Fatty Bak Kut Teh & Fish Head | 肥佬肉骨茶 & 蒸鱼头 — Restaurant in Kuala Lumpur

TL;DR: Not bad but the meat (pork) here is not tender enough. Wish the broth would have a more herbier taste but this is my own personal preference. Parking is bad around the area. Can't comment on the fish dish here because I haven't tried it.

DETAILED REVIEW:

[Disclosure: This review will only evaluate the Bak Kut Teh because I've not tried the fish head/steam fish here. ]

The Bak Kut Teh here is quite good, but not outstanding. The herbal broth is deliciously savoury but still weak in the herbal department. I prefer those with a little more bitterness so this version might appeal more for those who prefer a less-herby version. Also relevant is that the Bak Kut Teh served at Fatty's is of the KL/PJ type with a thin broth instead of the thickened sauce-like soup found in the Klang version. Whichever you think is the better way of preparing a Bak Kut Teh is down to your personal preference.

I have to say that a positive attribute of the broth at Fatty Bak Kut Teh is that it is not overly sweet (from the wolfberry/goji and sugar) nor is it overly garlicky so it doesn't overwhelm the meatiness of the pork.

My main gripe here is that the pork is not tender enough, and this becomes obvious when you sink your teeth into the lean portions of meat or when you realise that the meat on their pork ribs doesn't fall off the bone easily. It's a shame really, and I'm not sure why this is so, perhaps the meat wasn't simmered long enough?

Typical of other Bak Kut Teh shops, the dish comes with rice and youtiao (Chinese Fried dough). You are charged for other condiments (tofu, mushroom) so while the base price here is reasonable, be aware that adding condiments to your Bak Kut Teh here can quickly increase its cost.

OTHER:

Do note that parking here is problematic and you most likely have to resort to parking by the side of the street (which is technically illegal by the way). This is not an air conditioned establishment and there are plenty of outdoor seating available. With recent changes in local health regulations you're now no longer allowed to smoke even in these outdoor seating areas. Thank goodness for that because I've always hated inhaling secondhand smoke from smokers.

Notes for tourists:

Bak Kut Teh, literally translated "meat and bone tea", is a Malaysian Chinese dish originating from the Hokkien-Teochew community which basically consists of pork (and some offal) cooked in a herbal broth. The 'tea' component of this dish refers to the way it is prepared (infusion of herbs) – there are no actual tea leaves in this dish. Singapore has a widely publicised version of their own but most (Chinese) Malaysians consider their version more like a joke than a real Bak Kut Teh because the Singaporean version is identical to a Cantonese dish known as white...

This restaurant offers Bak Kut Teh (with quite a variety of sides to be added), Vinegar Pork Knuckle, Yellow Wine Chicken, Steam Fish Head/Fish, etc. Priced below not yet included Service Tax.

Atmosphere: 3.5🌟 It has inside seats (within a shop lot) and outside seats as well. The "Kitchen" is actually on the outside similar to roadside stalls type. Very big spaces between tables but not enough fans to cover so its good that it operates at night.

Service: 1🌟 Tried to order Fish Head but they only sells Big sized ones despite in menu there's Small and Medium ones and big ones is priced at Rm 68 but the size seems to be similar to the ones you can get elsewhere for around Rm 40. He doesn't looks sincere and just trying to upsell/charges the customer so this is not very nice.

Food: Bak Kut Teh (Soup) 3🌟 They don't have dry version and for soup, they only add 1 time. The broth and portion is so so. Priced at Rm 22+ per portion which is quite expensive for roadside stalls.

Food: Pork Knuckle Vinegar 2🌟 Not good, too sweet and the vinegar flavour is lacking. Priced at Rm 22+, again expensive.

Food: Yellow Wine Chicken 1.5🌟 Only about 6 pieces of chicken with bones. Broth flavour is okay. Priced at Rm 24+, not worth it.

Food: Rice Priced at Rm 2+ each

Snacks: You Tiao Priced at Rm 3+ each

Drinks: Coke Priced at Rm 3+ each

Drinks: Chinese Tea...

We enjoyed a truly memorable gastronomic experience at 肥佬 where every dish served was a delightful showcase of rich, traditional flavours and careful preparation.

The highlight was the Bah Kut Teh where the broth was deeply aromatic, infused with a perfect blend of herbs and spices, and the pork ribs were fall-off-the-bone tender, soaking up every nuance of the slow-cooked broth.

Other standout dishes were the braised pork (yes, different from the earlier pot) that was luxuriously soft, its layers of fat and lean meat melting together in a rich, savoury gravy that had clearly been slow-cooked to perfection. We also enjoyed the vinegar pork leg, a comforting classic that balanced sweet, tangy and savoury notes.

Equally impressive was the steamed fish, served fresh and garnished with aromatics that brought out the natural sweetness of the fish.

Each dish was a testament to the kitchen’s attention to detail and respect for traditional flavours. Altogether, it was a deeply satisfying meal that celebrated the richness of Malaysian-Chinese comfort food, making 肥佬 a place we would return!

While some might grumble about the lack of air conditioning, we found that it added to the charm, evoking the feel of a true traditional food joint—unpretentious, authentic, and full of character!!! Try it!

Tips for parking: park at Scott...