We were skeptical but secretly pleased when two hawker stalls made it to the inaugural Singapore’s Michelin Guide. We’re not sure how one goes about identifying the best of the best hawker food, but we were happy to see long-standing hawkers get some serious recognition, even if it meant the already long lines got even longer. Now, though, there’s been an interesting development, with chef Chan Hon Meng of the Michelin-starred Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle opening a non-hawker, air-conditioned space by mid-November.
According to The Straits Times, chef Han will be joining forces with Hersing Culinary to open an air-conditioned restaurant at 78 Smith Street, which will see a new automated ordering system and the same soya sauce chicken rice and noodles that have brought him success. While we certainly hope the venture is a wild success and he gets to retire a rich man, the usual concerns come to mind: price differences, consistency of flavors and the transition from a hawker stall to a full-fledged restaurant. Not to mention: who will man the beloved stall at Chinatown Food Centre? The only way to know is to wait and see how it all plays out.
We are cautiously looking forward!
