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Popular family-run zi char stall, Hong Sheng Restaurant in Toa Payoh, has officially closed its doors on 29 Dec 2024.
Hong Sheng Restaurant, located in the coffee shop at Block 203 Toa Payoh North, had been operating for around 5 decades prior to the closure. The eatery previously announced the unfortunate news in Oct 2024, much to the dismay of its regular customers.
Some speculated that high rental costs sped up this process.
Following the announcement, loyal supporters visited the stall during its last few months of operation to provide support. Many took to social media to lament the loss, as it had been a popular family dinner haunt for generations.
Before the last day of operations on 29 Dec, Hong Sheng Restaurant received a flood of pre-orders from people hoping to experience their food one last time.
Owner Lin Youhao (65) was reluctant to let go of the stall, especially since it had gathered a loyal following of diners over half a century of operations.
Despite this, Lin does not want her children to take over as she understands that hawker life is not easy. According to her, both have graduated from university and are professionals.
She is also grateful for the tremendous support that the stall received during its last days.
While she may sell the business in the future, she has not announced any plans to do so currently.
As with many zi char stalls, Hong Sheng Restaurant served a wide variety of economic dishes.
It was best known for its har cheong gai – Prawn Paste Chicken. Word has it that every table in the coffee shop would have at least a plate of the crispy delicacy sitting on it.
The Claypot Fish Head was another customer favourite. It was popular for the big portion size and the steaming, fleshy fish head that served as a fulfilling dinner.
There is no doubt that the closure of Hong Sheng Restaurant is unfortunate news. Hopefully, you had the chance to experience it before it was too late.
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