Local influencer Simon Khung, better known as Simonboy, has come a long way. The 37-year-old is now clean from a 16-year drug addiction, which landed him in prison thrice. While incarcerated, he attended a Christian testimony-sharing session by veteran actor Peter Yu, 56, himself a former drug user who overcame his struggle.
“I grew up watching Peter’s shows. Around 2016, I was depressedly watching TV when I saw him again on (the Mediacorp Ch 8 drama) Hero. I remembered him, and it hit my heart. So I Googled him and found out all about his background,” Simon told 8days.sg.
But it wasn’t until Simon became an influencer that he crossed paths again with Peter for a live-stream broadcast. “We found out that we actually stayed (within a block of) each other in Ang Mo Kio,” Peter laughed.
From left: Winson Ng, Simonboy and Peter Yu. (Photo: 8Days/Aik Chen)
UNLIKELY FRIENDS TURNED BUSINESS PARTNERS
As both Simon and Peter are Christian converts, the duo formed a bond as “brothers in Christ”. Earlier this month, they partnered to open a hawker stall called Singabola Chicken Rice at Canberra.
“I have always wanted to start my own business. Passions can become a business too,” mused Simon, who also started his own clothing line Chance and a video production house. Other than the standard plates of steamed and roasted chicken rice, Singabola offers a unique XL-sized deep-fried Singapura Chicken Rice Ball loaded with chicken meat, a braised egg and optional coriander.
Simonboy preparing the food at Singabola. (Photo: 8Days/Aik Chen)
SIMONBOY WAS A CHEF
Although he confesses to half-heartedly hitting the gym for his upcoming July wedding, Simon has an interest in food. “In prison, everyone read [the physical copy of] 8 Days magazine. The pages with pretty girls and food were the most popular,” he cackled. “We would read about the new restaurants and say, ‘I’m going to try this place when I get out’. It kept us going. And you know, that kind of really humbles you.”
Interestingly, Simon had once worked briefly as a chef at a local wine bar “cooking pasta and other Western dishes”. But he reckons cooking is not his career of choice. He recounted: “After being in the kitchen all day, there’s this smell that sticks to you. I remember taking the MRT home after work, and people had this expression like they smelt something [on me]. But even if you don’t personally cook, you can still learn how to run an F&B business.”
Some of the dishes sold at Singabola. (Photo: 8Days/Aik Chen)
MUSLIM-FRIENDLY CHICKEN RICE
The chance to set up his own eatery came when Simon was introduced by a common friend to F&B entrepreneur Winson Ng, 31. Winson’s father, a Muslim convert by marriage, ran a halal zi char (home-style dishes cooked upon order) stall at the Old Woodlands Town Centre before he founded halal coffeeshop chain Yassin Kampung. “Simon wanted to sell ‘everyday food’ that he likes to eat, like chicken rice,” explained Winson.
The decal at Singabola's display. (Photo: 8Days/Aik Chen)
Simon roped in award-winning actor Peter for the venture, but the pals appointed Simonboy as the ‘poster boy’ for their business. A large decal of him with full-sleeve tattoos, wearing a thick gold chain necklace and bracelet, adorns the chicken rice storefront. “People asked me if this is a moneylender shop,” Simon deadpanned. “Look like moneylender hor?”
Peter Yu in the kitchen of Singabola. (Photo: 8Days/Aik Chen)
Peter, himself a chicken rice fan, has had F&B experience opening a now-defunct bar in the noughties before selling it to his brother. “I’m considered semi-retired now lah. But I let these gua [affectionate Mandarin term for ‘little rascal’] drag me into this. These young people are go-getters; it only took one month for us to first talk about setting up a stall to opening it,” he shared.
Peter added thoughtfully: “They dare to chiong (Mandarin for 'charge into something') when it comes to business. For my generation, we tend to think a lot before doing something. So we really need these young people’s drive to ‘pull’ us along. They are like sports cars, and I’m the lao ye che (Mandarin for 'antique automobile').”
SECOND OUTLET OPENING NEXT MONTH
And speaking of drive: Just weeks after their first outlet launched, the trio is already opening their second Singabola branch circa Jul 1 at Choa Chu Kang. “I’m not even done absorbing the fact that we opened our first stall, and Simon and Winson are already planning the next one,” Peter said, amused.
The stall is located in a 24-hour coffeeshop called Makan Singapura, though the chicken rice joint will operate from 9am to 9pm daily. Other than Singabola, the coffeeshop also houses other Muslim-owned brands like Nasi Lemak Ayam Taliwang, mee soto and mee rebus legend Selamat Datang Warong Pak Sapari, and celeb chef Chef Bob’s bakmie stall Bobmi.
