Soya sauce chicken rice eatery Lee Fun Nam Kee in Toa Payoh to close on Sept 13
Famed soya sauce chicken institution Lee Fun Nam Kee in Toa Payoh will be shutting on Sept 13.
First established in 1967 as a hawker stall, also in Toa Payoh, it moved to its current premises in 1968.
Over the decades, its popular soya sauce chicken rice ($6.50) has gained a following for its succulent chunks of meat. The menu also offers char siew, roast pork and steamed white chicken.
For the past 35 years, the homely eatery has been run by second-generation owner David Lee, 57, and his younger brother Richard, 55.
The older Mr Lee is also the father of former MasterChef Singapore alumna Genevieve Lee. She is best known for her Sourbombe Artisanal Bakery, which specialises in Italian-style stuffed doughnuts.
In two Instagram posts on Aug 21, she announced the closure. “It’s never easy to witness the close of an era. After careful consideration, numerous family discussions, and evaluating various factors, we’ve come to acknowledge that it’s time to bid farewell to this chapter.
“As his daughter, I couldn’t be prouder of being raised amidst bowls of delicious chicken rice.”
With news of the pending closure spreading on social media, diners have flocked to the eatery to get their fix of soya sauce chicken rice.
Mr Lee told The Straits Times on Wednesday that he had to set aside extra chicken for their dinner service, which he expects to sell out early.
He will be increasing his quantity of chicken to cater for potential crowds, but not to the point of compromising on quality, he said.
The Sept 13 date was chosen as he will be handing the space – which he owns – to a new tenant on Sept 16. The new tenant’s menu will offer steamboat and suan cai yu (Sichuan fish with pickled mustard greens).
It was a difficult decision to make, said Mr Lee, and one that the family had been mulling over for years as business was on the decline.
He said: “It’s time to take a break, refresh and recharge so that we can go further. I can’t be doing nothing for too long.”
There are already plans for a “new experience of eating chicken rice” that could operate as a “take-and-go” kiosk.
He is scouting for locations and hopes to launch as a pop-up first to test the market - as early as by the end of 2023.
While he had previously been courted to sell his recipe, Mr Lee is cautious as he had met several buyers who were “not genuine”.
He is, however, open to collaborations or potential partnerships to expand the brand.
He said: “It’s a new world and environment. The new generation likes to do collaborations to make business more prosperous. Why not?”
Lee Fun Nam Kee at 94 Lorong 4 Toa Payoh, 01-04 will close on Sept 13. It is open from 11am to 3pm, 5 to 9pm, Fridays to Wednesdays, closed on Thursdays. It will be closed on Sept 1.
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