In K-dramas, ahjummas often bring homemade kimchi to keep the fam nourished.
You’ve probably bought kimchi from your nearest supermarket to see what the hype is all about. But if you’ve ever wanted to try handmade kimchi, we’ve found a hawker stall that can deliver this to your doorstep.
Chelabela: Korean Food by Korean Chef serves handmade kimchi and army stew. The stall – managed by a Korean family – will open its new outlet unit in Ang Mo Kio Ave 5 on Wednesday (11 Aug).
Time to jio your K-drama-loving friends for fresh dishes made by a professional ahjussi (uncle in Korean).
Chelabela is a hawker business managed by Korean father-daughter duo Suh Chin Won, 52, and Chela Suh, 23.
In 2020, the business went viral after the daughter shared her father’s plight during ‘Circuit Breaker’. Since then, the stall has gained fame for serving authentic kimchi.
Their kimchi is made from fresh cabbages soaked in water, washed, and drained.
Spring onions, radish, and kimchi paste are added to the mixture for flavour and texture. Then, the kimchi is packed in batches and stored in the fridge until it matures.
Foodies should note that their kimchi is 100% Korean. As such, you can grab a filling side dish and share it with the fam during lunch or dinner.
The rapid growth of their business compelled them to close the stall in May due to a lack of manpower.
2 months later, the store announced plans to reopen in their new outlet at Block 603 in Ang Mo Kio on Wednesday (11 Aug).
Unlike the Marsiling branch which served 22 dishes, their outlet will only offer 5 dishes:
The Korean hawker’s daughter, Chela Suh, tells MS News that this adjustment was due to her grandma falling ill and difficulties in hiring.
“My dad’s previous experiences with employees were not all great, and we had to cut costs since sales were dropping. Hence, we wanted a system where my dad could work alone.”
Their only main dish will be the Army Stew packed with ham, sausage, veggies, kimchi, and noodles.
Their homemade anchovies are sweet and salty side dishes that can complement your plain rice or soups.
Chela said her dad will be operating the stall alone for now. But if he sees brisk business, she may have to help out during weekends.
Pretty soon, the stall plans to offer islandwide delivery so you can get their side dishes delivered to your doorstep. Chela said they’re still in the midst of working out the details and will announce on their Instagram page when the service is ready.
For now, we’ll bookmark the opening date for their stall on Wednesday (11 Aug).
Here’s how to get there:
Chelabela: Korean Food by Korean Chef
Address: Block 603 Ang Mo Kio Ave 5, S560603
Opening hours: 11am-8pm daily
Nearest MRT: Yio Chu Kang station, Lentor station
A dining table packed with filling side dishes by ahjumma or ahjussi can make our stomach growl in envy.
Fortunately, Chelabela’s menu will let us stock up on authentic kimchi and anchovies. This way, you can get much-needed nutrients even if your diet consists of instant ramen.
Remember to jio K-drama fans in your squad who’ll want to try this out themselves.
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at news@mustsharenews.com.
Featured image by MS News and Eatbook.
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