‘No Signboard’ Bak Chor Mee Hawker Who Closed Popular Tiong Bahru Stall Reopens At Havelock Road
Despite reopening just two days ago, Koh Lim Chye’s customers patiently waited almost an hour in rainy weather for his dearly-missed bak chor mee.
Tiong Bahru coffeeshop closed, forcing him out
Ah Chye has been operating his stall at Seng Poh Road for several decades, having shifted his business there from Sago Lane in Chinatown.
He was forced to move out of Tiong Bahru after the coffeeshop operator decided to give up the kopitiam. Along with his stall neighbour Mr & Mrs Nasi Lemak and Zai Heng Vegetarian, Ah Chye faced the issue of having to find another stall space.
“It’s a pity, everyone knows me here. I have been here since I was unmarried and now my son is 40 years old. I want to work for a few more years; my daughter-in-law has asked me to reopen elsewhere and she will help me [with the operations], ” he told 8days.sg in 2023.
45-min wait time at new stall
It took Ah Chye a year, but he finally found another nearby hawker centre to restart his business. “Menu still the same, prices still the same,” he chirped. His signature Mushroom Minced Meat Noodles is priced at $5/$6/$7 a bowl. He also offers Fishball Noodles ($4), Dumpling Noodles ($5), Dumpling Soup ($5) and Abalone Noodles ($12).
He also opined that noodles had a “nice bite” and the ingredients were “tender and juicy, cooked just nice”. But he noted that the noodles’ sauce tasted “lighter than before, maybe will take some time to restore and tune back”, though conceding that his order still came with “very nice intense broth”. So for those who have dearly missed Uncle Ah Chye’s bak chor mee, be prepared to wait.
Authentic Teochew Tradition Mushroom Minced Meat Noodle is at #01-21 Havelock Road Food Centre, Blk 22A Havelock Road, S161022. Open daily 6.30am-2pm.
Photos: Alvin Teo/ Daryl Lim
No part of this story or photos can be reproduced without permission from 8days.sg.
8days.sg is now on #tiktok! Follow us on www.tiktok.com/@8dayseat
Watch Now
Related Stories
Shopping
