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If you enjoy hunting for unique twists on traditional food like me, you might have heard of sushi popiah. Unfortunately, the dish might be going extinct, as the famous sushi popiah stall 968 Popiah in Hong Fu Ling 81 Eating House is set to close by the end of Dec 2025.
The news first spread through a Facebook post in the Hawkers United – Dabao 2020 group, where the poster shared that they learnt of the stall’s closure through word of mouth. The reason cited for 968 Popiah’s closure was simply that the couple operating the stall had decided that it was time to retire.
968 Popiah’s owners claim to have invented the whole concept of sushi popiah in Singapore. The dish was born from a simple request from their customers for a cold dish on their menu. The stall has thrived ever since, shifting from location to location but always maintaining the same menu items.
Reactions to the post were very sentimental, with many users lamenting the loss of this one-of-a-kind hawker gem. Others even reminisced about visiting the stall as a child and wished the owners a happy retirement.
But what is 968 Popiah’s Sushi Popiah (S$2.50) like? It’s comprised of classic popiah ingredients like cooked turnips and hard-boiled eggs, along with the innovative twist of an entire stick of crab meat laid onto the popiah skin. Everything is rolled together with a sheet of nori seaweed, topped with a prawn, then piped with mayonnaise and garlic chilli.
Patrons adore this unique popiah, with the cooked turnips replacing the traditional Japanese rice in sushi.
Of course, their regular Popiah (S$2) and Kueh Pie Tee (S$3.20) are fantastic as well. Some claim it to be the best popiah in Whampoa, lovingly handcrafted by the uncle and auntie behind the stall.
Adventurous foodies and loyal customers have till the end of Dec 2025 to patronise 968 Popiah one last time, before we lose yet another hawker to the sands of time.
