Advertisement
Advertisement
The founders of Friends Cafe don’t view their shuttered Neil Rd restaurant opened with actress Constance Song as a failure. They’ve bounced back with two stalls in Ang Mo Kio, one offering Muslim-friendly dim sum.

Most F&B businesses start small – say, a hawker stall – before growing into full-fledged restaurants. But Hong Kong-born couple Vicky Lee, 35, and Keith Wong, 37, have taken the opposite route.
In 2021, the husband-and-wife team made their debut with Friends Cafe, a cosy 40-seater cha chaan teng in Upper Thomson. Vicky, a freelance makeup artist, and Keith, who left a career in civil engineering to help run the business, quickly found an audience drawn to their comforting, authentic Hong Kong flavours.
No part of this story or photos can be reproduced without permission from8days.sg.

1of10
The success of the cafe led to a bold expansion: a retro double-storey cha chaan teng along Neil Road in 2023, opened in partnership with actress Constance Song (whom Vicky met while working on the Mediacorp drama Tanglin) and her friend. But just one year later, the shophouse restaurant shuttered.
“After the closure, many customers told us that it’s a shame because our food is good but we chose the wrong location as the rent is too high and parking inconvenient [at Neil Road]. So we decided to give it one last try after learning from our mistakes,” shares Vicky.

2of10
Two new kopitiam stalls, one Muslim-friendly
Instead of opening another restaurant or going back to their original day jobs, the couple pivoted to kopitiam stalls instead. In late February, they invested a five-figure sum to open two new stalls in the same Ang Mo Kio coffee shop: Friends Kitchen HK, which serves local and Hong Kong-style zi char dishes, and Ayah Dimsum, a Muslim-friendly joint serving dim sum and mains like nasi lemak and mee rebus. They also continue to operate their original Friends Cafe outlet at Upper Thomson.
“This time, we want to introduce Hong Kong food to the neighbourhood crowd, at more affordable prices,” she adds.

3of10
Why Neil Road outlet closure “wasn’t a failure” despite 6-figure loss
The closure of Friends Kitchen HK’s Neil Road outlet in April 2024 may have come with a “six-figure” loss, but Vicky looks back without regret.
“To me, it wasn’t a failure – it just didn’t make sense to keep on going,” she says with quiet conviction. “The restaurant was often full, and we had loyal Hong Kong customers. But our profit margins were razor-thin. Rent alone was five figures, and manpower costs were high. We worked from morning till midnight and still barely broke even.”
As parents to three young daughters aged four to 12, the relentless pace began to take a toll. “We were burning out and missing out on time with our kids. That wasn’t the life we wanted.”
Logistics added to their struggles. “Many of our Hong Kong customers prefer easy street parking, which is harder to find in the area,” she adds.
Ultimately, the couple made the difficult decision to let go of the restaurant in favour of better work-life balance. The decision to part ways with their business partner Constance was also handled amicably. “We’re still on friendly terms,” Vicky says.
“You only live once. If you don’t try, you’ll never know,” she reflects. “When we were at Upper Thomson, some customers encouraged us to try opening an outlet in the CBD. So we did – and we learned that it’s not as glamorous as it seems. There are so many unexpected challenges. and unless you have deep pockets, it’s really hard to weather the tough times.”

Bringing HK-style zi char to the heartlands
Vicky and Keith’s latest venture brings HK-style zi char to a humble coffee shop in Ang Mo Kio. Friends Kitchen HK boasts an extensive menu that blends familiar local zi char dishes with distinctly Hong Kong touches. Keith personally cooks at the zi char stall, alongside a full-time cook.

5of10
Under the usual seafood, meat, and vegetable categories, you’ll find dishes like Typhoon Shelter Prawns ($20), HK Chicken Pot ($16) and a favourite from Friends Cafe – Wasabi Beef Tenderloin ($18).

6of10
Mains cover local staples like fried rice and hor fun, as well as more niche HK-style offerings like Braised Beehoon with Preserved Vegetable and Pork ($6). There are also a few cha chaan teng items available, such as Lava Salted Egg French Toast ($6), Ham Macaroni ($4) and Char Siew Scrambled Egg Rice ($6.50).

