Fatty Ox Hong Kong Kitchen Hawker Stall, Popular For Its Beef Brisket Noodles, Opens 30-Seat Restaurant In Chinatown

HK-born Towkay first came to Singapore in the ’80s 

Chef Cheung began his culinary career in his teenage years working at various F&B establishments in Hong Kong, before finding his first restaurant job at Hong Kong chain Mayflower Restaurant. He relocated to Singapore in the ’80s to work when the chain opened an outpost here.

He left the restaurant group after two years and opened his own hawker stall on Pagoda Street in Chinatown, where he hawked HK-style roast meats under the moniker Fatty Ox Hong Kong Roast Duck in 1986. He upgraded it into a no-frills “family-style zi char eatery” (which was not air-conditioned) at Murray Street in the early ’90s till 2009, when their landlord sold off the shophouse it was in.

Fatty Ox’s convoluted history, including a slight name change

As the veteran chef and his wife were getting on in their years, they decided to streamline their menu and reopen as a hawker outfit: first at North Bridge Road for a brief stint (closing after six months as “traffic wasn’t what they expected there”) then in 2011 at Chinatown Complex Food Centre as Fatty Ox Hong Kong Kitchen, serving its now famed noodle dishes. “There wasn’t any particular reason for the change in name – I think my dad just wanted to signify that it was another new beginning,” says Cheung’s son (who works full-time in the family’s biz but declined to be named) on the rebranding.

New restaurant open for both lunch and dinner service

Plans for outlet number two began in 2021, after the younger Cheung joined his father’s business full-time (he was previously working as a graphic designer). “One thing I noticed is that many new customers tend to come to our stall a bit later, and are usually disappointed as they can’t try our signature dishes. Only our regulars know that the beef brisket noodles, for example, usually sell out by 11am,” he explains.

Tourists were also put off by the stall’s inaccessible location. “After a recent food blogger’s (Mark Wiens) video, many tourists came looking for us – and they gave us feedback that our stall was difficult to find,” he adds. Thus, the hope is that the new restaurant is more accessible both in terms of its street-level visibility and longer opening hours.

Management for the standalone eatery remains “within the family” – Cheung’s son and brother-in-law manage daily operations, including cooking. Meanwhile, chef Cheung and his wife continue to run the original hawker centre stall. There were no external investors for the minimally-decorated new outlet, which cost “just under $100K” to set up.

No GST or service charge, but prices slightly higher

While offerings at both Fatty Ox Hong Kong Kitchen outlets are similar, expect to fork out more at the standalone self-service eatery (which doesn’t charge GST or for service). “We’re still trying to keep our food as affordable as we can – these price adjustments are really just for the overheads at the new location,” declares junior Cheung. Noodle options range from $6 to $8.50 here, versus $4 to $6 at the hawker stall.

A few new dishes on the menu

A la carte meat options are pricier here too: a Roast Duck costs $48 per bird here, compared to $40 at Chinatown Complex; while the Soy Sauce Chicken costs $30, up from $24. The Honey Glazed Char Siew goes for $48 per kg, versus $40 at dad’s HQ stall. New dishes include the Spicy Chilli Oil Wontons ($7.50) and Crispy Pork Shrimp Rolls ($6), which are good for sharing.

The details

Fatty Ox Hong Kong Kitchen’s new outlet is at 50 Smith St, S058958. Tel: 9622-3062. Open daily except Mon 11.30am – 2.30pm; 5.30pm – 8.30pm. More info via Facebook & Instagram.

Fatty Ox Hong Kong Kitchen’s original stall is at #02-84 Chinatown Complex Food Centre, 335 Smith St, S050335. Tel 9638-5345. Open Wed – Sun 7.30am – 2.30pm. Delivery via Foodpanda.

Photos: Fatty Ox Hong Kong Kitchen, Bryan Fang

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