Sad news for char kway teow fans – the hawker behind popular stall Hock Kee Fried Kway Teow at Berseh Food Centre has died. He was 69 years old.
Song Yancheng, whom his regulars affectionately called Uncle Song, was well-known for meticulously frying his char kway teow plate by plate and his customers willingly waited for the dark, sultry, wok hei-laden kway teow piled with eggs, bean sprouts and blood cockles.
STALL CLOSED PERMANENTLY: “OUR DAD PASSED ON AFTER SERVING HIS LAST PLATE”
Uncle Song’s children, who run his stall’s Facebook page, announced his passing on the platform, along with the news that Hock Kee would be closed for good.
The notice stated: “We are very sad to share that 18 Mar was the last day of operation for (Hock Kee Fried Kway Teow). Our dad passed on after serving his last plate of kway teow on 18 Mar.”
No reason was given for Uncle Song’s death. His family is currently holding a five-day wake for him at 388A Bukit Batok West Ave 5. They declined to be interviewed by 8days.sg, though an earlier Facebook update shared the wake details, and that “our dad (宋炎成;1955-2024) has passed away peacefully late last night”.
Hock Kee Fried Kway Teow was said to have started as a pushcart over 50 years ago along Maude Road, and was run by Uncle Song’s mother-in-law before he took over. He upgraded his pushcart operations to a coffeeshop stall at Syed Alwi Road, before moving to Berseh Food Centre in 2015.
CUSTOMERS REMEMBER UNCLE’S “SATISFYING” CHAR KWAY TEOW
Messages offering condolences poured in on social media from Uncle Song’s regulars, some of whom had grown up eating his food. Facebook user N G YL Mike detailed his memorable experience of dining at Uncle Song’s stall, which usually had long queues.
He wrote in foodie group Can Eat! SG that he was the “lucky” first customer at Hock Kee one day, when he happened to be at the stall just before it opened: “[Sic] I must be really lucky (Hock Kee) today.. to be the 1st customer of this established ole school Hock Kee Char Kway Teow stall!
“The stall (shutter) was down when I arrived!.. n suddenly it burst open much to my delight! Out came Ah Hock.. walking past me to go to the rest room! Waiting patiently for his return, pays off.. n he proceeded to fry the 1st plate of his heritage pride for the day!”
“Fragrance, savoury n not too sweet… the kway teow mee was fried to heavenly perfection with the traditional ingredients… pork lard, cockles, Chinese sausage, etc… You couldn’t ask for more with this craving satisfying meal!”
This story was originally published in 8Days.
