Grouchy XO Fish Head Bee Hoon Hawker Once Rejected $1.5M To Sell Biz, Now Willing To Accept $400K As He’s ‘Already 80, Work For What’

Hawker was an ex-XO salesman who supposedly invented XO fish head bee hoon

Love it or hate it, Ricky insists he was the first in Singapore to dream up the iconic dish 30 years ago.

“I was an XO salesman and used to sell brandy to nightclubs. When I wanted to quit my job and go into F&B, I thought, why not add XO to fish soup? That’s how it started,” he tells 8days.sg, proudly pointing to the stall’s sign that proclaims “first XO fish head bee hoon in Singapore”.

He opened his first stall at Holland Drive, which became a hit, before moving to Dover in 2009. There is another outlet at Temple Street which bears the same name, though Ricky clarifies they are not affiliated. 

Ricky’s stall used to draw large crowds, including local and international stars, as well as politicians.

Lots of booze in his fish soup

The recipe remains unchanged: fish bones are simmered with ginger for hours and Courvoisier XO cognac stirred in twice, once during cooking and again just before serving.

“Other people copy me but no use, it tastes different,” he declares.

Ricky is also known for being heavy-handed with the liquor. Our friends have gotten flushed and slightly tipsy after a lunchtime bowl.

Besides the XO fish head bee hoon, his har cheong gai (fried prawn paste chicken) and hei zho (deep fried prawn roll), are also crowd favourites.

“Why work when I’m already 80… just wait to die lor”

Despite the proud legacy, Ricky is blunt about the future.

“I’m already 80 years old. Work for what? Nothing to do at home then just wait to die lor,” Ricky quips matter-of-factly when we ask about rumours that he is considering shutting for good.

He has four kids, but none are keen to take over the stall. And with business down 30 per cent since the pandemic, the towkay admits he’s tired.

“Last time, we had a long queue every day. Now, everyone [in F&B] is doing so badly — the economy is bad, prices go up and people spend less.”

Where he once sold five to six crabs a day (his stall also sells other seafood such as chilli crabs and Teochew steamed grouper), Ricky now struggles to sell that amount in a week. Customers mainly stick to the basics — their XO fish head bee hoon, har cheong gai and san lou hor fun. Their signature bee hoon is priced from $9 for a one pax serving to $32 (five-person portion or more).

“Not enough to cover costs,” he laments.

Though he doesn’t cook himself, Ricky relies on his trusted team who’ve been with him for over 20 years. But even their loyalty may not be enough to keep things afloat.

Regrets turning down $1.5M offer from potential buyer years ago 

He is now open to selling the business and brand for $400K, even offering to stay on to watch the business for a year to ease the handover process. Interested parties can WhatsApp him here.

Given the current market, Ricky says he has kept the asking price modest and does not expect to profit much from the sale.

It’s a far cry from the $1.5 million offer he once received from a potential buyer before the pandemic.

“At the time, my business was very good, so I didn’t want to sell,” he shares. With hindsight, he admits he didn’t foresee the downturn, and there’s now a tinge of regret about not letting it go then.

He hopes the sale will give him a small retirement fund, and is even toying with the idea of moving to China to spend his golden years. 

Why so fierce?

When we suggest changing his attitude towards customers might help, he gets riled up.

“Some requests are ridiculous. Customers say they will pay $1 more to change the veggies in the fish head bee hoon from cabbage to cai xin. I tell them, your $1 very big ah? I’ve always used cabbage,” he snaps.

Cutlery is another sticking point. “Three people come, order an $8 bowl of bee hoon for one pax. Then ask me for three sets of bowls and cutlery. How to? I still must pay for dishwashing! I’d rather refund them,” he says.

His niece, who helps him run the stall, explains later that it’s because they pay an external party by the bucket for dishwashing, so every bowl and spoon counts.

Still, Ricky admits he could tone things down. 

“Okay, I will be nicer. Don’t worry, no problem. I will try to be less fierce,” he says. “I will also talk to my staff about their attitude.”

Can’t bear to let stall go

Despite his gruffness, Ricky admits he struggles with the thought of shutting down.

“I can’t bear to give up,” he says, but in this challenging climate, it might be the best option. 

And if he doesn’t find a buyer? Ricky says he will decide his next step after Chinese New Year in 2026.

XO Fish Bee Hoon, $17 (for 3 pax)

The heady aroma of XO hit us before the bowl even touched the table. The milky broth, though not as boozy and rich as we remember, is still flavourful and shiok. Generous, meaty chunks of deep-fried toman fish add natural sweetness and a satisfying bite to every spoonful.

When we mention about complaints about a drop in quality, Ricky tells us he’s aware and that this happens on his head chef’s off day when another cook takes over the stove.

So does it deserve the “worst-rated fish soup in Singapore” label? Taste-wise, no. But having read some of the Google reviews, we’d say the bad service might just explain it.

Har Cheong Gai, $12 for eight pcs

We are suckers for prawn paste chicken and this ranks among our favourites. Don’t be fooled by the pale, unassuming crust, the well-marinated chook is crispy, juicy, and umami-packed. It tastes best on its own, but you can always jazz it up with a dip of their tangy housemade chilli and a squeeze of lime.

Holland Village XO Fish Head Bee Hoon is at #01-05, 19A Dover Cres, S131019. Tel: 6778 3691. Open daily 11.30am - 2pm; 5pm - 11pm.

Photos: Dillon Tan