Satay is a favourite dish for most Singaporeans, but it is hard to find a place which sells good satay.
You may have heard of Ah Pui Tiong Bahru Satay, who is the legend of making Hainanese-styled satay since the 1970s. Everything is prepared by the founder, Ang Boon Ee (or Ah Pui) from scratch and there are limited quantities each day.
However, due to his health conditions, he will be shutting down Tiong Bahru Ah Pui Satay.
First Started Out with a Traditional Pushcart, and then his own store with the help of a fan
The 64-year-old Ah Pui started out his business with just a pushcart. He was just 18 years old when he learnt how to make satay at a Hainanese-run satay stall in Tiong Bahru.
After his national service, he started out as a street hawker selling satay and cycled around Telok Ayer selling satay at 10 cents per stick.
He then ventured to the Tiong Bahru estate as he lived close by. He would normally do so from 4 pm to 6 pm to avoid the authorities.
Yes, he previously got in trouble as selling food on the street without a license is illegal in Singapore. He had to pay a fine of S$400, which caused him to stop his business for a while.
When people asked why he did not open a hawker stall, he said that he lives day by day and did not have extra help, making it difficult to run a stall.
Back then, he sold 300 to 400 satay sticks daily and some customers even rushed down from their flats with their plates after hearing his arrival.
In 2018, with the help of a long-term fan, Mr Ben Tan, Ah Pui managed to sell his satays at their establishment. Mr Tan also requested to become his satay disciple so that you may still have a chance to savour the delicious satays in future.
When it first started out, the demand was so high that Ah Pui had a six months waiting list.
Last year, Ah Pui started out his standalone restaurant—Ah Pui Tiong Bahru Satay at Smith Street. Apart from satay, you can savour items including Thai chicken wings and oyster omelette.
Unfortunately, despite coming such a long way, his journey as a satay business owner will come to an end soon.
Closing Due to Poor Health
In a Facebook post, it states that Ah Pui Satay will be closing down due to his declining health.
The last day of operation for his Smith Street restaurant is on 6 November 2022.
If you have not tried out his satay before, this is the last chance. Long queues may be expected though as Ah Pui sure has many fans.
Address: 28 Smith Street, Singapore 058942
Opening hours: 12 pm – 10.30 pm, closed on Tuesdays
Featured Image: AhPui Satay / Facebook.com & ieatishootipost