Tuan Yuan Pork Ribs Soup

Tuan Yuan is a modern, air-conditioned bak kut teh restaurant in Tiong Bahru serving the peppery, garlicky Teochew style — a clear, fiery broth rather than the dark herbal Malaysian version. It was started by the children of the founder behind the well-known Outram Park Ya Hua bak kut teh; unable to use the original name, they began afresh, and 'Tuan Yuan' (团缘) means reunion. The signature pork ribs soup comes with free top-ups, and the youtiao is fried to order for dunking — round it out with braised pig trotter, peanuts and salted vegetables. It's comfortable and family-friendly rather than an old-school kopitiam, with app ordering and indoor-outdoor seating. Weekend waits can run long, so consider pre-ordering or going off-peak.