'Is there no meat in the soup?' Netizen sceptical after diner posts about $2 bak kut teh in Bedok

A good deal, or too good to be true? 

With the recent increase in food prices, paying $2 for a bowl of bak kut teh might sound almost improbable. 

A Facebook post from an impressed diner who recently discovered the wallet-friendly bak kut teh at Bedok 216 Hawker Centre has been met with some scepticism from one netizen, who wondered if the dish was enough for a meal.

Ben Lim shared the good deal in a local hawker Facebook group on March 27, describing the dish as "cheap and very tasty". 

He paid $2 for the soup, and 50 cents for a bowl of rice. 

Despite Lim posting photos of the meal, one netizen didn't seem to believe that such an offer existed. 

"Is there no meat and only bones in the soup?" he questioned. 

Lim replied to his comment: "If there's no meat, then there's no point eating it." 

Another netizen also asked how the stall owners managed to turn a profit by selling this dish at such a low price. 

Conversely, several others said that the $2 bak kut teh was worth celebrating. 

It turns out, this particular stall has won praise for its low prices over the years.

[embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/CqzhRVZgsIf/[/embed]

In March, Seth Lui wrote a review about the stall's offerings, which include cai fan, fish soup and an assortment of porridges — all for the price of $2. 

For those curious about the bak kut teh's portions and taste, Lui described it as "basic". However, he noted that the dish came with four "sizeable pieces of pork", making it "a real bang for your two bucks." 

The food blogger also shared that most of the stall's patrons are elderly — which the owner says is the main reason for the affordable price tags. 

$2.50 bak chor mee at Maxwell Food Centre 

While many hawkers had to raise prices to keep up with rising costs, there were some who continued to offer affordable options to customers.

Last month, some diners were taken aback when they discovered that a hawker at Maxwell Food Centre was selling bak chor mee for a mere $2.50. 

Speaking to Shin Min Daily News, the hawker, surnamed Zhou said that she decided to lower her prices after hearing last year's call by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to provide food at more affordable prices.

Zhou also acknowledged that there are many elderly residents around Chinatown, and hoped that her $2.50 dish would be able to help them combat inflation. 

ALSO READ: Places to find cheapest meals in Singapore, according to Makan Index 2.0

claudiatan@asiaone.com