7of10
One of the stall’s bestsellers is a local dish: Curry Fish Head ($26). “It’s our own recipe, but we first learned to cook the dish at my mum’s restaurant,” explains Vicky.
Her mum runs Wong Chiew Restaurant, a two-decade-old local zi char eatery at Upper Thomson, a five-minute walk from Friends Cafe. During the pandemic, the couple helped to manage Wong Chiew and introduced a curry fish head set meal to boost sales. “We offered island-wide delivery and sales took off. We were selling over 100 portions per day,” she shares. “We decided to sell it at Friends Kitchen too as we know how much Singaporeans love curry fish head.”

8of10
Second stall offers Muslim-friendly dim sum
When Vicky and Keith were securing the unit for their zi char stall at the Ang Mo Kio coffee shop, they discovered that a second shop was available for lease. Given the kopitiam’s rule that each stall could only sell a limited number of items, the couple saw an opportunity to diversify their offerings by running a second stall.
As the second stall had to be Muslim-owned, Vicky partnered with close friend and fellow makeup artist Atiqah Ho (right in pic), who’s Chinese Muslim, to launch Ayah Dimsum, an homage to Atiqah’s late father (“ayah” means father in Malay). They’ve also hired a part-time Malay staff to manage the stall.
The stall offers halal-friendly (pending certification) steamed and fried dim sum, produced by a manufacturer based on recipes from Vicky and Keith. These include Shrimp Siew Mai ($4.50 for three), BBQ Chicken Buns ($3.80 for two) and Beancurd Prawn Rolls ($3.80 for three).
It also serves local favourites like Nasi Lemak with fried chicken (from $4.50), Ayam Penyet ($6.50), Mee Rebus ($4) – all developed by Vicky, who picked up some of the recipes from her Indonesian helper. “The food is kampong-style, with richer flavours and a more rustic feel,” she says. All the rempah and sambal are made from scratch.

9of10
Some customers have asked why they offer so many dishes across both stalls. For Vicky, it’s a reflection of her love for cooking. “If you’re really passionate about food, it’s impossible to just stick to one thing,” she says. “There are so many flavours I want to share, and so many dishes I want people to try. I’ll be letting myself down if I don't keep creating.”
“We’re still in F&B because we love what we do,” she adds.

