Another one bites the dust: Old-school char kway teow hawker stall in Chinatown to close as owner retires

On Friday (April 5), a hawker stall owner in Chinatown is set to serve his specialty for one final time.

Located in Kou Wei Eating House, Cuppage Fried Guo Tiao is a stone's throw away from Chinatown MRT station.

Come this weekend, however, fans of the stall can no longer enjoy their favourite plate of char kway teow.

According to a post shared on Facebook group Can Eat! SG on April 1, the stall owner has decided to retire.

"Another yummy old-school dish gone but will remain in our memories," the caption wrote.

In the comments section, Facebook users reacted to the news with a mix of sadness and dismay.

Some could only muster a sad-faced emoji in response while others noted that they were keen to head down before the imminent closure.

'Going into history'

Being tucked away in a corner of a nondescript coffeeshop would mean the stall can get missed rather easily.

However, local foodies would know that the fried-to-order char kway teow is somewhat of a hidden gem.

In a separate Facebook post on April 2, user Melvin Chew, who founded Facebook group Hawkers United - Dabao 2020, mentioned how Cuppage Fried Guo Tiao is one of his favourites, and expressed sadness that "one of the few heritage" char kway teow stalls here is "going into history".

Claiming to know the stall owner personally, he suggested that the recent passing of Song Yancheng, owner of Hock Kee Fried Kway Teow, may have influenced his decision to retire.

Reviews on Google also show that Cuppage Fried Guo Tiao scores a rating of four-and-a-half stars out of five, among 24 reviews.

One reviewer, Ben C, effusively praised the quality of the fried noodles, stating how he'd had rushed down to get a final taste of the dish upon learning that the stall would be shuttering for good.

Awarding the char kway teow a five-star rating, the same customer noted how "simply amazing" the meal was.

And it seemed he was not the only one who hot-footed it down to the stall, with a reported queue there "getting longer and longer" during his visit on April 3.

He added: "Savoury and full of wok hei, the $4 plate was irresistible for any char kway teow fans for its decadent umami.

"Go have a memorable plate of their char kway teow before they close down permanently."

A number of other reviewers agreed that Cuppage Fried Guo Tiao serves up a mean plate of char kway teow, with generous servings of bean sprouts and fish cake slices.

If you are planning make one final visit on Friday, do remember to bring your wallets along as it is a cash-only stall.

Address: 34 Upper Cross St, #01-170, Singapore 050034
Opening hours: 10am to 5.30pm

ALSO READ: 'Reality is harsh': Hong Kong-style cafe Friends Kitchen HK at Neil Road to close after 1 year due to high costs

amierul@asiaone.com

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