Zi Char Joints Relieved 5 Pax Can Dine In; Say Biz Dropped With 2 Pax Rule Vs Takeaways Only

When dining in for two people was allowed on June 21 after the dine-in ban during the Heightened Alert phase, not all restaurants rejoiced. In fact, some zi char joints where communal dining is the name of the game didn't welcome the news at all. Third-generation owner Paul Liew, 39, of Keng Eng Kee Seafood, a well-loved family-run zi char eatery in Bukit Merah says: “We lost a good 30 percent of biz once dine-in [for two-pax] started. Zi char, as a cuisine, is not made for two”.

That’s partly why third-gen co-owner Wong Siew Keong of Michelin Bib Gourmand zi char stalwart Kok Sen at Keong Saik Road didn’t bother opening his restaurant for dine-in customers from June 21 till just yesterday (July 6), focusing instead on takeaways. “When only two people [at a table] were allowed to dine in, business actually got worse for most zi char places,” says the 44-year-old. “We wouldn’t have been able to make money [if we had welcomed dine-in customers], and might even [have lost money by spending on] air-conditioning, dishwashers and so on,” he explains.

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So both towkays (KEK's Paul Liew left in pic; Kok Sen's Wong Siew Keong on the right) were relieved when it was announced today that Phase 3 HA’s dine-in restrictions have further loosened from two per table to five people as of July 12. Finance Minister and co-chair of the Covid-19 task force Lawrence Wong adds that if all goes well, up to eight fully-vaccinated individuals might be allowed to dine together come end-July.

“Business had been fine during five-pax dining last year - and even better after eight were allowed [to dine in together],” Siew Keong says. “Now, this [recently announced five-pax rule] is a good step forward, but it would be best if we can open up to eight again ASAP.”

Says Paul: “Our crowd was down by about 80 per cent [versus when eight pax were allowed for dining in]. So we’re delighted to know that the opening for five-pax dining is happening - this is the result of more people stepping forward for vaccination, as well as precautions taken across industries. Reservations have been building up since the [first hints regarding] five-pax dining, and we believe more requests will be coming in [now that it has been officially announced].”

Though zi char dishes did well enough for takeaways and deliveries when most people were stuck at home, things actually took a turn for the worse during the past three weeks of two-pax dining in. “During [the P2HA period where dine-in wasn’t allowed], business was actually better because people were ordering dishes back home, or visiting their friends [to eat together],” Paul adds. “We lost a good 30 percent of orders once dine-in [for two-pax] started. Because it’s zi char — everything is made for sharing. Our business was affected because for two people, you can order at most three dishes [per table],” he says.

His family’s restaurant KEK has been around since the ’70s and was awarded the Michelin Plate in 2016 to 2019 – it’s famous for dishes like its Moonlight Hor Fun and crabs.

Before the days of the heightened alert, Kok Sen was regularly slammed with customers craving for their signature dishes like the delish spicy big prawn hor fun and Cantonese zi char faves. Siew Keong says: “About 70 percent of our sales came from [delivery platforms] during Phase 2 HA, which affected our profit margin [because of platform commissions]” he says. “But after two-pax dine-in [was allowed], sales dropped around 15 per cent for Kok Sen.”

Another reason for Kok Sen’s delayed reopening for dining in till July 6 was the boss’ concern over the Covid-19 situation in Singapore. “The Covid-19 cases had been [in the tens daily] previously. We are worried that we might get a case like Bukit Merah View [Food Centre] cluster,” Siew Keong adds. Apart from keeping his workers safe, he was worried that becoming a Covid-19 cluster might cost the business even more. “We would all have to serve SHN (Stay Home Notices).”

In the wake of Singapore’s largest open Covid-19 cluster at 115 Bukit Merah View Market & Food Centre, stall holders were quarantined for two weeks at designated SHN hotels.

KEK also delayed reopening its doors (by a week) till 28 June in light of the Bukit Merah cluster. “We are located in Bukit Merah Lane 1, while the affected area was Bukit Merah View. We’ve had people calling us up, asking if we’re still open [or affected]. It took us some time to explain [the situation] to them,” he adds. Business, he says, continues to be affected because of his eatery’s perceived proximity to the hawker centre.

“The possibility of having eight-pax for social gatherings for fully-vaccinated people soon gives our industry a dose of hope,” Paul adds. “We’re awaiting guidelines on how to identify fully-vaccinated people so we can make this ‘new normal’ better.”

Siew Keong says, “Eight [pax] is the best. Even big families can come out and dine-in together again, like last year.”

Keng Eng Kee Seafood is at #01-136 124 Bukit Merah Lane 1, S150124. Tel: 62721038. Open daily 11.30am - 2pm; 5pm - 10pm. More info via website and Facebook.

Kok Sen Restaurant is at 30 Keong Saik Rd, S089137. Tel: 62232005. Open daily except Mon noon - 2.15pm; 4.30pm - 8.45pm. More info via Facebook.

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Photos: Keng Eng Kee Seafood, Kok Sen Restaurant, Florence Fong