A new fish soup stall in Toa Payoh has been gaining attention on Facebook foodie groups for its rich, comforting collagen broth. Called Fish Joy, the three-week-old stall, located in a coffeeshop where the popular Western food stall Uno Bee House resides, specialises in collagen fish soup served with premium fish like red grouper and wild pomfret.
Co-owned by noodle chain boss
The stall is run by first-time hawker James Ong, 44, who was previously from the oil and gas industry. He spent most of his 16 years in trade support operations, and when the local company he worked for closed down in 2021, he got a job as a cargo officer which required him to work offshore on board a vessel.
“After about six months, I found the job very stagnant. I also realised that this was not a forever job ’cos I wouldn’t be able to climb a vessel when I am 60. So when my friend, who is in F&B, approached me to start a new venture together, I decided to give it a shot,” James tells us.
His business partner, who prefers not to be named, is the “boss of an established noodle chain”. He wanted to start a new concept to diversify his business, and the pair decided on fish soup as the local dish is loved by many, themselves included. “I know fish well because I enjoy cooking and fishing. I also have a good friend, who is a fish supplier so I know I will get a consistent supply of good quality fish,” explains James, though he wouldn’t have considered venturing into F&B if not for his biz partner. They invested around $30K to open Fish Joy in mid June and plan to set up more outlets if things go well.
“It’s like Beauty In The Pot”
Why collagen soup? “Light Teochew-style fish soup is very common, so we wanted to try something different. My partner suggested using collagen soup and got his team to do R&D. I have never seen anyone else selling fish with collagen soup before and was worried that some people might not be able to accept it, but feedback has been positive,” shares James.
It took them around nine months to perfect the recipe for their collagen broth, which is prepared from scratch in their central kitchen. To get the desired richness and flavour, instead of fish bones, pork bones and trotters are simmered for eight hours at a precise temperature till the broth is rich and creamy. Minimal seasoning is used, and no milk is added.
“A lot of customers think we add milk in our soup, but this is real collagen, like the soup base you have at [hot pot chain] Beauty In The Pot. The broth is in jelly form when it is delivered to the stall, and we add water and heat it up to make our soup. We do not add MSG or salt,” says James.
To stand out from the typical fish soup stall, they offer red grouper and more premium wild Chinese silver pomfret on top of the usual batang.
Being a hawker tougher than working on ship
James handles the cooking, while his stall assistant helps with the food prep and takes orders. Though he knew what he was getting himself into when he decided to switch careers, he admits that the hawker trade is a lot tougher than expected. It doesn’t help that he just had surgery for a bulging disc in the neck a month ago.
“I work 15-hour days now and am constantly standing. I have to cook, prepare ingredients and wash dishes. I tried running the stall alone, but I couldn’t manage. Even when I worked on board a vessel, it was not as tiring as this,” reveals James. In fact, the first time we visited the stall on a weekday afternoon, we saw James taking a nap at one of the tables.Despite a slow start, James says business has picked up and is “not bad”, selling more than 100 bowls daily. He credits the decent turnout to word-of-mouth marketing and social media: “Though some people have told us that our prices are a bit steep, feedback has been good and we have quite a number of repeat customers.”
The menu
There are four types of collagen fish soup – red grouper ($10), wild Chinese silver pomfret ($10), mackerel aka batang ($7.50), and fried fish ($6) using dory. Each comes with a generous serving of spinach, seaweed, deep-fried egg floss and little cubes of tofu, while carbs like thick bee hoon or rice will cost an extra 50 cents. Also on offer are red grouper and pomfret served Teochew-style in clear broth (from $15), and sides like fried chicken wings and boiled littleneck clams.
Red Grouper Collagen Fish Soup, $10 (8 DAYS Pick!)
Not the cheapest, but the most popular collagen fish soup option here. Each bowl comes with six thick-cut grouper slices, which are fresh and meaty, and the skin pleasantly chewy. Instead of lettuce, Fish Joy uses spinach which is “neutral” and doesn’t affect the taste of the soup — a plus in our book as we don’t fancy the distinct taste of lettuce.
Though not as gao as the collagen soup base you get with your hotpot, the creamy soup is rich, flavourful, with a hit of umami from the sole fish powder. We also enjoy the fluffy egg floss which adds oomph to the comforting broth. By the time we were done eating, our lips were sticky from all its collagen.
Chinese Pomfret Collagen Fish Soup, $10
If you enjoy gnawing on fish bones, opt for the pomfret instead as the stall offers all parts of the fish, even the head. We were even lucky enough to snag a prized eye, which we found gelatinous with a slight umami flavour. Fish Joy uses wild-caught Chinese silver pomfret, which is highly regarded due to its silky and flavourful flesh. Cooked in the same tasty collagen broth, the flesh is delicate and the natural sweetness of the fish shines through.
Red Grouper In Teochew Style, from $15 for small (8 DAYS Pick!)
This dish is reminiscent of Teochew-style steamed fish, but the slices are blanched in chicken broth instead. “It takes eight minutes to steam fish, but customers won’t want to wait so long, so we cook it in broth. This can be ready in about a minute,” says James.
Our $15 plate brims with 11 thick slices of the fish, topped with pickled mustard greens, sour plum, mushrooms and tomato wedges. The fish is cooked just right, and the light broth boasts a tangy and spicy kick that whets the appetite. Simple, but well executed.
Chicken Wings, $3 for two pcs
Though fried chicken wings aren’t exactly on theme, James decided to include it ’cos he says he makes good har cheong gai. And these are addictive. Marinated overnight with fermented prawn paste, Chinese wine and baking powder, the crispy mid joint wings are juicy and bursting with umami flavour.
Littleneck Clams, $8
Plump, succulent clams served in collagen broth. We like how the soup is perked up by the briny clams and a splash of hua diao wine adds an aromatic fragrance. Also available as an add-on to your fish soup for $2.
Bottom line
While the prices for these bowls are slightly steep for a coffee shop setting, the quality of the fresh, premium fish and collagen soup are good enough to justify its cost. Taste-wise, it’s not as robust and indulgent as the collagen soup base you get at hotpot restaurants like Beauty In The Pot, but it does make a comforting and elegant bowl of soup, and the flavours complement the fish wonderfully. The sides are great too.
The details
Fish Joy is at Maxim Stars Coffee Shop, #01-1040, 168 Lor 1 Toa Payoh, S310168. Open daily except Mon from 11am to 9pm.
