Cover Keng Eng Kee Seafood is a family-run zi char from Singapore that has been running since the 1970s
Keng Eng Kee Seafood is a family-run zi char from Singapore that has been running since the 1970s
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Zi char brothers Paul and Wayne Liew cook in Hong Kong for the first time for this three-night collaboration
The evocative flavours of Singapore's zi char—a term deeply ingrained in the Singaporean culinary lexicon describing a humble food stall that dishes out hearty plates of food, akin to Hong Kong's cherished dai pai dongs—makes its way to Wan Chai next month. In a significant first, the Liew brothers, Wayne and Paul, from Singapore's beloved Keng Eng Kee Seafood, venture into Hong Kong for a three-night culinary collaboration with chef Edward Voon of Auor from November 16 to 18.
Keng Eng Kee Seafood, affectionately known as KEK by many regulars, is a local family-run zi char venue. Originally a modest hawker stall initiated by their grandmother in the 1970s, KEK has moved and grown but continues to serve up hearty, home-cooked Chinese dishes including Moonlight Horfun, a stir-fried rice noodle dish that comes with a raw egg and devout foodie following.
Above KEK's Moonlight Horfun
Above Cereal butter prawns
KEK's Moonlight Horfun
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Voon, a native Singaporean, who has been friends with the brothers for some time—a bond evident in their recent collaboration at Off Menu Luxe in Singapore last August—has invited the Liews to create a dining experience that celebrates their friendship, all the while sharing the flavours of Singapore's vibrant cuisine. The collaboration also celebrates Auor's first anniversary which delights Hong Kong's diners with its contemporary and reimagined Singaporean flavours.
The Hail to the Flavours of Life menu, priced at HK$1,380 per person, will feature ten courses that eschew fine dining norms, including Malabar black pepper lobster and sambal skate wing created by Auor, and cereal butter prawns, Sri Lankan crab with salted egg yolk and, of course, the famed Moonlight Horfun from KEK.
Above Paul, Wayne and Jiamin are siblings and the third-generation owners of Keng Eng Kee Seafood
Paul, Wayne and Jiamin are siblings and the third-generation owners of Keng Eng Kee Seafood
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A storyteller by day and a first-class food devourer by night, Fontaine is the Regional Dining Editor at Tatler Asia, overseeing dining content across all regions and shaping the brand’s editorial voice on food, chefs and culinary culture.
She is also Content Lead for Tatler Best and Co-jury Head for Tatler Best Hong Kong and Macau, guiding the awards’ editorial direction and evaluation process. With over a decade in the lifestyle and media industry spanning London and Hong Kong, she brings a cross-regional perspective to the table.
Follow her on Instagram at @fontimes.
