46-year-old Hokkien braised duck stall at Amoy Street goes halal to delight of Muslim community

It's time to add Kin Men Seng Heng to your list of halal finds in town.

The stall in Amoy Street Food Centre specialises in traditional Hokkien braised duck and officially obtained its halal certification on June 30.

Four hawkers, Ernest Tan Han Sheng, Habri Hammad Mohammad, Nur Muhammad Ismail and Jonathan Tan Li Jie, run the stall and what might come as a surprise is finding out just how young these four men are.

Nur Muhammad is the most senior in the group at a tender age of 29 while the rest are 27.

All of them were previously working in the hospitality sector, with most being former chefs and front of house staff.

Kin Men Seng Heng was started by Jonathan's grandfather, who was born in Taiwan and came to Singapore in 1944 in search of a better future.

In 1976, Jonathan's grandfather created his own braised duck recipe and founded the business. Today, the legacy continues with Jonathan and his three business partners.

Kin Men Seng Heng's menu is simple and fuss-free. An order of duck rice or noodles starts at $4 and you have the option to add braised egg, braised beancurd and braised tofu puff.

If you're feeling really hungry, their braised ducks are also available a la carte. 

Jonathan tells AsiaOne that Kin Men Seng Heng's braised ducks aren't exactly run-of-the-mill.

"Typically, braised duck found in Singapore is sweet, herbal and sticky. But for us, our sauces are savoury and light, herbaceous, paired with our homemade chili and peppery broth."

He adds that customers "tend to come for the dry kway teow or yellow noodles", similar to how it was when his grandfather ran the stall.

When we ask about their reasons behind applying for halal certification, Jonathan provides a very personal anecdote.

"A very good friend of mine is Muslim. I remember when I was 16, I told his mother that my first ever stall will be halal-certified so that she can eat the food that I cook. Fast forward to today, we finally did it!"

Although Kin Men Seng Heng has been halal-certified since the end of June, it was only announced last Sunday (July 10).

The response from the Muslim community has been overwhelming. Although Jonathan mentions how this is very much welcomed, even he did not expect it to be this immediate.

On their social media channels, netizens who've given Kin Men Seng Heng's braised duck a try were complimentary of its flavours.

For those who've just found out about the stall, they seem mightily excited to have a meal there.  

On July 12, the stall put out an Instagram Story around lunchtime to thank patrons for their support and announce that they are sold out for the day.

So if you're working in and around Amoy Street Food Centre, you might have to pop out of the office just before lunchtime to grab a bite of their braised duck!

ALSO READ: Where to eat and drink on Amoy Street: Best restaurants and bars around the CBD

Address: 7 Maxwell Rd, #02-133, Singapore 069111

Opening hours: Mon-Fri and Sun 9am - 2pm (or until sold out)

amierul@asiaone.com