Ya Hua Bak Kut Teh (Keppel Road)

Ya Hua Bak Kut Teh (Keppel Road) is a Teochew-style bak kut teh shop in the PSA Tanjong Pagar Complex. Bak kut teh means "meat bone tea". It is pork ribs simmered in a broth, eaten with Chinese tea on the side. The Teochew version is clear and peppery rather than dark and herbal, and that is the style Ya Hua is known for.

The business dates back to 1973. Founder Madam Gwee Peck Hua, working with her sister Gwee Guek Hua, first ran it from the ground floor of public flats at Outram Park. That is why many locals still call it Outram Park Ya Hua. When those flats were pulled down in 1995, the shop moved to Havelock Road. The Keppel Road branch followed in 2006, and both outlets still trade today.

What to order

Start with a bowl of rib soup. There are two main choices: spare ribs, which cost a little more, and the plainer pork ribs. The meat should be tender enough to pull away from the bone, and the soup has a clear pepper kick.

The menu also covers other parts of the pig, each in its own soup. Choices include pig's tail, pig's stomach, liver and kidney, and sliced pork loin. There is a fresh sliced fish soup and a mee sua noodle soup too. Most tables add a few sides:

• Fried dough sticks: also called youtiao, made for dipping into the soup.
• Braised pig's trotters: a richer contrast to the light broth.
• Braised peanuts and salted vegetables: small plates that go well with rice.
• Braised bean curd: firm tau kua or fried tau pok.
• Greens: chye sim or watercress in oyster sauce.

Steamed rice is the usual partner. Staff will top up your soup during the meal, so there is no need to ration it. To drink, Ya Hua offers Chinese teas such as Tie Guan Yin, plus barley, luohan longan and fresh lime drinks.

The setting

The room is plain and set up like a local coffee shop, and lunch and dinner bring a crowd. Food comes out fast, the tables are simple, and diners come and go quickly. It suits a fast, filling meal rather than a long dinner. If you are new to this kind of place, our guide to Singapore kopitiams explains how they work.

Good to know before you go

• Pepper level: the broth is peppery but not harsh. Try a sip first if you are not used to pepper.
• Pork menu: most dishes are pork-based, so plan around that if you do not eat pork.
• Take some home: Ya Hua sells packs of its bak kut teh spices through its online shop.
• Awards: it won Best Bak Kut Teh at the HungryGoWhere Awards 2015, a public vote.
• Second outlet: there is another Ya Hua on Havelock Road, in the Isetan Office Building.

Nearby

Ya Hua makes an easy first stop for a food day in the area. Our Chinatown cheap eats crawl suggests more local dishes to try. The Singapore City Gallery explains how the city was planned and built. If you want to stay in Tanjong Pagar, Oasia Hotel Downtown and Carlton City Hotel Singapore are both in the district. You can also browse more hawker favourites or all restaurants in Chinatown and Tanjong Pagar.