There’s a new Peranakan food stall at Wisma’s Food Republic that has been drawing crowds. However, some of the folks in line are not just hungry for Nya Nya’s grub such as ayam tempra, nasi kunyit, nonya laksa and kueh. Just look at who’s manning the stall and you’ll see why.
Say hello to strapping brothers, Daryl Lim, 27, who stands at a towering 1.85m tall with muscular tattooed arms, and Damian Lim, 21, at 1.84m tall with even more bulging biceps. Their toned figures are juxtaposed with boyish, friendly faces.
Daryl and Damian Lim are the third-generation of a 46-year-old foodie family’s business. Their grandmother started the cult favourite Peranakan food kiosk Nonya Delicatessan at Bukit Timah Plaza in 1980, which their father (also named Damian Lim) took over in 1997. Now, the lads, along with other members of their immediate family, are continuing the culinary legacy with this spin-off brand at Food Republic, which opened on Jan 1. Their eatery occupies the space vacated by Toast Box.
But back to the hunks.
Daryl Lim (left) and Damian Lim (right) at Peranakan Food Stall Nya Nya at Wisma Atria's Food Republic. (Photo: 8Days)
Is it true that some customers come just to gawk at them?
“Staff from shops in the area sometimes come up to us just to take our photo!” effervescent younger brother Damian Lim told 8days.sg. “They then send it to their friends who reply, ‘Wah, so handsome’”.
How does he know? Well, they brazenly send the brothers screenshots of their chats via social media.
Once, a 14-year-old girl and a 17-year-old girl gushed: ‘“I love your hair!’. Comments like that [from teens] are diabolical,” Damian Lim lamented, although he admits he doesn’t mind the attention from adults.
Playful remarks from customers have become a daily occurrence for the two ever since Nya Nya opened. Some are as bold as “[I want to] pin you against the wall”, Damian Lim joked. On 8days.sg’s TikTok video featuring the stall, comments include: “Is that boy [Daryl] available?” and “He can non my nya any day”.
Since Daryl Lim mans the cashier and interacts with customers most of the time, many of the compliments are directed at him. “Daryl is a magnet for the LGBT community,” Damian Lim chuckled.
Damian Lim added that he too has been asked out by some customers, but he always turns down these requests. They keep coming anyway, with customers dropping thirsty lines like “I’ll wait for you” in response to his rejection, or, “Your arms are so big”.
Brothers Daryl Lim (left) and Damian Lim (right) have received lots of attention for their physique. (Photo: 8Days)
He recalled: “Once, a mother [tried to set me up] with her daughter because we are the same age.”
Daryl Lim told 8days.sg about a customer who returned a second time and told him: “I came back just to see you, you know”.
Not that he minds. “Every time I see a familiar face, it brings me joy because it’s a sign that they enjoy my food and are hungry for more,” he reasoned.
So, are the brothers single? Daryl Lim is, while Damian Lim is attached.
Looking good while working gruelling hours at the stall requires plenty of sacrifice. Both brothers work out five to six times a week despite their packed schedule. Daryl Lim starts preparing ingredients at the stall from 8am and is there till it closes at 10pm. Then he sticks around to help his mum prepare kueh till 11.30pm.
Assorted Nonya Kueh (from S$1.50 each). (Photo: 8Days)
How do the brothers remain so fit while working in F&B? Damian goes to the gym at 1am almost daily, while Daryl sneaks in workout sessions after dinner. Each session lasts one and a half hours. Damian rarely eats their own rich Peranakan dishes. “I load up on protein by eating sous vide chicken breasts everyday,” he shared. Daryl on the other hand, has no problem having his meals at Nya Nya, “My go-to dish is the nasi kunyit as there are three distinct elements that fuse well together – curry chicken, turmeric rice and salad. “It’s also packed with protein!”
While queues can get long during peak meal times, Damian says the average wait is usually only 10 to 15 minutes, since the dishes are quick to prepare and the line moves quickly.
Despite the long queues, the brothers say that the average wait time is about 10 to 15 minutes. (Photo: 8Days)
Daryl initiated the opening of Nya Nya at Wisma Atria. The more reticent of the two brothers shared that expansion was something the family had always wanted to pursue, but never had enough manpower to manage another outlet. Until now, when the kids are all grown up.
The Wisma outlet is headed by Daryl . His gregarious younger brother Damian helps out almost daily after classes in real estate at Ngee Ann Polytechnic. He will graduate in May and is due for National Service later this year. Both brothers handle the cooking, alternating between the kitchen and cashier.
Their parents come by to help out for now, after they’re done with the Bukit Timah shop’s work for the day. Daryl and Damian Lim have two other brothers (including Daniel, 23, a business undergraduate at SIM who also helps out at Nya Nya often) and a sister. They assist in different ways – some physically at the shop, others, like their sister, with backend stuff like social media.
