The Place A new exciting addition to the east, the newly opened Hey Kee restaurant is easily the closest Hong Kong dining ambience you can get in Singapore right now. Hey Kee is inspired by Hong Kong’s famed ‘dai pai dong’ experience and its vintage interior design is unmistakable the moment I saw its entrance. The restaurant occupies the space at the former Singapore Badminton Hall, a heritage gazetted site along Old Airport Road. 

The concept is the brainchild of two stalwarts in Singapore’s F&B industry: Mr. Reuben Chua and Mr. Keith Kang, who have a combined experience of 10 years. ‘Dai pai dong’ means “big licence stall” in Cantonese where these open-air food stalls used to dot the streets and alleys of Hong Kong. 

I love the vibrant green and red furniture from the red chairs to the green banquet tables along with vintage posters of renowned singers, celebrities, classic movie icons, mosaic floor and wall tiles. The BGM is also nostalgic Cantonese classic songs which are somewhat familiar to my ears.  

There is even an old-fashioned barber shop which is clearly catered for Instagram or Tik Tok. 

There is also one private room that can accommodate up to 20 guests, equipped with karaoke system. 

The Food Hey Kee’s menu pays tribute to what you can get at ‘Dai pai dong’ where you can expend a wide variety of dishes on the menu at relatively wallet-friendly prices. 

There is also live seafood tank where diners can select from a variety of live seafood options like soon hock, grouper, crab, lobster, prawns, and more. There is no service charge here. 

My meal started with a quintessential ‘dai pai dong’ dish, the Sautéed Beef Tenderloin with Black Pepper & Potatoes (S$36.80). My favourite part is the house-made black pepper sauce which is surprisingly good with the potatoes. 

The ‘Temple Street’ Crispy Roast Chicken (Half S$22.80/ Whole S$39.80) uses French poulet that has been marinated and air-dried for up to six hours before being deep-fried. Pretty decent roast chicken dish where the meat is quite tender along with its crispy skin. 

For greens, go for the Sizzling Kai Lan with Dried Prawns in Claypot (S$23.80), which features minced meat and pork lard. Served in a claypot, the sizzling Kai Lan is complemented by dried shrimp imported from Hong Kong. 

The Deep-Fried Cuttlefish with Salt & Pepper (S$20.80) is addictive and honestly couldn’t go very wrong. 

If you love mild spiciness, you will likely enjoy the Steamed Soon Hock with Chopped Yellow Chilli (estimated S$9 per 100g) which is crafted from yellow chilies. The yellow chilli is placed on top of the live fish and steamed, and you get that mild spicy kick with the fresh fish meat. 

A popular Cantonese seafood dish that originated in Hong Kong, the name “Typhoon Shelter” is a nod to the traditional sheltered waters where fishermen would seek refuge during storms.

The best part of the ‘Typhoon Shelter’ Style Stir Fried Crab (S$98 per kg) for me other than the crab is the fragrant fried garlic bits, where the whole live crab is cooked in a unique blend of spices and aromatic ingredients such as garlic. 

For carbs, I did enjoy the Signature Claypot Seafood Porridge (Market Price). You can opt for your preferred live seafood with complimentary porridge, subject to seafood market price. I had mine with prawns where the porridge is quite fragrant with a soft texture. 

Rants Nothing in particular.

Will I Return Again? There is definitely much thought put into the design of Hey Kee and if you are looking for a strong Hong Kong theme Zichar spot, this is one to check out. 

This was an invited tasting, though all opinions expressed are our own.

TheRantingPanda says:
Taste bud: 4/5
Hole in the pocket: 3.5/5
Ambience: 4/5
Overall Experience: 4/5

Hey Kee 
102 Guillemard Road, #01-01 
Singapore 399719 
(former Singapore Badminton Hall) 

Opening Hours 
Monday to Sunday: 11:30am to 3:00pm / 5:30pm to 10:30pm 

Ranted by The Ranter