The COVID-19 pandemic has forced numerous restaurants across Singapore to shut down. Yet, even as the future for F&B businesses looks murky and eateries struggle to survive, some new ones continue to pop up against all odds.
Case in point: month-old Soi Candy, a hip noodle bar offering “traditional Northern Thai cuisine with a fun twist”. The brainchild of actress and serial entrepreneur Irene Ang, the eatery opened its doors along Tanjong Pagar Road on August 1 and Irene is banking on her foresight and “luck with F&B businesses” to make it work.
Not that things are going swimmingly well for her other two F&B businesses, FRY Bistro and Bar Naked (she also owns artiste management agency FLY Entertainment and maid agency Femme5) at the moment, though. Both located at Club Street, business at FRY Bistro dropped 80 per cent during the Circuit Breaker and is now “back to around 70 per cent of pre-COVID-19 levels”, while Bar Naked has been closed since March as part of pandemic control measures.
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1/151/15Taking the challenge head-on -
2/152/15Everything just fell into place -
3/153/15Irene with her chef, Candy -
4/154/15“I thrive in times of crisis” -
5/155/15The setting -
6/156/15What’s on the menu -
7/157/15Signature Soft Bone Pork Longan Stew, $8.90 (8 DAYS Pick!) -
8/158/15Beef Longan Stew, $9.90 -
9/159/15Fried Squid Cakes, $6.90 for five pcs -
10/1510/15Salt-Baked Sea Bass, $29.90 -
11/1511/15Crispy Chicken Skin, $5.90 (8 DAYS Pick!) -
12/1512/15Esan Sausages, $9.90 -
13/1513/15Homemade Thai Hor Mok, $12.90 for three pcs -
14/1514/15Crispy Kang Kong With Seafood, $15.90 -
15/1515/15Bottom line