Their Peranakan grandmother pops by Nya Nya every now and then. “Thankfully, she approves of everything and is proud of us,” Damian Lim told 8days.sg.
After secondary school and National Service, Daryl Lim dove into the family business, learning the ropes and cooking alongside his father at the family’s food kiosk at Bukit Timah in 2020.
Damian, on the other hand, worked his first job aged 13 at a family friend’s semi-fine-diner, and has since cooked part-time at other restaurants such as one Michelin-starred Italian diner Buona Terra, and now-defunct Jekyll & Hyde. “I specialised in French and Italian cuisine,” Damian Lim shared.
Which is harder to master: European or Peranakan cuisine? “European cuisine is more difficult [as] there are certain techniques that are hard to master and recipes are complicated. Peranakan cuisine is also extremely difficult in its own way, as there are no [proper] recipes involved – measurements are often eyeballed,” said Damian.
Nonya Laksa (S$6.90). (Photo: 8Days)
Damian plans to return to the family business after his National Service.
Why not pursue real estate, which he is currently studying in poly? “Family comes first,” he explained. “I'd rather be a slave to my family than to an employer.”
Interestingly, the siblings admit that they sometimes clash in the kitchen due to different working styles.
Damien Lim shared: “Once I hollered, ‘nasi kunyit 86!’ (according to him, “86” means an item is unavailable in the fine-dining industry). Daryl thought I was asking for 86 portions of nasi kunyit!”
Plating, Daryl Lim interjected, used to be the main source of their disagreements. “When we first opened shop, he [Damian] took too long to plate the food and customers complained about the long waiting times. I had to keep reminding him [to be quicker].”
“I’m a perfectionist,” Damian said simply.
Nasi Kunyit (S$8.90). (Photo: 8Days)
The brothers share an emotional attachment to their Nasi Kunyit served with chicken curry, which they say is always the first dish to sell out at Nya Nya. “Waking up to the smell of turmeric permeating the kitchen was part of our childhood,” Damian reminisced.
Other crowd favourites include their Nonya Laksa (S$6.90) and homemade kueh like Kueh Salat and Ondeh-Ondeh (from S$1.50 each).
Nya Nya will be opening another outlet at Food Republic in Mandai Wildlife Reserve sometime in March, with another stall at Suntec City still in the works.
(Photo: 8days)
Nya Nya is #04-02 Wisma Atria, 435 Orchard Rd, Singapore 238877. Open daily 10am to 10pm. More information via website and Instagram.
This story was originally published in 8Days.
For more 8Days stories, visit https://www.8days.sg/
Continue reading...
Say hello to strapping brothers, Daryl Lim, 27, who stands at a towering 1.85m tall with muscular tattooed arms, and Damian Lim, 21, at 1.84m tall with even more bulging biceps. Their toned figures are juxtaposed with boyish, friendly faces.
Daryl and Damian Lim are the third-generation of a 46-year-old foodie family’s business. Their grandmother started the cult favourite Peranakan food kiosk Nonya Delicatessan at Bukit Timah Plaza in 1980, which their father (also named Damian Lim) took over in 1997. Now, the lads, along with other members of their immediate family, are continuing the culinary legacy with this spin-off brand at Food Republic, which opened on Jan 1. Their eatery occupies the space vacated by Toast Box.
But back to the hunks.
Daryl Lim (left) and Damian Lim (right) at Peranakan Food Stall Nya Nya at Wisma Atria's Food Republic. (Photo: 8Days)
Is it true that some customers come just to gawk at them?
“Staff from shops in the area sometimes come up to us just to take our photo!” effervescent younger brother Damian Lim told 8days.sg. “They then send it to their friends who reply, ‘Wah, so handsome’”.
How does he know? Well, they brazenly send the brothers screenshots of their chats via social media.
Once, a 14-year-old girl and a 17-year-old girl gushed: ‘“I love your hair!’. Comments like that [from teens] are diabolical,” Damian Lim lamented, although he admits he doesn’t mind the attention from adults.
Playful remarks from customers have become a daily occurrence for the two ever since Nya Nya opened. Some are as bold as “[I want to] pin you against the wall”, Damian Lim joked. On 8days.sg’s TikTok video featuring the stall, comments include: “Is that boy [Daryl] available?” and “He can non my nya any day”.
Since Daryl Lim mans the cashier and interacts with customers most of the time, many of the compliments are directed at him. “Daryl is a magnet for the LGBT community,” Damian Lim chuckled.
Damian Lim added that he too has been asked out by some customers, but he always turns down these requests. They keep coming anyway, with customers dropping thirsty lines like “I’ll wait for you” in response to his rejection, or, “Your arms are so big”.
Brothers Daryl Lim (left) and Damian Lim (right) have received lots of attention for their physique. (Photo: 8Days)
He recalled: “Once, a mother [tried to set me up] with her daughter because we are the same age.”