A plate of chicken rice from Singabola. (Photo: 8Days/Aik Chen)
SINGABOLA’S MENU
Singabola serves classic steamed chicken rice (S$4.50/S$6.50), roasted chicken rice (S$4.50/S$6.50), chicken noodle/hor fun (S$4.50/S$6.50), chicken curry mee (S$5.50) and a la carte roasted/steamed chicken (from S$9 for upper quarter to S$30 for a whole chicken).
The rice that 8days.sg tried at Canberra could be more al-dente and flavourful, and the house-prepared steamed and roasted chicken, while fresh and succulent, is overly-salted for the roasted version and under-seasoned for the steamed. But like people (Simonboy, for instance?), we reckon that things can always change for the better, and we hope this is the case for Singabola too.
Meanwhile, the complimentary home-style carrot and corn soup of the day is a nice touch. There’s enough ingredients in the soup to make it a generously hearty side, instead of the usual insipid salty bowl of soup that accompanies chicken rice.
Singapura Chicken Rice Ball, S$6.50. (Photo: 8Days/Aik Chen)
Melaka’s Jonker Street-style chicken rice balls can also be found in Singapore – basically rice packed tightly and shaped into orbs. Singabola’s chicken rice ball is a whole 'nother thing. A portion of steamed chicken meat is added to rice, along with braised egg and (optional) coriander, then pressed into a sphere. The almost ostrich egg-sized ball is then deep-fried till crispy and served in a paper bowl.
Preparing the fried chicken rice ball. (Photo: 8Days/Aik Chen)
We find its crust pretty interesting to munch on, almost like a delicate Japanese rice cracker. But the once-juicy chicken meat filling became a little dry from its stint in boiling oil. We reckon this could be improved by packing regular (and more flavourful) chicken rice into a giant ball with all the fixings.
Singabola is at 1001 Yishun Industrial Park A, #01-1001, Lepak One Corner, Singapore 768743. Open daily 9am to 9pm.
Second outlet opening circa Jul 1 at 2 Choa Chu Kang Loop, #01-02/03, Makan Singapura at Keat Hong CC, Singapore 689687. Open daily 9am to 9pm.
This story was originally published in 8Days.
For more 8Days stories, visit https://www.8days.sg/
Continue reading...
“I grew up watching Peter’s shows. Around 2016, I was depressedly watching TV when I saw him again on (the Mediacorp Ch 8 drama) Hero. I remembered him, and it hit my heart. So I Googled him and found out all about his background,” Simon told 8days.sg.
But it wasn’t until Simon became an influencer that he crossed paths again with Peter for a live-stream broadcast. “We found out that we actually stayed (within a block of) each other in Ang Mo Kio,” Peter laughed.
From left: Winson Ng, Simonboy and Peter Yu. (Photo: 8Days/Aik Chen)
UNLIKELY FRIENDS TURNED BUSINESS PARTNERS
As both Simon and Peter are Christian converts, the duo formed a bond as “brothers in Christ”. Earlier this month, they partnered to open a hawker stall called Singabola Chicken Rice at Canberra.
“I have always wanted to start my own business. Passions can become a business too,” mused Simon, who also started his own clothing line Chance and a video production house. Other than the standard plates of steamed and roasted chicken rice, Singabola offers a unique XL-sized deep-fried Singapura Chicken Rice Ball loaded with chicken meat, a braised egg and optional coriander.
Simonboy preparing the food at Singabola. (Photo: 8Days/Aik Chen)
SIMONBOY WAS A CHEF
Although he confesses to half-heartedly hitting the gym for his upcoming July wedding, Simon has an interest in food. “In prison, everyone read [the physical copy of] 8 Days magazine. The pages with pretty girls and food were the most popular,” he cackled. “We would read about the new restaurants and say, ‘I’m going to try this place when I get out’. It kept us going. And you know, that kind of really humbles you.”
Interestingly, Simon had once worked briefly as a chef at a local wine bar “cooking pasta and other Western dishes”. But he reckons cooking is not his career of choice. He recounted: “After being in the kitchen all day, there’s this smell that sticks to you. I remember taking the MRT home after work, and people had this expression like they smelt something [on me]. But even if you don’t personally cook, you can still learn how to run an F&B business.”
