Though the OG street food of Singapore’s past have mostly vanished, a man who used to sell his satay from a pushcart in Tiong Bahru kept the old-school practice alive.
After facing multiple fines for peddling food without a licence, he retired his iconic pushcart in 2015, occasionally catering for private events instead.
Good news for fans of his fatty pork satay though, as the Tiong Bahru Satay Man or Ah Pui has found a permanent home for his business at 195 Pearl Hill Cafe near Chinatown.
Now you’ll know exactly where to go to find his famous satays.
According to The Straits Times (ST), Ah Pui, whose real name is Mr Ang Boon Ee, picked up satay-making skills at 18 from a Hainanese stall in Tiong Bahru.
He then set up his own pushcart selling satay to workers in Telok Ayer some time in the 1970s. Mr Ang subsequently brought his business back to Tiong Bahru, where he became a regular sight for many years.
But run-ins with the law over his lack of food licence ended his decades-long pushcart business, which ceased in 2015 after one too many fines.
Though Mr Ang fell under the radar as he switched to private events instead, his legacy was not forgotten.
Singapore food blogger ieatishootipost writes that one of the owners of 195 Pearl Hill Cafe had invited Mr Ang to sell his satay there, to which the 63-year-old gladly agreed.
Working from a central kitchen on most days but grilling his famous skewered meats on-site on Saturdays, Mr Ang has attracted a steady stream of customers.
Patrons who crave his pork satay can now head over to the cafe located in the heart of Outram Park, and even try out new versions like this one with chimichurri sauce.
A herbaceous twist to the classic dish with fresh oregano and parsley, you can enjoy the BBQ delight in a slightly more atas manner.
But of course, the zhng-ed up version is courtesy of Mr Ang’s disciple Ben, who helms the cafe at Pearl Hill. While we’re sure it’ll have hints of the original, we won’t be surprised if there are distinct differences too.
Perhaps what speaks volumes of the satay’s popularity is the currently 6-month long waitlist of customers who wish to taste it.
According to ieatishootipost, the list is full till Oct 2021, as Mr Ang can only make a limited number of sticks in accordance to his master’s recipe.
So, if you’re interested in trying out his offerings, you’d have to place your orders via WhatsApp at 9748 9904.
Hopefully, you’ll get a chance at tasting the delicious fatty pork satay in time for Christmas, or even bring it to a potluck for a special occasion.
If you’ve reserved your slot to try the satay on-site, here’s how to get there:
195 Pearl Hill Cafe
Address: 195 Pearl’s Hill Terrace, #01-56, Singapore 168976
Opening hours: Monday-Saturday 11am-5pm, Closed on Sundays
Nearest MRT: Outram Park or Clarke Quay Station
Phone Number: 9748 9904
Website: https://www.est1930.co/
Himself part of a hawker legacy we wish to remember, we’re glad that Mr Ang has found a place to continue his passion for making and selling satay.
We wish him continued success, and hope that more people will have a chance to try his satay while he’s still around.
Will you be making a reservation for a taste of his mouth-watering satay? Let us know in the comment section below.
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at hello@mustsharenews.com.
Featured image adapted from EST.1930 Pte Ltd and Facebook.
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