Rong Hua is the first authentic Bak Kut Teh (literally means “meat bone tea”) concept restaurant in Manila from one of Singapore’s oldest and most famous pork rib soup shops by founding grandfather Chua Ah Hua and Uncle Rong.
Brought to Manila by master franchisee Silver Lush Food Corporation, it has three branches in Singapore before expanding for the first time outside the Lion City. Finally, we now have a place to satisfy our cravings for our Singapore Bak Kut Teh favorite right here.
Here’s what to expect at Rong Hua Manila:
Rong Hua Bak Kut Teh Philippines
by Silverlush Food Corp
Unit A-102 Mckinley West Park, Taguig
Operating Hours: Open Daily 11.00 am to 11.00 pm
Facebook: RongHuaPH
Instagram: @ronghuaphilippines
Website: https://www.ronghua.com.sg/
First Things First
Rong Hua Bak Kut Teh’s name comes from the restaurant’s founders. In the 1920s, the restaurant’s founding grandfather Chua Ah Hua migrated to Singapore in search of a better life. When he came to Singapore, Bak Kut Teh was already a popular dish around the modern-day Clarke Quay area.
Ah Hua worked as a manual laborer who unloaded sacks of rice. By consuming Bak Kut Teh, he discovered that he found a much-needed energy boost for his exhausting job. His interest in the dish inspired him to become a kitchen apprentice at a well-known Bak Kut Teh stall owned by a village elder Uncle Rong.
Under Uncle Rong, Ah Hua mastered the art of cooking Bak Kut Teh. Both master and apprentice later created their own unique blend of the pork ribs soup recipe, which now carries their names. Before Uncle Rong passed away, he named Ah Hua as his personal successor.
The flagship branch is located at Asiatown in the new Mckinley West development flanked by buildings dedicated to Filipino and Chinese call centers.
The store is popular for lunch among Filipinos looking to satisfy their Singapore cravings and for dinner among Chinese looking for the authentic health benefits of its Bak Kuh Teh.
Rong Hua Manila Menu: Pork Rib Soup | Pork Ribs Premium | Sliced Fish Soup, Pork Intestine Soup, Pork Tenderloin, Pig Tail Soup | Pork Liver Soup, Pork Kidney Soup, Misua Soup | Braised Beancurd | Braised Pork Trotters, Braised Pork Intestine | Vegetable Dishes | Steamed Lotus Buns, Honey Baked Char Sao, Bean Paste Steamed Fish | Hometown Chicken, Smoked Duck, Steamed Fish Maw Seafood Roll | Stir Fry Ginger Garlic Chicken
The Rong Hua Manila menu is focused on the soups and Singaporean specialties like smoked duck.
Bak Kuh Teh
Order the premium pork rib to enjoy the flavor of the pork rib and the soup with garlic. The meat has an herby flavor, and it’s tender with a good bite (but does not fall off the bone).
The pork ribs’ meat flavor is better in Manila because the ribs are sourced fresh locally, unlike in Singapore where they are imported into the country.
The signature recipe has a spicy pepperish flavor from Sarawak white peppercorns, known for providing benefits such as replenished calcium, improved eyesight and enhanced immunity.
The Bak Kuh Teh recipe typically includes meaty pork ribs simmered for hours in a complex broth of herbs and spices, including star anise, cinnamon, cloves, dang gui, fennel seeds, coriander and garlic.
Enjoy it with their dark and light soy sauce mixed with chili.
Singaporean
After enjoying the soup, you can taste other authentic Singaporean flavors.
Our group’s favorite was the smoke cured duck with a fatty layer of skin drizzled with their char sao sauce and finished with a sprinkle of sesame seeds over a bed of lettuce.
It had the sweet smoky taste of duck ham with umami from the fat.
Cua pao with a thick layer of pork belly.
Prawn rolls with crispy lumpia skin dipped in plum sauce.
A Chinese favorite of chicken feet on a bed of bean curd skin braised with their signature sauce and coriander.
My wife loved this, and she was hoping that someday I’d get to enjoy it with her.
Strips of chicken in ginger, garlic and spring onion served in a pot.
End with a Mango sago that resembled the Thai version more in terms of flavor.
Final Thoughts
Definitely, Rong Hua is the best place to satisfy your Bak Kuh Teh cravings in Manila with free unlimited soup refills.
I would go back to try the other pork soup options like pork tenderloin soup, pig liver soup, pig kidney soup and pigtail soup.
Don’t forget to order their smoked duck and braised specialties.
Congratulations to Joyce Balbuena and the Silver Lush Food Corporation team for successfully opening Rong Hua in Manila!
Rong Hua Bak Kut Teh Philippines
by Silverlush Food Corp
Unit A-102 Mckinley West Park, Taguig
Operating Hours: Open Daily 11.00 am to 11.00 pm
Facebook: RongHuaPH
Instagram: @ronghuaphilippines
Website: https://www.ronghua.com.sg/
Live an Awesome Life,
Founder, Our Awesome Planet
Disclosure: This post was brought to you by Rong Hua Bak Kut Teh. I wrote this article with my biases, opinions and insights.
P.S. They have committed to open 5 branches in Manila, so watch out for their store openings near you.
