Chew Chor Meng Opens Thai Bistro In Former School Canteen, Sells Thai Fish Head Hotpot
Half the space remains untenanted and the actor says “anyone who’s interested in opening a shop here is welcome to rent a stall as long as they offer Thai food”.
Mediacorp actor Chew Chor Meng has added another F&B business to his name. The 54-year-old, who co-owns mookata chain 888 Mookata with Love 972 DJ Dennis Chew, has partnered two friends to open a Thai bistro at Sprout Hub at Henderson Road last week.
Called View Dee Bistro, it takes over the space where a hipster food court used to be. Sprout Hub, which occupies the former Henderson Primary School, is also home to an urban farm and community garden.
F&B entrepreneurs welcome to share the space
The serial F&B entrepreneur tells 8days.sg that he loves Thai food, so when his partners, who also own Atmosphere Thai Bistro and Bar, suggested that they open a casual bistro offering comfort food, he “agreed to try lor”.
Though the bistro isn’t air-conditioned, they were attracted to the quaint, open space, which was formerly the school canteen and still preserves much of the original layout, complete with food stalls. “We find it special and it’s suitable for our concept,” he shares, likening it to a hidden gem.
Chor Meng and his partners currently occupy half of the eight stalls and hope to rent out the rest to “turn the place into a Thai food village”.
“Anyone who’s interested in opening a shop here is welcome to rent a stall as long as they offer Thai food and the dishes don’t clash,” says Chor Meng.
The look
Decked out with colourful lanterns, bright neon lights and signs with cheeky phrases like “You tuk tuk my breath away”, View Dee looks like a funky food court. It operates a little like one too. Everything here is self-service. Place your order via the QR code digital menu and pick up your food at the counter when your table number is flashed on the monitor. But don't be confused by the various stalls — all of them serve View Dee's menu.
The menu
View Dee offers an extensive menu of almost 100 traditional as well as fusion Thai dishes. Besides the usual suspects like phad Thai, green curry chicken and papaya salad, there are also grilled meat skewers, pastas, pizzas, and desserts.
Chor Meng shares that menu-wise, there are “some similarities with Atmosphere bistro” but don’t expect to find mookata here, as the “landlord doesn’t allow it”.
According to the towkay, the highlight here is the Thai-style hotpots. His favourite is the Royal Thai Fish Head Hotpot (pictured above) which he likens to zi char fish head steamboat. It is served with a variety of seafood like mussels, clams, tofu, in your choice of tom yum or fish broth.
If you like some carbs with your hotpot, there is the Royal Thai Lobster Seafood Porridge or Lobster Tom Yam Mama, which features a whole lobster, squid, mussels, and instant noodles in tom yum broth. Prices start from $8.80 for a Caesar's salad to $48.80 for hotpot, while one-dish meals like seafood pad Thai costs $12.80.
Other than Thai comfort nosh, the bistro also has an extensive selection of beer towers, wines, and cocktails to wash down the grub with.
View Dee Bistro is at 102 Henderson Rd, S159562. Open Mon-Thur noon-11pm; Fri noon to midnight; Sat 11.30am-midnight; Sun 11.30am-11pm. For more info, visit Instagram and Facebook.
Photos: View Dee Bistro
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