Restoran Chun Mei @ Tanjung Malim, Perak

There are two restaurants in Tanjung Malim selling old school Bak Kut Teh since the 1970's. One is Restoran Kim Kee which is located in Kampung Berop and the other is this Resturant Chun Mei. Between the two, this is the preferred one but in recent months the other one has become more famous due to the lack of staffs at this restaurant and the lady boss only occasionally opened the restaurant. Now however, her son is back and he runs the restaurant with some additional helpers.You could still see the lady boss at the restaurant but she does not involve much in the business as she has already aged. 

Restoran Chun Mei in Taman Intan Setia, Tanjung Malim

Interior of the Restaurant

The Son Preparing the Dishes

The Drinks Station

The restaurant is quite an old structure but it is still in usable condition. Cleanliness is decent but not immaculate. Nevertheless, you still see a lot of customers coming here due to the taste of the Bak Kut Teh which is anytime better than those found in Kuala Lumpur, Kampung Subang and even some of those in Klang. On days when this restaurant is open, then there is very few customers in Kim Kee. I guess, most people like me would come here and check the place out first to see if they are open and if they are not, only then head to Kim Kee. Ordering here is very simple. You could just place your orders at your table and this could be done with the helpers themselves. Since I know the son and mother personally, I usually walk up to them and tell them exactly what I want. Since the son and I are schoolmates, he usually tends to give me better meat cuts.

Chinese Tea @ RM 0.50

If you were to go for the pot, then they have a number of different tea's that are available for you to choose from.

White Rice

Here you don't get the Onion Oil Rice as it is all the plain White Rice. This usually comes with the Bak Kut Teh but if you do not order the meat and just go for the sides, then a bowl of White Rice is priced at RM 1.00 .

Lor Tan @ RM 0.80 each

Lor Tan @ RM 0.80 each

The eggs here are really good. They are hard boiled in a very thick herbal soup and is served along with some soy sauce. Definitely an excellent preparation and I would rate this at 9.4/10 .

Bowl of Taufu @ RM 2.00

Bowl of Taufu @ RM 1.50

Once again, their Taufu would definitely not disappoint you. The Taufu is prepared in the same dark herbal broth and it is very fresh and delicious. I would rate this at 9/10 .

Dark Herbal Soup

Dark Herbal Soup

Their Dark Herbal Soup is definitely a taste to remember. You hardly get this dark soup anymore and most places today, tend to serve very light coloured soup and sometimes I get confused if that is the real herbal soup or if it is some soy sauce. This comes complimentary and they would keep topping up the soup as it finishes. This is done even without you asking for more. As they walk pass you and if the helpers notice that your soup is finished or near finished, then they on their own initiative would top it up for you. I would rate their Herbal Soup at 10/10 .

Yau Char Kui @ RM 1.20

Yau Char Kui @ RM 1.20

They get their supply of Yau Char Kui from the vendor at the local market and he delivers them fresh to their shop daily. The Yau Char Kui is very soft and hence absorbs the delicious soup when dipped in. Definitely good stuff and I would rate this at 9.5/10 .

Bowl of Lean Meat @ RM 7.00

Bowl of Lean Meat @ RM 7.00

If there is a larger group, then you should go for their Claypot Bak Kut Teh which comes with an assortment of items. Since I was alone, I went for the solo bowl like the above. I always prefer lean meat with a little fat which goes just nice with me. Do note that they also have spare parts and the big bone here. The meat is tenderly cooked in the delicious dark herbal soup and is a treat to any Bak Kut Teh lover. I would rate the above meat at 9.5/10 .A perfect dish!

If you wish to try old school Bak Kut Teh, then I would strongly recommend this particular restaurant. After all, Tanjung Malim is a mere 40 minutes away from Kuala Lumpur via the North South Highway and we KL'ites are used to travelling that distance. Definitely a place that you would not regret unless you dislike the dark soup as I do know some friends who would simply prefer the lighter soup over the dark one as they dislike the strong herbal flavour. In a nutshell, cheap and good food.

Address: Jalan Intan Setia 7, Taman Intan Setia, 35900 Tanjung Malim, Perak.

Opening Hours: 1800 - 0000 Daily