Beloved Cantonese zi char stall at Chinatown Complex closes for good

A famous zi char stall at Chinatown Complex has closed down, as the owner has decided to retire.

The legendary Claypot and Cooked Food Kitchen, located on the second floor of Chinatown Complex's green zone has closed down for good since early September 2024.

Reuel Ong, 33, who is a regular customer, shared photos of the owners clearing out the stall on Oct. 30, 2024.

Speaking to Mothership, Ong shared that the owner had told him a week prior that he did not wish to continue his business, and was officially closing for good.

Known for its traditional Cantonese-style zi char dishes and claypot rice, it was a favourite amongst foodies, especially those of the older generation.

Uncle has retired

The stall was run by an man named Ho Chee Hong, 73, best known to regulars as "Uncle Hong".

His wife would often be seen at the store front helping to take orders.

Hong's stall was known for serving traditional Cantonese dishes such as braised snapper fish head, sweet and sour pork, and sea cucumber in a claypot, amongst others.

Hong first started cooking at the age of 17, learning how to cook Cantonese dishes at various hotels and restaurants across the island, including the famed Cantonese restaurant Lai Wah.

After spending numerous years working and learning from Hong Kong chefs, Hong moved abroad to Japan and the Bahamas briefly in the 1980s, before returning in the late 1980s to open his first stall at Silat Road.

Rental prices pushed Hong to move into Chinatown Complex instead, and the rest is history.

Those who enjoyed his food often attribute its taste to the "Wok Hey" method of cooking.

According to food YouTuber Gregory Low, Uncle Hong suffered a fall in 2023—causing the stall to be closed for a significant period of time—due to his pelvic bone shattering.

Netizens then were wondering if it was indeed the end of an era for Hong's stall, but were pleasantly surprised when it reopened earlier in 2024.

However, according to local food blogger Seth Lui, Hong's past injury was affecting him greatly and causing "recurring issues", leading to the decision to close and retire instead.

Reviews on Google Maps are largely positive, with many willing to wait relatively long hours for the food.

Had a community of regulars

One of those who would wait for his food is none other than Ong, who loved the food so much that he used to order dishes on a weekly basis "without fail."

He added: "The only time I didn't eat is when the boss [Hong] was not feeling well, and when I did my reservist."

His gallery definitely attests to that feat.

Reflecting on the closure of the shop, Ong shared that while he would "definitely miss [Hong's] old school Cantonese food", there is another aspect of dining at Chinatown Complex that he would miss—the company of Hong's other regulars.

"I always see them weekly without fail," he said.

Another regular, Low Gek Boon, who is now in her eighties, shared with Mothership that she has frequented the stall for over thirty years.

"The dishes he cooks are very traditional, and have a unique taste," she recalled. "I will miss it."

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Top image courtesy of Lim Ying Jie and from Google Maps