Some of the dishes sold at Singabola. (Photo: 8Days/Aik Chen)
MUSLIM-FRIENDLY CHICKEN RICE
The chance to set up his own eatery came when Simon was introduced by a common friend to F&B entrepreneur Winson Ng, 31. Winson’s father, a Muslim convert by marriage, ran a halal zi char (home-style dishes cooked upon order) stall at the Old Woodlands Town Centre before he founded halal coffeeshop chain Yassin Kampung. “Simon wanted to sell ‘everyday food’ that he likes to eat, like chicken rice,” explained Winson.
The decal at Singabola's display. (Photo: 8Days/Aik Chen)
Simon roped in award-winning actor Peter for the venture, but the pals appointed Simonboy as the ‘poster boy’ for their business. A large decal of him with full-sleeve tattoos, wearing a thick gold chain necklace and bracelet, adorns the chicken rice storefront. “People asked me if this is a moneylender shop,” Simon deadpanned. “Look like moneylender hor?”
Peter Yu in the kitchen of Singabola. (Photo: 8Days/Aik Chen)
Peter, himself a chicken rice fan, has had F&B experience opening a now-defunct bar in the noughties before selling it to his brother. “I’m considered semi-retired now lah. But I let these gua [affectionate Mandarin term for ‘little rascal’] drag me into this. These young people are go-getters; it only took one month for us to first talk about setting up a stall to opening it,” he shared.
Peter added thoughtfully: “They dare to chiong (Mandarin for 'charge into something') when it comes to business. For my generation, we tend to think a lot before doing something. So we really need these young people’s drive to ‘pull’ us along. They are like sports cars, and I’m the lao ye che (Mandarin for 'antique automobile').”
SECOND OUTLET OPENING NEXT MONTH
And speaking of drive: Just weeks after their first outlet launched, the trio is already opening their second Singabola branch circa Jul 1 at Choa Chu Kang. “I’m not even done absorbing the fact that we opened our first stall, and Simon and Winson are already planning the next one,” Peter said, amused.
The stall is located in a 24-hour coffeeshop called Makan Singapura, though the chicken rice joint will operate from 9am to 9pm daily. Other than Singabola, the coffeeshop also houses other Muslim-owned brands like Nasi Lemak Ayam Taliwang, mee soto and mee rebus legend Selamat Datang Warong Pak Sapari, and celeb chef Chef Bob’s bakmie stall Bobmi.
A plate of chicken rice from Singabola. (Photo: 8Days/Aik Chen)
SINGABOLA’S MENU
Singabola serves classic steamed chicken rice (S$4.50/S$6.50), roasted chicken rice (S$4.50/S$6.50), chicken noodle/hor fun (S$4.50/S$6.50), chicken curry mee (S$5.50) and a la carte roasted/steamed chicken (from S$9 for upper quarter to S$30 for a whole chicken).
The rice that 8days.sg tried at Canberra could be more al-dente and flavourful, and the house-prepared steamed and roasted chicken, while fresh and succulent, is overly-salted for the roasted version and under-seasoned for the steamed. But like people (Simonboy, for instance?), we reckon that things can always change for the better, and we hope this is the case for Singabola too.
Meanwhile, the complimentary home-style carrot and corn soup of the day is a nice touch. There’s enough ingredients in the soup to make it a generously hearty side, instead of the usual insipid salty bowl of soup that accompanies chicken rice.
Singapura Chicken Rice Ball, S$6.50. (Photo: 8Days/Aik Chen)
Melaka’s Jonker Street-style chicken rice balls can also be found in Singapore – basically rice packed tightly and shaped into orbs. Singabola’s chicken rice ball is a whole 'nother thing. A portion of steamed chicken meat is added to rice, along with braised egg and (optional) coriander, then pressed into a sphere. The almost ostrich egg-sized ball is then deep-fried till crispy and served in a paper bowl.
Preparing the fried chicken rice ball. (Photo: 8Days/Aik Chen)
We find its crust pretty interesting to munch on, almost like a delicate Japanese rice cracker. But the once-juicy chicken meat filling became a little dry from its stint in boiling oil. We reckon this could be improved by packing regular (and more flavourful) chicken rice into a giant ball with all the fixings.
Singabola is at 1001 Yishun Industrial Park A, #01-1001, Lepak One Corner, Singapore 768743. Open daily 9am to 9pm.
Second outlet opening circa Jul 1 at 2 Choa Chu Kang Loop, #01-02/03, Makan Singapura at Keat Hong CC, Singapore 689687. Open daily 9am to 9pm.
This story was originally published in 8Days.
For more 8Days stories, visit https://www.8days.sg/
Related:
Continue reading...