For those who crave for a good plate of Hokkien mee, Geylang Lorong 29 Charcoal Fried Hokkien Mee comes to mind. The East Coast Road stall still serves its signature dish cooked over a roaring charcoal stove, and is popular for its rich wok hei-kissed noodles.

It was founded over 20 years ago by hawker Alex See (left in pic), who started helping his father cook Hokkien mee at Geylang Lor 29 in the ’60s. Known affectionately by his customers as Uncle Alex, he later left to open his own shop, while the Geylang stall evolved into the now famous Swee Guan Hokkien Mee, which is run by Alex’s brother Hock Siong (right in pic).

Although the brothers ran their own stalls, they remained cordial and simply preferred working separately. “We’re friendly lah, and of course people will compare [our food]. You just try it for yourself and see,” Uncle Alex told 8days.sg in 2020.

Passed away today

Sadly, Uncle Alex has passed on today (Nov 11). He was 72. He had been struggling with declining health, and was diagnosed with multiple myeloma — a form of blood cancer caused by malignant plasma cells in the bone marrow — a few years ago.

“He passed away peacefully. He’s at a better place already,” Uncle Alex’s son-in-law Qin Sheng tells us. The hawker’s passing was also announced on the stall’s Facebook page. Members of the public can attend his wake, which is held at Blk 870 Tampines St 83. The cortège will depart for Mandai Crematorium on Nov 14 at 2.30pm.

Business handed to his children

In 2016, Uncle Alex handed his business to his youngest daughter Penny See, 39, who started helping her parents at their stall in 2003. She now runs it with her husband Qin Sheng, 28, as they have both mastered how to cook her father's famous Hokkien mee. Uncle Alex’s wife Grace, 67, also serves her own fried carrot cake and oyster omelette at the same stall.

Despite his illness, Uncle Alex remained active at his shop. While his health permitted, he cooked during the lunchtime shift while Penny and Qin Sheng took over at night. In 2019, Penny’s older sister also opened a same-named hawker stall at East Coast Lagoon Food Village selling charcoal-fried Hokkien mee and pork belly satay.

Think of the Sees’ three outlets not as rival joints, but simply a trio of Hokkien mee stalls run by the same family, albeit with their own flourishes.

According to Qin Sheng, his and his sister-in-law’s stalls in East Coast will be closed “for a break” till next Thursday (Nov 17). Business will resume at their normal operating hours on Nov 18.

Uncle Alex’s children have trained copiously under his supervision to carry on their family’s culinary legacy, which you can read in detail here. Penny and Qin Sheng have also modernised their Hokkien mee business by doing pop-ups at places like Shangri-La’s The Line buffet restaurant, thereby introducing their hawker delight to a new crowd.

Geylang Lor 29 Charcoal Fried Hokkien Mee reopens Nov 18, 396 East Coast Rd, S428994. Open Tue to Sun 11.30am - 9pm. Online orders available on Oddle.

Geylang 29 Fried Hokkien Mee reopens Nov 18, #32 East Coast Lagoon Food Village, 1220 East Coast Park, S468960. Open daily except Mon, 4pm to 9pm.

Photos: Aik Chen/ Geylang Lor 29 Charcoal Fried Hokkien Mee