Cantonese and (or) Ipoh are not recognized purveyors of legit BKT.
OG Klang BKT is a fairly spartan affair - meat in collagen laden soup and steamed white rice. Accoutrements like fried tofu and cruellers are typically served separately, not combined with the main bowl of soup & meat.
Never had a Cantonese or Ipoh version of BKT (nor did I infer one exists 
). My Malay friends do think most versions out of Ipoh are more Teochow in style and having experienced this style, the BKT at Ipoh Kopitiam did not resemble that lighter, clearer style. Hope that helps anyone trying to decide to spring $18 for the dish. Iâm glad someone is offering it in L.A., but adjust your expectations if youâre expecting classic Hokkien or Teochow BKT.
Place was mobbed this evening. Picked up a few classic entrees to kick the tires
Nasi Lemak was definitely the star of the night. Best Chinese-Malaysian style (onion forward) sambal Iâve had stateside. Chicken rendang was well spiced and a decent kick too.
Chicken rice unfortunately was a pass. Rice was too firm, Chili sauce was too sweet. Couldnât put my finger on it but the chicken just tasted weird - wife thought it was sour, I thought initially it was on the cusp of going bad⌠odd. Perhaps I caught them on an off night.
CKT had the right flavors but lacked wok hei. It sat steaming in the takeout container for quite some time on the way home, generally a dish that doesnât travel well. Iâll have to try this again dining-in for a fair assessment. Will checkout QQâs version too next time.
My experience mirrored yours in that the nasi lemak with chicken curry was the best tasting dish of the meal.
tried it last week and loved the nasi lemak, especially that anchovy sambal it came with. all the elementsâthe egg, sambal, chicken, rice and peanutsâwhen eaten together worked in perfect harmony.
the out-sourced roti was nice.
didnât love the hainan chicken, the meat had a weird spongy texture. also didnât like how they chopped the curry chicken through the bone, leaving bone shrapnel everywhere.
roti canai
fried chicken wings with salt and pepper
singapore style hainan chicken rice
dry wanton mee with chicken curry
char kway teow
nasi lemak with chicken curry
I honestly think this caters to a twisted experience some diners from those parts enjoy; extracting morsels of meat amidst those deadly shards in their mouth. Perhaps opt for the beef rendang next time.
Glad to hear you enjoyed the nasi lemak otherwise.
if you go for lunch get there at 11:29, because at 11:30 the place filled in about 30 seconds. around 12:30 a line started to form and people who couldnât wait began taking outdoor seating.
with little experience with malaysian cuisine i canât vouch for its authenticity in terms of being from ipoh, but i could recognize the deftness in the preparations, which was commented on by both of my lunch companions. and for those wondering, i upgraded/downgraded flip phones during the pandemic.
we got the dry wanton mee w/curry chicken.
char kway teow
beef rendang
roti canai
Finally made it here! Got in around 11:15 and snagged the last table. It was bustling!
Hainan chicken was excellent. Skin was supple, meat was tender and perfectly cooked. Loved the ginger oil - super smooth and flavorful, not jarring at all like some versions can be. The soy mixture was excellent as well. Rice was aromatic, not overcooked and went down so easily with the leftover ginger oil.
Roti Canai is so hard to get where we live. Most places do paratha which is too thick, imo. This version is small (2 smallish discs for $9 with the chicken curry) but its sooo good. I feel like some versions of this are too thin and crackly. This had areas of thin crackliness but then other pockets where it was thicker and you got a bit more chew. Really enjoyed the mix of textures.
Wife had the laksa. She gave me the two shrimp which were huge and fresh. The broth was seafood-y and despite the coconut milk, not too heavy, like some rendtions. Nor too sweet, like others Iâve had.
Overall, a wonderful meal and weâll be back!
