Say hi to CY, the friendly owner who runs the business alone. “I’m the only manpower here. I handle the procurement, marketing and cooking — basically everything lah!” CY exclaims with a laugh. His family used to run a herbal bak kut teh business in JB, and he had always enjoyed eating it. He eventually decided to learn the art of cooking the dish from his mum.
A total of 18 herbs go into his bak kut teh, while the broth is simmered for 18 hours to extract their full depth and flavour. CY also tweaked the family recipe to better suit Singaporean palates. His workstation is well-organised, with each ingredient neatly segregated.
One day, CY and his wife were serving bak kut teh to friends at home. After helping them pack the leftover food, an idea struck him — why not make the dabao process better? He wanted to bring the restaurant experience back to people at home. This was what inspired him to start Herbs N Bone.
And a restaurant experience I received, indeed! Guess what, guys? You actually get your bak kut teh served in the entire claypot if you order the Medium. Yes, it’s for you to keep and CY won’t be needing it back. The broth is packed separately to prevent the ingredients from becoming soggy.
Ordering is simple. First, choose between self-collection or delivery, with additional charges applicable for the latter. We self-collected the Medium (S$19.80) with the Loaded (+S$5.80) option, bringing the total to S$25.80, which was sufficient for 2 pax. Though the price might seem a little steep to some, I found it well worth the money. It was brimming with pork ribs, pork belly, pork collar, enoki mushrooms, meatballs, tau pok, and napa cabbage, all bathed in the herbal soup.
There’s also a Small (S$9.80) option with a Loaded (+S$3.80) add-on that feeds 1 pax and comes in a plastic container.
The broth is well-balanced without being overly heavy on the herbs; I found myself repeatedly sipping it between bites. The pork ribs were incredibly tender, perfectly deserving the “fall-off-the-bone” title. The pork belly and other ingredients were also well-executed.
You can opt to have it with your choice of carbs — Rice (+S$1.20), Ee Mian (+S$1.40), or Dough Fritters (+S$1.80). I loved how the ee mian perfectly soaks up all the nuances of the broth. The you tiao, when soaked in the broth, is also a wonderful combo.
A fun fact — CY doesn’t take chilli, yet he concocted his own garlic-laden chilli sauce that hits the sweet spot. It comes studded with bits of numbing Sichuan peppercorn, making it extra shiok. Thankfully, it’s included FOC.
Do note that limited quantities are available every month. October slots have already been released. To order, click here.
16 best bak kut teh spots in Singapore to warm up your soul [Oct 2024 update]
