Malaysia
Singapore
Thailand
I love the feeling of charcoal meat melting in my mouth. It’s the initial bitter-sweet mixture of the charred roast ends and the sweetness from the caramelised marinade for me. Foong Kee Traditional Charcoal Roaster had one of the best roast meats in Singapore until it announced its closure in June 2021.
Rooted at Keong Saik road for 15 years, the stall easily became a Keong Saik street icon because of its snaking queues. Housed under the setup of Foong Kee Coffee Shop, the owner not only decided to close its stall, but also the whole coffee shop. Now, the space is taken over by a French restaurant.
Traditional Charcoal Roaster definitely gave us a surprise when they suddenly made an appearance at Commonwealth Crescent Market and Food Centre. Welcome back, legend! You’ve been missed.
When the news of the closure broke out, it seemed like Covid-19 took out another F&B establishment. For more than 20 years, the stall that was renowned for its array of Cantonese meats had attended to its popularity from day till night. That was probably the reason for their closure though, as they needed a long-deserved break.
Luckily for us, the break only lasted 20 months. The icon has plonked itself back into the original neighbourhood where they had just started out. As we can see, they’ve already been handling a steady tide of customers.
I mean, some say that the roast meat at Foong Kee Traditional Charcoal Roaster comes close to top Cantonese restaurant standards.
There’s nothing like a long queue to work up an appetite. If you’ve missed the crispy caramel char siew that melts decadently in your mouth, join the club. What I missed most is the Crispy Roasted Duck, which goes at S$14 for a quarter of a whole duck.
Unfortunately, due to space constraints, they will not be selling noodles. But they will still have Char Siew Rice (S$4)! The char siew is done in a traditional Hong Kong-style, with a thick sweet marinade that complements the smoky aroma with each bite. Unlike some stalls which utilise pink dye in their char siew, theirs stands out from the lot.
I am glad that a legend is back in town and open for business. Thankfully, it’s near my house too!
Other articles you might like:
Hao You Ji Charcoal Roasted Delights: I found the best char siew in Singapore at Geylang Bahru