Daryl Lim told 8days.sg about a customer who returned a second time and told him: “I came back just to see you, you know”.
Not that he minds. “Every time I see a familiar face, it brings me joy because it’s a sign that they enjoy my food and are hungry for more,” he reasoned.
So, are the brothers single? Daryl Lim is, while Damian Lim is attached.
Looking good while working gruelling hours at the stall requires plenty of sacrifice. Both brothers work out five to six times a week despite their packed schedule. Daryl Lim starts preparing ingredients at the stall from 8am and is there till it closes at 10pm. Then he sticks around to help his mum prepare kueh till 11.30pm.
Assorted Nonya Kueh (from S$1.50 each). (Photo: 8Days)
How do the brothers remain so fit while working in F&B? Damian goes to the gym at 1am almost daily, while Daryl sneaks in workout sessions after dinner. Each session lasts one and a half hours. Damian rarely eats their own rich Peranakan dishes. “I load up on protein by eating sous vide chicken breasts everyday,” he shared. Daryl on the other hand, has no problem having his meals at Nya Nya, “My go-to dish is the nasi kunyit as there are three distinct elements that fuse well together – curry chicken, turmeric rice and salad. “It’s also packed with protein!”
While queues can get long during peak meal times, Damian says the average wait is usually only 10 to 15 minutes, since the dishes are quick to prepare and the line moves quickly.
Despite the long queues, the brothers say that the average wait time is about 10 to 15 minutes. (Photo: 8Days)
Daryl initiated the opening of Nya Nya at Wisma Atria. The more reticent of the two brothers shared that expansion was something the family had always wanted to pursue, but never had enough manpower to manage another outlet. Until now, when the kids are all grown up.
The Wisma outlet is headed by Daryl . His gregarious younger brother Damian helps out almost daily after classes in real estate at Ngee Ann Polytechnic. He will graduate in May and is due for National Service later this year. Both brothers handle the cooking, alternating between the kitchen and cashier.
Their parents come by to help out for now, after they’re done with the Bukit Timah shop’s work for the day. Daryl and Damian Lim have two other brothers (including Daniel, 23, a business undergraduate at SIM who also helps out at Nya Nya often) and a sister. They assist in different ways – some physically at the shop, others, like their sister, with backend stuff like social media.
Their Peranakan grandmother pops by Nya Nya every now and then. “Thankfully, she approves of everything and is proud of us,” Damian Lim told 8days.sg.
After secondary school and National Service, Daryl Lim dove into the family business, learning the ropes and cooking alongside his father at the family’s food kiosk at Bukit Timah in 2020.
Damian, on the other hand, worked his first job aged 13 at a family friend’s semi-fine-diner, and has since cooked part-time at other restaurants such as one Michelin-starred Italian diner Buona Terra, and now-defunct Jekyll & Hyde. “I specialised in French and Italian cuisine,” Damian Lim shared.
Which is harder to master: European or Peranakan cuisine? “European cuisine is more difficult [as] there are certain techniques that are hard to master and recipes are complicated. Peranakan cuisine is also extremely difficult in its own way, as there are no [proper] recipes involved – measurements are often eyeballed,” said Damian.
Nonya Laksa (S$6.90). (Photo: 8Days)
Damian plans to return to the family business after his National Service.
Why not pursue real estate, which he is currently studying in poly? “Family comes first,” he explained. “I'd rather be a slave to my family than to an employer.”
Interestingly, the siblings admit that they sometimes clash in the kitchen due to different working styles.
Damien Lim shared: “Once I hollered, ‘nasi kunyit 86!’ (according to him, “86” means an item is unavailable in the fine-dining industry). Daryl thought I was asking for 86 portions of nasi kunyit!”
Plating, Daryl Lim interjected, used to be the main source of their disagreements. “When we first opened shop, he [Damian] took too long to plate the food and customers complained about the long waiting times. I had to keep reminding him [to be quicker].”
“I’m a perfectionist,” Damian said simply.
NASI KUNYIT, S$8.90
Nasi Kunyit (S$8.90). (Photo: 8Days)
The brothers share an emotional attachment to their Nasi Kunyit served with chicken curry, which they say is always the first dish to sell out at Nya Nya. “Waking up to the smell of turmeric permeating the kitchen was part of our childhood,” Damian reminisced.
Other crowd favourites include their Nonya Laksa (S$6.90) and homemade kueh like Kueh Salat and Ondeh-Ondeh (from S$1.50 each).
Nya Nya will be opening another outlet at Food Republic in Mandai Wildlife Reserve sometime in March, with another stall at Suntec City still in the works.
(Photo: 8days)
Nya Nya is #04-02 Wisma Atria, 435 Orchard Rd, Singapore 238877. Open daily 10am to 10pm. More information via website and Instagram.
This story was originally published in 8Days.
For more 8Days stories, visit https://www.8days.sg/
Continue reading...