A long long long time ago ……. when I was just a wee lad, we used to stay at the Oxley Road area. It was a time when the current cuppage centre had a wet market on the ground floor and a food court on the second floor. There were 2 beef noodle stores there but I preferred the one near the corner. Could not remember the name of the stall but it was run by this elderly couple and their 3 kids, my family would frequent the stall every time we go there for dinner. During school holidays I would bring a tiffin carrier to take away the beef noodles. The owners would usually know our order where mine is always beef kway teow dry (sometimes I would take soup) Their chilli was absolutely the best. I learn to take chilli from this stall I think. Then came the redevelopment of Cuppage Centre and they had to move out. We never knew where they went and that was like 25 years ago. A couple of years ago I bump into them at the Maxwell food centre. It was now run by the son and daughter. Their parents had retired. They still know me and when I placed my order I still get the extra chilli that I always used to get. Its great that I found them again after all these years. I even told my parents who went to visit them. Their food remains the same the chilli is still the best ever !!! I would always have a bowl whenever I am in the area.
Another recent case was during my college days we were now staying in Bedok and there used to be this coffee shop which sold Chicken Rice and Wanton Mee. I used to frequent it as it was near where we stayed along Bedok South Ave 3. I would order a pack of Chicken Rice and wanton soup just the wanton only. The place was run by a couple and they were very nice. I remembered once on my way home I stop by the place to get my meal when it started to rain heavily. The lady was kin enough to give me her umbrella and told me no rush to return it. It was a very nice gesture. We moved out of Bedok and I heard there was some renovations going on at that area and they had to leave. What a surprise for me when after almost 15 to 20 years I found their stall again at the Food Court near the Marine Parade NTUC. The great thing about it was they still remember me but they were much older now and its still just the 2 of them manning the stall. There does not seem to be a successor for them. It’s quite sad to think that both the Chicken Rice and Beef Noodle stores would not have anyone to carry on the business.
I recently found out that a stall at Maxwell which sold wanton noodles had closed down. Me and the missus would sometimes eat there. It was a good Wanton Noodle store. We were wondering what happen to eat when we saw that it was closed. Later we found out that the cook had passed away and there was no one to take over the business. I wonder will the other 2 stores have the same fate once the current hawkers retire ?
No comments:
Post a Comment