Singapore’s got a taste for Hong Kong cooking – and it’s coming back for more

At least once a month, marketing executive Clare Lee heads down to Singapore’s prime shopping belt Orchard Road to satisfy her craving for a box of Tai Cheong Bakery’s famous egg tarts. At S$2 (HK$11.70) apiece, the pastry can be almost double the price of those found in local bakeries in Singapore’s heartlands. But the 26-year-old is undeterred.

“They have one of the best egg tarts I’ve ever tasted – the crust is really buttery and the egg custard is good too. The prices are OK because it’s not cheap in Hong Kong either,” she said.

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The bakery has made its mark in Singapore since opening in 2016. Besides an outlet on Orchard Road, it also has a 60-seat eatery at Holland Village – a popular dining spot in western Singapore.

It is not the only Hong Kong food brand that has made its way to Singapore. In the past five years, eateries like Tim Ho Wan, Honolulu Café and Mak’s Noodles have grown their presence in the city state, looking to use the country as a launch pad into the rest of Southeast Asia.

In the past year alone, at least five Hong Kong food brands announced plans to expand to Singapore, and three of them have already done so.

Last November, Kam’s Roast opened its doors here, although it was without its signature item – roast goose – after the restaurant could not source geese from Hungary or United States, the only two countries allowed to import the birds into Singapore. Instead, its roast duck and char siew are hot favourites among locals.

A five-minute walk from Kam’s Roast is Mui Kee Congee, which opened in March. In the first week of its opening, it was reported that diners had to queue up to an hour for a table at the 50-seat restaurant.