Chitchat Overpriced Spring Chicken Shop To Close On Dec 31! Fairprice Roast Chicken Cheaperer!

[JohnTan]

SINGAPORE (THE NEW PAPER) - Six months ago, Mr Richard Chak, 60, was resting at home after a 16-hour work day when his chest ached.

Suspecting it was a heart attack, he told his wife, who took him to the hospital. A cardiologist confirmed that it was indeed a heart attack.

That was why Mr Chak decided to close his 55-year-old business, well-known Chakey's Serangoon Salt Baked Chicken, this Sunday.

He has been working 16 hours daily for 362 days each year since he took over the business from his father in 1995. The business, then known as Heong Kee Salt Baked Chicken, was started by Mr Chak's grandfather in 1962.

To appeal to younger people, Mr Chak changed the name to Chakey's Serangoon Salt Baked Chicken. The outlet was in Serangoon Road.

Two years later, he opened a second outlet in East Coast Road.

At 7am daily, Mr Chak would go to that outlet to prepare the chicken, which is washed, then marinated before being baked in large industrial ovens with rock salt. The process takes about six hours.

Mr Chak said 150 chickens are sold daily on weekdays and 300 chickens on each weekend day.

With only five employees, Mr Chak has to work till 11pm daily. The heart attack changed everything.

Said Mr Chak: "It gave me a scare. I realised I had to change my lifestyle. My wife told me, 'If you love me, you have to stop working'."

Customers told The New Paper they were sad they could no longer buy their favourite chicken.

Mr John Lim, 53, who has been buying the chicken weekly for the past 16 years, said: "It was heartbreaking when I found out they were closing down. The chicken has a special place in my heart."

Another customer, Madam Adeline Ong, 62, who has been eating it for the past 50 years, said: "I rushed down the next day to buy the chicken when I found out it was closing soon. Each bite is nostalgic and brings back memories."

Mr Chak's son Samuel, 24, a final-year undergraduate, has not decided whether to take over the business.

He recently launched a Facebook page and website for it to keep customers updated about the future.

Said the younger Mr Chak, who has helped out in the business since he was a child: "I think it is time for my dad to take a well-deserved break."

Mr Chak plans to take a picture with his last customer on Sunday (Dec 31).

He said: "I am touched to know many of my customers will miss our chicken and that it has played a special part in their lives."

http://www.straitstimes.com/lifesty...n-salt-baked-chicken-shops-to-close-on-dec-31

 

[Narong Wongwan]

Fucking wasted. Another one bites the dust. This one is the original I’ve been eating since a kid. They used to have a flagship stall in Chinatown Coffeeshop where the hotel 81 is now.
There’s no market now as the youngsters dunno what is salt baked chicken.
It’s ironic copycats like ah Nam abalone and some Tiong chain selling lousy versions of the dish is still standing while this old icon is closing shop.

 

[Cottonmouth]

Kum Lan .. He can't employ another worker or two to lighten his own workload?

 

[borom]

In an increasingly sedentary population, this dish loaded with sodium has a poor outlook as too much salt, causes hypertension and can lead to heart attacks, strokes, dementia and kidney disease.

 

[ToaPehGong]

Why didn't he sell his recipe like many others? Then can also let them take over the shop

 

[virus]

Kum Lan .. He can't employ another worker or two to lighten his own workload?

Publicity stunt... Ah long probably waiting to paint his joint n no takers to offer $69 acqusition other than esnd

 

[virus]

In an increasingly sedentary population, this dish loaded with sodium has a poor outlook as too much salt, causes hypertension and can lead to heart attacks, strokes, dementia and kidney disease.

Must b his karma

 

[Narong Wongwan]

In an increasingly sedentary population, this dish loaded with sodium has a poor outlook as too much salt, causes hypertension and can lead to heart attacks, strokes, dementia and kidney disease.

Dun be fooled by the name. Salt baked chicken is not as unhealthy as you think. It’s got Chinese herbs and salt is only used externally for the cooking process.
Its much healthier that those frozen fast food fried chicken.

 

[virus]

Healthier than free range in geylang?

 

[Scrooball (clone)]

Ironic... the unhealthy shit he has been serving customers has now contributed to how own poor health. It's not just long hours, it's also a shit diet that gives one a heart attack.

