As we all know, Singapore is the culinary melting pot. We are a multi-cultural society where one can find cooks happily serving food of the other races. We at Hyde Park, alias SOON HENG is no different. We have been serving good authentic food for the past 50 years and we intend to do so for many years to come.

It all began when Mr. Hoong Ah Kong migrated here from Fuzhou, China. He did what all immigrants did then, worked very hard. As a teenager, he worked odd jobs and finally found his niche as a coffee shop boy in Albert Street, where he began his road to 'fame'. This is the place where he acquired his taste for hot spicy food that we are now popularly known for. He learnt what he could from his Indian friends. His interests in curries began. He learnt their cooking secrets by peeping. At that time, nobody will tell you what goes into the pot. Mr Hoong has excellent taste buds. He is able to cook up a storm by tasting a particular dish once he has tasted it.

After the second world war, he opened his first curry stall selling Punjabi curries and chapattis. This stall was located at 72 Selegie Road in a coffee shop named "CHIN WAH HENG". As he has little formal education, he did what most did, his curry stall followed the coffee shop's name.

Mr Hoong is a true "curry pioneer'. Before Chin Wah Heng, he remembers only Gomez Curry which opened in 1949. It was from Gomez that Mr Hoong emulated. His venture into fish head curry came after 1949 opening of Gomez at Sophia Road.

Fishhead curry, although cooked South Indian style, is peculiarly Singaporean. Fish heads of the kind found here are apparently unheard of in South India. Our Fish head curry follows the traditional South Indian recipe but is not so strongly flavoured as we use less herbs and spices. Of course changes in the recipe were made along the way to please the ever changing Singaporean palate and the healthy lifestyle .

In the early days, Ikan Tenggiri, Batang or Kurau heads were popular. Today, we use mainly ang go li (sea bream)) and a mixture of kim ma lo (sea bass) and some other species of red snapper. The switch to ang go li came around 1965. Fresh lime juice was also introduced at this time in his stall. This drink has now become part and parcel of a fish head curry meal here.

As a true entrepreneur, he expanded his business. His second outlet, SOON HENG RESTAURANT is located at 39 Kinta Road. SOON HENG is now well known for its Fish head.

Along the way, Mr Hoong also ventured into seafood restaurant. However, he felt that his niche is in curries. He then opened Hyde Park Cafe, which began its operation selling western and Chinese food. When the URA took over the plot along Selegie Road, he shifted his curry stall to Hyde Park Cafe. After a few years, he felt that Hyde Park Cafe should relocated to 'roadside' area..

Hyde Park Cafe is now relocated at 76 Prinsep Street which is very close to where his original site is. It is said that one would always return to its roots, where success came. It must ring true to Mr Hoong, as he has come round to a near circle from where he originally began.

Here, at Hyde Park Cafe, we still carry our Signature dish, the Fish Head Curry. We have also chosen a suitably versatile menu. Our lunch time is still 'counter' service, where you can go to the counter and choose the food from there.

Contact Information
If you have further queries, feel free to contact Bee Hua at the following:

Telephone
65-63360983

Fax
65-63331638

Postal address
76 Prinsep Street

Electronic mail
General Information: enquiries@hydepark.com.sg

License no.
W96338L000