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| The list highlights hawker establishments and casual eateries that offer diners value for money. Photo The Straits Times |
SINGAPORE – The 2024 Bib Gourmand list has 81 Singapore eateries, 11 of which are new awardees.
The list was released on June 18 by the Michelin Guide Singapore, highlighting hawker establishments and casual eateries – picked by Michelin inspectors – that offer diners value for money.
Two of the new entrants, previously listed under the Michelin Selected category, are now part of the Bib Gourmand brigade.
They are famed prawn noodle specialist Jalan Sultan Prawn Mee in Geylang and Ru Ji Kitchen, known for its handmade yellowtail fishballs, at Holland Drive Market & Food Centre.
Ru Ji Kitchen is run by owner David Ng, 71, who started selling fishball noodles at the food centre 21 years ago. Its neighbouring unit, which also bears a Ru Ji Kitchen signboard, was set up five years ago and sells bak chor mee.
Mr Ng’s daughter Joanne Ng and her husband Daniel Lee, both 41, run two other Ru Ji Kitchen outlets at Old Airport Road Food Centre and Redhill Food Centre, both specialising in fishball noodles.
Mr Ng starts making fishballs and fishcake from 1.30am, while Ms Ng and Mr Lee join him at 3am. All three stalls usually sell out by 1.30pm.
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Ms Ng lauds her father as a “hard worker”, while Mr Lee says his father-in-law is more energetic than any of the younger staff.
Mr Ng says in Mandarin: “I won’t retire yet as selling fishball noodles keeps me active.”
Another two are popular fish soup stalls Han Kee at Amoy Street Food Centre and Song Fish Soup at Clementi 448 Market & Food Centre.
Song Fish Soup’s owner Song Teck Hoe, 48, says he constantly works to improve the fish soup based on customer feedback.
When he opened for business 11 years ago, people had told him that he would not last more than three months, as there were other fish soup establishments in the same hawker centre.
He says: “Even with the award, I have to continue to learn what my customers want. I still maintain the quality of fish and make sure the soup is not too salty.”
Other hawkers on the list include Indian-Pakistani stall Delhi Lahori at Tekka Centre, Jason Penang Cuisine at ABC Brickworks Market & Food Centre and Margaret Drive Sin Kee Chicken Rice in Holland Drive.
Two re-entries are Margaret Drive Sin Kee Chicken Rice in Holland Drive, a former entrant in 2018; and wonton noodle specialist Chef Kang’s Noodle House in Toa Payoh, which was previously listed in 2019 and 2021.
There are also two casual restaurants: Italian restaurant Fico in East Coast Park and Thai eatery MP Thai at the Vision Exchange office building in Jurong East.
One Prawn & Co, which made its mark on the 2022 and 2023 lists, remains on the list under its new name, Zhup Zhup. Located in MacPherson, it is known for its robust prawn and pork bone broth.
Excluding One Prawn & Co, eight eateries from the 2023 list did not make the cut in 2024.
Most noticeably, Hawker Chan Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle in Chinatown is off the list. It was once lauded with one Michelin star in 2016, which it lost in 2021.
Also missing are three stalls from Old Airport Road Food Centre, which is closed till Sept 30 for renovation works.
They are Lao Fu Zi Fried Kway Teow; To-ricos Guo Shi, known for its kway chap; and Nam Sing Hokkien Fried Mee, which made its Bib Gourmand debut in 2023.
Other eateries that dropped off are Chen’s Mapo Tofu in Shenton Way and Sri Lankan establishment Kotuwa, now in its new venue at lifestyle destination New Bahru.
Guan Kee Fried Kway Teow in Ghim Moh and Sing Lung HK Cheong Fun in Beach Road are not on the list, as they shut in November and December 2023 respectively.
Singapore’s 2024 crop of Michelin-starred restaurants will be unveiled on June 25 at 10am via the Michelin Guide’s website and social media platforms. THE STRAITS TIMES/ANN
