Tanglin Crispy Curry Puff’s Similar-Named Rival Stall Is Also Opening An Outlet
You will need a mind map to keep up with this complicated family business feud. 8days.sg gives you the simplified breakdown.
Family-run stalls are very common in Singapore’s hawker scene. But occasionally, they are a breeding ground for family feuds. This usually arises from disagreements over how to run the business, which result in family members falling out with one another.
One such instance is Tanglin Crispy Curry Puff, a famous stall at Hong Lim Food Centre with constant queues. It was founded in 1952 by veteran hawker Ng Yong Cheong, 87, who is now retired.
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Succession dispute
But the succession of his very popular stall is still a point of contention today between his two sons Peter Ng, 57, and Ray Ng, 51. The brothers had been helping their father at their stall before they fell out with each other in April 2022.
While both Peter and Ray had invested much time and effort in their curry puff business, the conflict apparently stemmed from unhappiness that Yong Cheong did not want Peter’s China-born girlfriend to help out at the stall, while Ray’s girlfriend was allowed to do so.
Shortly after, the siblings became estranged and split up their operations. Ray and Yong Cheong opened a new stall right next to their old corner unit, while Peter remained there and added an “Original” to the Tanglin Crispy Curry Puff name to distinguish his business.
Ray shared: “Our aim for opening the outlet is to increase brand awareness. We can't do that if we continue to operate as a small hawker business with only one stall. We hope to reach out to a larger audience in the heartland with our Tampines outlet.”
Peter is opening an outlet too
Just a week later, Peter unveiled plans to open an outlet too, albeit in Bugis. He is also partnering with another well-known hawker, the cowboy hat-wearing Terence Tham, 55, who runs his Grandfather Food Empire chain of stalls in Singapore selling dishes like carrot cake and chicken rice. But he is mainly based at his Grandfather Bak Chor Mee stall at Queen Street in Bugis, where he personally cooks.
Terence told 8days.sg that he had also taken over the unit next to his noodle stall as he had intended to use it to sell ban mian and carrot cake. “But due to a lack of manpower I stopped,” he said.
Around that time, he had also gotten to know Peter. “Our mutual friend asked me to go help him film some TikTok videos for his stall, because [Peter] doesn’t post much on social media,” said Terence, who is savvier with social media. When Peter expressed his desire to open more outlets, Terence decided to join forces with him so he could open a Tanglin Crispy Curry Puff Original outlet at the former ban mian stall.
Peter explained: “We have been at Hong Lim for so long. I wanted to expand my business and had been searching for a place to open an outlet, but the location was either not good or the rent was too high. [Terence] was interested to partner with me. He has been operating in Bugis longer than me, and his location has very good foot traffic. A snack stall like mine is very dependent on human traffic.”
The fact that Terence is also acquainted with Ray as fellow hawkers makes for a slightly awkward situation, but he is staying out of the fray. “I don’t want to comment on the family dispute,” he said.
What to expect at Peter’s Bugis outlet
Speaking to 8days.sg, Peter said his Bugis outlet is expected to open on Apr 1 and he is in the midst of preparing for the opening. The menu will be the same as his Hong Lim stall’s, with handmade fried curry puffs in three flavours: Chicken, Sardine and Otah ($2 each).
“I am trying to arrange to transfer manpower to that outlet,” he said. He will still be based at Hong Lim in the morning to make curry puffs, and is considering asking his girlfriend to help out at the Bugis stall.
Peter plans to eventually set up a central kitchen and open more outlets. Terence elaborates that they hope to branch into “shopping malls and coffeeshops islandwide”. The upcoming Bugis outlet will have branding like “setup, packaging and even signboard” designed to attract more young customers.
8days.sg asked Peter — who is currently not on speaking terms with his brother and father — if he felt like there was competition with both brothers expanding their businesses now. He replied matter-of-factly: “There will be. Each of us will just do our own thing. If [Ray] has the capability to open more outlets, that’s to his credit. I’m not going to make things difficult for him.” Ray had an equally civil response, saying: “I wish [Peter] good luck. My product speaks for itself."
Peter Ng’s Tanglin Crispy Curry Puff Original (Hong Lim flagship): #02-36 Hong Lim Market & Food Centre, 531A Upper Cross St, S051531. Tel: 9740-8408. Open daily except Sun, 7am-3pm. Facebook, Instagram
New Bugis outlet opening Apr 1 at 3838 Eating House (opposite Bugis+ taxi stand), 269B Queen St, S182269.
Ray Ng’s Tanglin Crispy Curry Puff (Hong Lim flagship): #02-34 Hong Lim Market & Food Centre, 531A Upper Cross St, S051531. Tel: 8418-3937. Open daily except Sun, 8am-4pm. Facebook, Instagram
Tampines outlet: 878C Tampines Ave 8, S523878. Open daily except Sun, 7am-4pm.
Photos: Tanglin Crispy Curry Puff Original/ Yip Jieying/ Lionel Lai
No part of this story or photos can be reproduced without permission from 8days.sg.
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