10of10
Finding joy in the kopitiam hustle
The switch from an impeccably styled restaurant to two humble hawker stalls might sound like a downgrade – but for Vicky, it’s been a refreshingly wholesome experience.
“I thought it would be very competitive, but the atmosphere at the coffee shop is really friendly,” she says cheerfully. “Some of the other stall owners would even introduce their regular customers to us. We’ve made friends here – it’s very heartwarming.”
With a smaller space, operations are simpler too. For instance, she’s no longer stressed out brainstorming new concepts for corporate events. And while she can no longer indulge her love for decor, Vicky takes it all in good humour. “In a kopitiam, I can’t decorate it however I want, like how I did at Neil Road!” she quips.
These days, the couple juggle their time between their two Ang Mo Kio stalls and the Upper Thomson cafe. “We shuttle between the two locations daily. Ang Mo Kio tends to get busier in the evenings, especially with takeaway orders. We’re usually done with the peak period at the cafe by then and can come over to help,” says Vicky.
Compared to the intense hours they once kept at Neil Road, Vicky says their current routine is a lot more sustainable. Both of their kopitiam stalls close at 9pm. “It’s less stressful, and we get to spend some time with our kids before they go to bed,” she shares.
Friends Kitchen HK & Ayah Dimsum are at 260 Ang Mo Kio St 21, S560260. Friends Kitchen HK opens daily 11am - 9pm; Ayah Dimsum opens daily 7am - 9pm. More info viaInstagram.
Friends Cafe HK is at #01-18, 60 Springside Walk, S786020. Open daily except Tue, 11.30am - 9.30pm. Tel: 8621 1125. More info via Facebook & Instagram.
Photos: Kelvin Chia / Friends Kitchen HK.
No part of this story or photos can be reproduced without permission from8days.sg.
8days.sgis now on#tiktok! Follow us onwww.tiktok.com/@8dayseat.
Listen Now
Advertisement
Constance Song Partners HK Couple To Open Cha Chaan Teng In Charming Shophouse
Advertisement
Shopping
Home Matters
$400 Climate Vouchers: What To Buy, Where To Spend Them, And Best Deals On Eligible Household Products
Home Matters
What's Buzzing
Iconic Looks To Re-Create For Lady Gaga’s Singapore Concerts In May 2025 — Costumes, Make-Up, Accessories From $2
Expand to read the full story
Subscribe to the 8days weekly e-newsletter to receive thelatest entertainment, celebrity, food and lifestyle news!
By clicking Subscribe, I consent to the
Terms & Conditions!
I consent to the use of my personal data by Mediacorp and the Mediacorp group of companies (collectively “Mediacorp”) to send me notices, information, promotions and updates including marketing and advertising materials in relation to Mediacorp’s goods and services and those of third party organisations selected by Mediacorp, and for research and analysis, including surveys and polls.
Want More? Check These Out
Hawker Food
Hawker Food
Netizens Horrified To See Street Hawker Pour Entire Can Of Condensed Milk Into Beverage
Hawker Food
‘Grumpy’ Nasi Ayam Goreng Hawker Lowers Price Of Star Dish For Ramadan Month
Watch
01:24
Ch 8’s iconic ‘Little Flying Fish’ actor, Wang Yuqing, has opened a cafe in a golf club with his wife Norah! It serves comfort food for all generations, like soupy mee hoon kueh 😋 #8dayseatcafe #8dayseat #cafe #wheretoeat #sgfood #comfortfood
01:19
Self-taught baker Joyce sells luscious low-sugar cinnamon rolls and unusual options like cheese Vegemite rolls and a savoury spicy roll! #8dayseatcafe #8dayseat #vegemite #cinnamonroll #bakery #bread #tiktoksg #fyp
01:14
Retrenched from her job as the APAC head of marketing at a company, Joyce picked herself up to set up a business selling her delightful cinnamon rolls (zhng-ed to low sugar level!) #8dayseatcafe #8dayseat #cinnamonroll #bakery #guiltfree #lowsugar #dessert #tiktoksg #fyp
00:59
Hawker Wahyu Ning has been serving her super sedap Surabaya-style nasi ayam penyet for the past 16 years. The secret to why her food is so good? She says: "I cook from the heart, sprinkled with verses of love!" #8dayseathawker #8dayseat #ayampenyet #indonesian #hawker #wheretoeat #sgfood #sgfoodie
01:07
This is not bak chor mee but Malaysian-style 'zhu rou fen' - pork noodles that come with a robust bowl of flavourful broth and chunks of fried minced pork! #8dayseathawker #8dayseat #sghawker #sgfoodie #Legacyporknoodles #porknoodle #zhuroufen
01:08
Influencer Lukey Chan opened a kid-friendly cafe called Pasta Papa, where diners can wear a chef’s uniform and cook their own pasta! And for those who can’t cook, there are chefs here to save you lah! 👨🍳🍝 #8dayseat #pastapapa #diypasta #lukeychan #cafe #carbonara #localfood #sgfoodie #sgfood #kidsfriendly
01:28
Watch Uncle Razali work his magic with lower-sodium salt and spices to serve up tasty Malay dishes, with a healthier twist! #LessSaltMoreTaste #hpbsg #8dayseat #eatclean
01:28
Watch Uncle Razali work his magic with lower-sodium salt and spices to serve up tasty Malay dishes, with a healthier twist! #LessSaltMoreTaste #hpbsg #8dayseat #eatclean
01:29
Popular influencer @lukeychan6 has opened a pasta cafe because of… gym?! He also shares one tip for bros everywhere to impress your girl ❤️🍝 #8dayseat #pastapapa #diypasta #lukeychan #cafe #carbonara #localfood #sgfoodie #sgfood
01:30
Iconic Geylang Cantonese zi char restaurant Sik Wai Sin lives on with second-gen owner Steven Chai taking over his father's business, as the late Mr Chai's dying wish was for his famous eatery to continue operating. #8dayseat #eatfirst #localfood #sgfood #sgfoodie #cantonesefood #steamdishes #geylang
01:11
Legendary Cantonese zi char institution Sik Wai Sin closed briefly, but second-gen owner Steven Chai has reopened his father’s famous restaurant at the same location in Geylang, serving the same tightly curated menu — just 13 dishes — that the late Mr Chai was well-known for. #8dayseat #eatfirst #localfood #sgfood #sgfoodie #cantonesefood #steamdishes #geylang
01:28
Here's the tea on making better bubble tea choices: Limit milk, sugar and toppings = authentic tea flavours ✨ Who knew healthier choices could taste this good?🧋#healthy #lesssweet #bubbletea #eachacup #lowsugaroptions #lowsugar #lowerinsugar #8dayseat
You May Also Like
Content is loading...