添華砂煲肉骨茶 Restoran Chiam Hua

Review Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Recommended)

Address: 2, Jalan Keris 2, Taman Sri Tebrau, 80050 Johor Bahru, Johor Darul Ta'zim, Malaysia
Google Map Link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/F7yqn5aCPhZ2hMme9
(Please refer to the Timings provided in the Google Map Link for the Operating Hours.)

🐷🍲 Mixed Bak Kut Teh = RM18.00

No Service Charges

 Here is the Full Menu of the Eatery/Restaurant.
Prices are Accurate as of the Date of the Post.

阿彬养生肉骨茶 Ah Peng Bak Kut Teh is a place that I have visited and reviewed before in JB Taman Pelangi. 🍲😋 In that Review, I described their 养生 BKT Broth as Deeply Herbal, 深不见底, and even describing it as a "Complex 苦香苦甜 Savoury Less Bitter Version of Kong Woh Tong's Ya Sei Mei Herbal Tea". 😋👍 Really Solid BKT Broth, I'd dare say that among the BKT Broth I have tasted so far, this might be my Top Choice for Herbal BKT. 🌿🍲 Yes, even beating Klang BKT in terms of Herbliness. 🌿🤔 Hmm... It has been awhile since I visited, perhaps I will need to re-visit them again to ensure Quality is still there. 🍲🤔

Anyway in that Review, I also mentioned that JohorKaki himself wrote that Ah Peng had trained under his Uncle "Tian Hua BKT" for 15 Years. 😳 He did not reference further or provided the Actual Chinese Words on who this "Tian Hua BKT" is however 🤔 so I had to do further research which led me to this 添華砂煲肉骨茶 written as "Chiam Hua" on the Signboard. 📝 I wasn't able to 100% confirm that this 添華 is the Same "Tian Hua BKT" that JohorKaki mentioned, 🤔 but I went anyway. I'm glad that the Friendly Staffs of the Place confirmed that this is indeed the Correct Place. 👍

When I arrived at the Location, I am immediately impressed with how Big it was Located under a Big Tree, 🌳 this is a Very Big Eatery that looks like it has definitely been around for Many Years already. 👍 Consisting of both an Outdoor and Indoor-Airconditioned Area, there were quite a Few Customers although Not Crowded around 5.00pm on a Weekday.

The Owner himself wasn't around and the place was managed by Mostly Myanmar Staffs who are Friendly, Polite and Mostly keep to Themselves. Hahaha but one thing tho, when you're ordering, the Staff will remain standing next to you waiting which was a Tad Stressful as I was also taking my time taking Photos of it. 📷 Nevertheless she maintained a Friendly Face with No 死人脸 even when I did not order any Extra DLC Chapalang Ingredients or even Drinks. 👍 The Dish itself took 3 Mins to be served up.

🐷🍲 Mixed Bak Kut Teh = RM18.00

Served up in an Appetizing Freshly Hot and Bubbling Claypot, 🍲 I counted every piece of ingredient given which consists of:
🐷 3 Big Cuts of Ribs
🐷 1 Liver Patty?
🐷 3 Pork Liver
🐷 2 Pork Belly
🐷 2 Intestine Cuts
🟧 4 Large Pieces of Beancurd skin
🍄 1.5 Button Mushrooms

🍲 Quality of the Soup Broth

After tasting how Superbly Robustly Herbly Ah Peng's BKT Broth was, the taste of this one surprised me. 🍲🤔 Certainly not a Simple Braised 卤水 type of Broth, 🤔 its definitely Herbal Based but its also not your usual Herbly Sweet 甘草 type of Herbly. 🌿🤔 Also not Overly Salty. Something about this Herbal Soup intrigues me. 

Whatever Herbs they used in this never tries to Dominate the Soup, yet you can still absolutely feel its presence. 🌿👍 Unlike other Herbal BKT Soup where you can taste the Very One-Dimensional Level of Herbal, there is a Depth to this that I can't quite describe properly in words. 🌿🤔 Lighter type of Herbal Broth, this is Completely Different from Ah Peng's More Strong Herbal Interpretation.

