Popular wanton mee stall Koung's Wan Tan Mee, situated in the heart of Geylang, will close its doors by the end of December 2023.

A mainstay in the area during its 57-year tenure, the stall was known for its old-school rendition of the hawker dish — with delicious char siew, springy egg noodles and handmade chilli.

The news of the stall's impending closure was shared in a post in the "Can Eat Hawker Group" on August 23, by group admin Andrew Tang.

Why they are closing

The 78-year-old stall owner, Koung, first started out selling noodles in a pushcart along the streets of Geylang, before opening his own stall in 1964.

He told Mothership that the shophouse which houses the stall has been sold, and after his lease ends in December, the new owners will be renovating the place.

Koung has also considered retiring after closing the stall, given he and his staff are aged and facing health issues.

The last day that the stall will be open in Geylang is Dec. 31, 2023.

Wants to keep brand alive for customers

After the initial announcement, many of his old-time customers have flocked to the stall to convince him to reconsider his decision to retire, Koung told Mothership.

He has seen an upsurge of business in the past few days as a result.

"When I said they could get their wanton noodle fix elsewhere, they told me that other options were not as nice as mine," Koung shared.

As such, he is looking for another place to relocate his business to, and keep the business going.

Alternatively, he hopes to sell his recipes to a successor who can keep the brand alive. He is also willing to teach new staff how to prepare the dishes.

So far, he has rejected bids between S$600,000 and S$800,000 for the recipe, and stated that he intends to "divide the money" among his staff if he sells the recipe.

The food

Koung's Wan Tan Mee still roasts its char siew the traditional way -- in a charcoal oven on-site.

Customers also raved about the springy egg noodles, which were cooked to perfection.

Consequently, the stall has turned up on quite a number of "best wanton mee in Singapore" lists.

Here's a picture of the dish that put them on the map:

Try it while it's still around.

Koung's Wan Tan Mee

Address: 205 Sims Avenue, Singapore 387506

Operating hours: 8am - 7pm (closed on Mondays)

Top image from Andrew Tang on Facebook / Adrian Leong on Google.