Tong Ah Building
Tong Ah Building is a building at the junction of Keong Saik Road and Teck Lim Road in Chinatown, Singapore. Formerly occupied by Tong Ah Eating House, it currently houses Potato Head, a restaurant.
History
[edit]The Tong Ah Eating House was established in the triangular three-storey building by Tang Chew Fue in 1939. The building is known for its "distinctive red-and-white facade and shape" and is a local landmark.[1] In July 2013, the building, which was then owned by a relative of the eating house's current owner, the great-grandson of Tang, was sold to a foreign investor. The eating house then moved into nearby 35 Keong Saik Road as a result of the sale.[2] Its last day of operations within the building was on 14 July.[3]
In May 2014, Three Buns @ Potato Head Folk, a burger joint and PTT Family's first venture outside of Indonesia, opened in the building.[4] The decoration of the building's interior was directed by artist David Bromley. The third floor is occupied by the Studio 1939 bar, which features a drinks list created by mixologist Dre Masso, PTT Group's in-house consultant. The bar's interior was inspired by Bromley's studio in Melbourne. The Rooftop, a bar, can be found on the roof.[5] Annette Tan of today gave the restaurant a rating of 3.5/5 at its opening, writing: "For a pleasant, well-rounded dining experience such as this, a meal at Three Buns is totally worth it."[6] In 2016, the bar underwent renovation works that increased its seating capacity from 30 to 40.[7] Mingli Seet Time Out gave both the restaurant and the Studio 1939 bar a "recommended" review in May 2024, describing the latter as "the highlight of this lovingly restored shophouse."[8]
References
[edit]- ^ "东亚餐室与泰宾阁". Lianhe Zaobao. 8 April 1998. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
- ^ Lee, Debbie (13 July 2013). "Pre-war Keong Saik Road coffee shop moving out". The Straits Times. Singapore. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
- ^ "Last chance to visit". The New Paper. Singapore. 14 July 2013.
- ^ Yong, Debbie (24 May 2014). "New concepts spice up the mix". The Business Times. Singapore.
- ^ Zachariah, Natasha Ann (31 May 2014). "Quirky design over cyberspace". The Straits Times. Singapore.
- ^ Tan, Anette (3 July 2014). "Three Buns @ Potato Head Folk | 3.5/5". today. Singapore. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
- ^ Raguraman, Anjali (12 February 2016). "The Rooftop at Potato Head Folk". The Straits Times. Singapore.
- ^ Seet, Mingli (8 May 2024). "Potato Head Singapore". Time Out. Singapore. Retrieved 5 June 2024.