If you’ve been missing Ka-Soh’s famed Cantonese-style fish noodle soup since the heritage eatery closed its last physical outlet in September last year, here’s some delicious news.
The brand is making a limited-time return at both Tanglin Cookhouse outlets from now till 31 Aug with two familiar favourites: its Signature Fish Noodle Soup and Prawn Paste Chicken Mid Wings.
And, amusingly, it all began with third-generation Ka-Soh owner Cedric Tang sliding into local actor Andie Chen’s Instagram DMs.
For context, Chen and his brothers took over restaurant group Creative Eateries, which houses brands such as Tanglin Cookhouse and Suki-Ya, last November.
After Chen shared his vision of supporting local heritage businesses, Tang spotted an opening and decided to take his shot.
“I immediately started commenting on his post to build a relationship and seed the idea that Ka-Soh was looking for opportunities,” Tang recalled in an interview with MS News. “Then I basically slid into his DMs!”
He admitted that he had no grand expectations when he sent the message, but simply figured there was no harm in “getting on people’s radar”.
“I didn’t know what they really wanted or what their business plan was, but I’m always open to exploring,” he said.
His proactiveness paid off. Although the two men had never met, Chen was thrilled to receive Tang’s message and promptly shared the news with his brothers.
“We really want to be the engine for F&B creatives. That was always our vision from the start,” Chen told MS News.
As it turned out, Creative Eateries had approached Tang once before, shortly after Ka-Soh closed and before Chen and his brothers took over the group.
Tang had turned down the initial proposal. At the time, he was still refining Ka-Soh’s recipes for his home-based frozen soup business and did not feel ready to collaborate, especially when he had yet to find out how customers would respond.
Source: @kasohsg on Instagram
The answer eventually came in the form of positive reviews and repeat orders, giving Tang confidence that the revised recipe could hold its own.
So, when Creative Eateries approached him again after he reached out, this time with the idea of bringing heritage businesses back for National Day, the timing finally felt right.
Getting Ka-Soh back into a restaurant, however, involved more than handing over a list of ingredients and calling it a day.
Tang had been making the soup in small batches at home. Creative Eateries, meanwhile, needed to reproduce it on a much larger scale through its central kitchen.
Even the Prawn Paste Chicken Mid Wings required some work, as Tang had not been selling them from home due to restrictions on storing raw food and limited freezer space.
Thankfully, adapting the recipes turned out to be relatively smooth.
Tang taught Creative Eateries’ chefs how to prepare the dishes, while the team adjusted the quantities and processes before putting them through several rounds of research, development, and tastings.
“The team is quite strong,” Tang said. “They just asked me certain questions and handled it. The level of experience creates a good working environment and collaboration.”
Chen added: “We just need to tap on his recipe, his brain, and knowledge, get it down, and taste it multiple times to make sure every batch is exactly how he wants it.”
Once the team could reproduce the dishes consistently, Tang was able to take a step back and focus on observing, tasting, and ensuring that everything stayed true to Ka-Soh.
Tang’s involvement didn’t end once the recipes were handed over.
Before the pop-up began, he ordered the dishes for takeaway, set them aside for 20 minutes, and waited to see what customers would experience when they finally opened the containers.
He wanted to make sure the soup’s aroma remained pleasant after sitting enclosed and that the chicken wings still held up after being packed. Both passed the test.
Tang has also been visiting the outlets regularly, ordering — and paying for — the food himself, and speaking directly with diners.
That level of care matters when many Ka-Soh regulars have been eating its food for years, and Tang knew the new version would inevitably be measured against what the restaurant used to serve.
“You definitely cannot run from the comparison, because my customers have been dining with me for decades,” he acknowledged.
While some customers felt the soup was not exactly as they remembered it, Tang said the response had been largely encouraging, with several longtime regulars telling him it brought back memories of the Ka-Soh they grew up with.
For now, Ka-Soh fans can relive the familiar flavours they’ve been missing at Tanglin Cookhouse, where the limited-time menu features its Signature Fish Noodle Soup at S$18++ and Prawn Paste Chicken Mid Wings at S$15++ for eight.
Image courtesy of Ka-Soh and Tanglin Cookhouse
The soup retains Ka-Soh’s signature rich broth, with a few tweaks: pork bones have been replaced with chicken bones, white peppercorns have been added, and grouper slices now take the place of the original snakehead fish meat.
Those dining in pairs can also opt for the Tanglin Heritage Set Menu at S$58++ for two, down from a usual combined price of up to S$93++.
The three-course meal includes the chicken wings, a shared bowl of fish noodle soup, a choice of another Tanglin Cookhouse main, and two desserts.
Beyond satisfying longtime cravings, however, the pop-up is also a test of what Ka-Soh’s next chapter could look like.
For Tang, it’s a chance to see how his revised recipes are received by a wider audience and whether production could eventually scale beyond the limits of his home kitchen.
For Chen and Creative Eateries, each order offers a clearer sense of whether there is sustained demand for Ka-Soh’s return.
Every time a customer comes in and orders a dish or orders a frozen soup to bring home, it’s a vote that this works.
Should demand remain strong and consistent, the collaboration could eventually become a longer-term fixture. So, anyone hoping for a more lasting Ka-Soh comeback, you know exactly what to do.
The Ka-Soh pop-up is available till 31 Aug at both Tanglin Cookhouse outlets:
Tanglin Cookhouse (Tanglin Mall)
Address: 163 Tanglin Road, #01-106 Tanglin Mall, Singapore 247933
Opening hours: 9am to 10pm daily
Nearest MRT station: Orchard Boulevard
Tanglin Cookhouse (Paya Lebar Quarter)
Address: 2 Tanjong Katong Road, #01-07 PLQ 3, Singapore 437161
Opening hours: 9am to 10pm daily
Nearest MRT station: Paya Lebar
The dishes are also available via GrabFood and Foodpanda, while 400g packs of Ka-Soh’s Signature Frozen Fish Soup can be purchased in-store for S$12++, while stocks last.
For more information and updates, follow Ka-Soh on Instagram and Facebook.
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Featured image by MS News.