🐷 Quality of the Pork Ribs

Meaty and Fatty at same time. 😋 the Meaty Part is surprisingly Not Tender but more Firmish to the Bite. The Fatty Side is Tender and injects a Nice Fattiness. 😋 Not Overly Porky, this was a Decent Tasting Ribs. Noticeably Firmer in Meat Texture compared to other BKT Ribs I've eaten. 🍖🤔

🐷 Quality of the Liver Patty

The Piece that I thought was Liver Patty tasted more like a Piece of Loin Cut? 🍖🤔 Meat Texture is much Firmer than the Rib and I would describe this as the "Breast Meat" of the Pork if it makes any sense. Not Porky, this was Clean Tasting.

🐷 Quality of the Pork Belly

Soft with a Meaty Chew. Noticeably Firmer compared to other BKT Pork Bellies I've eaten, but still has a 一咬就破 type of Bite Texture. Also Not Overly Porky. 🍖😋




🐷 Liver and Intestine Cuts

Liver has a Firm Bouncy Bite that is Neither too Tough nor Too Soft. Not Overly Livery in Taste. 😋👍 No Bitterness in the Intestine Cuts, this has a Nice Intestiney Taste that isn't Unpleasant. 🐷😋 It still has that Soft Mush within that luckily didn't taste Bitter. Among all the Items in the Dish, the Tender Bite Texture of this Intestine Cut was a Surprising and Welcome Taste considering the Relative Meaty Firmness of Everything Else in the Dish. 🍖😅

Nothing Special about the Beancurd Skins 🟧 and Button Mushrooms. 🍄 They taste exactly like how you'd imagine them to taste like.


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Conclusion and Closing Thoughts

At the Price of RM18.00 (S$5.60) isn't Very Cheap for this BKT although I thought the Amount and Variety of Meat Cuts are Reasonable. 🍖🤔 The Soul of the Dish for me is the Soup Broth. 🍲 It is a Herbly Broth that doesn't just taste One-Dimensionally Herbly like those Usual Regular 甘草 Type of Herbal that you'd usually find for Herbal BKTs in JB. 🌿🤔 Also not just a Simple Soy Sauce Braised, there is a Deliberate Concious Mix of Herbs in this. 🌿👍

The other thing I noticed is that Chiam Hua's Meat Bite Texture mostly tend to be Much Firmer and Meatier 🍖🤔 compared to even other BKTs who try to approach a More Softer Tender approach. Really 吃得出来 Chiam Hua has a Specific Vision for his Own Interpretation of BKT. 🍲🤔 

Actually I'm very Glad that despite Training 15 Years from his Uncle at Chiam Hua, Ah Peng did not just Simply Blindly copy his Uncle's Recipe but instead formulated his Own. 👍 Both Uncle and Nephew's BKT Soup Broth are Very Different in Execution. 🍲👍

Ah Peng's Soup Broth is more In Your Face, Jitao Robust Gao Gao Complex Level of Herbal 🌿🌿🌿 compared to his Uncle's More "Calmer and Measured" Approach. Both are Equally Decent Interpretations of the Dish. 👍 I still prefer Ah Peng's Version because it really is Superbly Gao Gao Herbal. 🌿🌿🌿 That said, Chiam Hua's version also doesn't lag too far behind. 👍

Having been to Klang already, I really feel these 2 won't lose to Klang BKT tbh. 🤔 Especially for Ah Peng's 养生 BKT, the Level of Herbal is so Gao Gao 🌿🌿🌿 that not even the Multiple Famous Klang BKT Eateries I visited are not as Gao Gao Herbal as it. 🤔 Although it has been awhile since I visited Ah Peng, so I do need to re-visit soon to re-confirm if its still the case. 😅

Overall I have no issues with this Place. This is a BKT that is worth to try if you are around the Area. 🍲👍 Seeing how large it is and how old it looked, obviously it must have done something right to be able to be around for many years. 👍