SINGAPORE - Chef Ang Song Kang, of Chef Kang's Noodle House in Toa Payoh, was pleasantly surprised when friends started calling him on Tuesday (Sept 10) morning, congratulating him on his stall making the Bib Gourmand list.
The 55-year-old chef says in Mandarin: "My stall has been around for only one year, so I never expected this. It was business as usual, we had no sudden surge in customers.
"This award is an affirmation from our customers and credit goes to my disciples for being so hardworking."
Chef Kang's Noodle House is one of 12 new eateries that have made it to this year's Bib Gourmand list, announced on Sept 10 by the Michelin Guide.
A total of 58 establishments are on the list - eight more than last year. The list highlights eateries which offer value-for-money food that costs no more than $45 a person.
Besides his noodle house, Mr Ang also runs the one-Michelin-starred restaurant Chef Kang's in Mackenzie Road and says he has a prawn noodles stall in the works.
New hawker stalls on the list include Beach Road Fish Head Bee Hoon at Whampoa Makan Place; Guan Kee Fried Kway Teow at Ghim Moh Market and Food Centre; Koh Brother Pig's Organ Soup at Tiong Bahru Market; and kway chap stall To-Ricos Guo Shi at Old Airport Road Food Centre.
Bedok Interchange Hawker Centre houses two new entrants - Bedok Chwee Kueh and Hock Hai (Hong Lim) Curry Chicken Noodle.
Both stalls had constant queues on Sept 10 during the busy lunch period. An employee at Bedok Chwee Kueh, who seemed unaware of the accolade, said that it was "business as usual" and that the stall was "busy every day".
Sales executive Tania Lim, 28, says: "I'm a big fan of the Hock Hai (Hong Lim) Curry Chicken Noodle. The chicken is really tender and moist, and the curry gravy is so fragrant. I'm also pleased to see Koh Brother Pig's Organ Soup on the list."
Restaurants include Anglo Indian Cafe & Bar in Shenton Way; Indocafe - The White House in Scotts Road; and Hjh Maimunah in Jalan Pisang.
Some of those that have debuted are no strangers to receiving Michelin stars.
Chef Kang's Noodle House at Jackson Square is by the owner-chef of the one-Michelin-starred Chef Kang's restaurant in Mackenzie Road; while Chen's Mapo Tofu at Downtown Gallery is an off-shoot of the two-Michelin-starred Shisen Hanten at Mandarin Orchard Singapore.
Dropping from the list are New Ubin Seafood's Bukit Batok branch which is now defunct; Rolina Traditional Hainanese Curry Puff at Tanjong Pagar Plaza Market & Food Centre; Shi Wei Da at Fengshan Market and Food Centre; and The Coconut Club in Ann Siang Road, which is famous for its nasi lemak.
The latter three eateries were new entrants in last year's list.
The fourth edition of the Michelin Guide's list of starred restaurants will be unveiled on Sept 17 at Capella Singapore.