 

[glockman]

I have never been a fan of chicken prepared this way. But for those diehard fans, all is not lost. Learn the recipe to make your own, so that whenever the crave comes, you can be self sufficient.

 

[Cottonmouth]

Healthier than free range in geylang?

Tastier than Mrs John Tan's also.

 

[eatshitndie]

please, some samsters take over his business. quality may not be the same, but at least keep the tradition going. if this owner can pass down the recipe for $69 i'll take it. :p

 

[Narong Wongwan]

I have never been a fan of chicken prepared this way. But for those diehard fans, all is not lost. Learn the recipe to make your own, so that whenever the crave comes, you can be self sufficient.

This original one got the taste of nostalgia.
Ive tried the other available ones here even one chain that claimed got recipe from Penang. All CMI can’t hold a candle to the original.
And cooking yourself is very tedious too....you need copious amount of rock salt and again can’t replicate the exact taste.

 

[glockman]

This original one got the taste of nostalgia.
Ive tried the other available ones here even one chain that claimed got recipe from Penang. All CMI can’t hold a candle to the original.
And cooking yourself is very tedious too....you need copious amount of rock salt and again can’t replicate the exact taste.

Understood. I think he probably has some secret ingredient, herbs or something. If he's simply closing his two shops and not fishing for someone to buy his business, he should share his recipe.

 

[Narong Wongwan]

Understood. I think he probably has some secret ingredient, herbs or something. If he's simply closing his two shops and not fishing for someone to buy his business, he should share his recipe.

Actually only Katong one is the shop.
The other one is a stall inside the Coffeeshop in upper Serangoon famous for the fish head steamboat. They also consign the chickens to sell at various shopping Malls food basement like Hougang and Tampines Mall. It’s usualiy at the chain stall selling dumplings.

They used to be THE chicken. As famous as KFC is now. Their recipe didn’t changed....sadly the new generation’s taste changed.

 

[Shut Up you are Not MM]

Fuck lah, decades of yummy chicken no more? Any body want to offer $$$ to take over or not?

 

[halsey02]

Fucking wasted. Another one bites the dust. This one is the original I’ve been eating since a kid. They used to have a flagship stall in Chinatown Coffeeshop where the hotel 81 is now.
There’s no market now as the youngsters dunno what is salt baked chicken.
It’s ironic copycats like ah Nam abalone and some Tiong chain selling lousy versions of the dish is still standing while this old icon is closing shop.

They were the one?, didn't know that, never bothered with the name, I used to buy the salt baked chicken , "chee pow kai" from that coffee shop when I was young & round the corner where Hotel 81 is occupying, there was an off the wall stall that sells 'wuxia' novels, where I use to buy to read when I was young too.

I thought the salt baked chicken, went out of business.

I don't think I will be eating this kind of chicken these days....it is good for raising the blood pressure. The current owner, must have tasted too much salt, that contributed to his BP & thus give him a heart attack. A sign of unhealthy food to eat..ha ha ha ha

 

[rushifa666]

Kum Lan .. He can't employ another worker or two to lighten his own workload?

maybe just stingy bastard. or paranoid people steal recipe. sinkieland full of these

 

[sand_ban]

Fucking wasted. Another one bites the dust. This one is the original I’ve been eating since a kid. They used to have a flagship stall in Chinatown Coffeeshop where the hotel 81 is now.
There’s no market now as the youngsters dunno what is salt baked chicken.
It’s ironic copycats like ah Nam abalone and some Tiong chain selling lousy versions of the dish is still standing while this old icon is closing shop.

Same here.

This guy is the classic shop and timeless flavor.

But their method and flavor changed since their grandpa days, when their original version were wrapped with thick grain salt inside. The chicken of older days are not farmed alike present more natural and healthier. I like that skin.

Now regulatory and supplier changed, their method also modified after 3 generations. Bad thing there is none in the future. Their attractive fragrance can be felt in the entire vehicle when you bring a few wrapped and packed.

Present version had more taste not from their salt but soya sauces I think.

Type of salt I suspect had changed because the best ymmy salt got banned for food health reasons.