After quietly shuttering its standalone eatery at Desker Road last year due to rental hikes, well-loved South Buona Vista Braised Duck has resurfaced at the brand new Punggol Coast Hawker Centre. It serves its same signature boneless duck rice, but via a more modest hawker stall.
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Brand has history dating back to 1968
The brand has been around for over five decades, tracing its roots back to the now-defunct OG Lim Seng Lee Duck Rice Eating House along South Buona Vista Road where it operated as a standalone eatery since 1968. The man behind the current iteration, Ang Chiap Teck, 66, learnt to cook braised duck from his brother-in-law, Lim Ah Too, the founder of the original Lim Seng Lee, before branching out on his own in 2013.
South Buona Vista Braised Duck’s now-closed eatery on Desker Road
He first set up a kopitiam stall at Sam Leong Road, then moved into a bigger, shinier standalone 38-seat eatery on Desker Road in 2021. That location didn’t last long – the rent was “just too much”, he previously told the media – and it closed in late 2023.
The new stall at Punggol Coast Hawker Centre
Photo: Google/Norell Yong
Lost and found
Now, the beloved duck rice has found a new lease of life at the newly-launched Punggol Coast Hawker Centre, which opened on July 25. The modern food centre is part of Punggol Digital District and is run by Kopitiam under the FairPrice Group.
Here, South Buona Vista Braised Duck is billed as one of the hawker centre’s “lost and found” treasures, heritage stalls that closed due to various challenges, and are now making a comeback with help from the hawker centre’s operator.
And yes, the signature Teochew-style duck – marinated in a spice blend with star anise, cinnamon, and cloves, then slow-braised till tender – is still made using the same recipe passed down from Chiap Teck’s brother-in-law.
Chiap Teck and Lily back at their now-defunct eatery on Desker Road
Same couple behind new stall
Before going back to selling duck rice, Chiap Teck and his wife, Lily Lim, were simply taking it easy – travelling and resting after their previous outlet’s closure. Now, they continue to run this new stall at Punggol like they used to at their defunct Desker Road outlet.
Photo: Google/Norell Young
Similar menu, sans sambal prawns
You can get a plate of braised duck rice for $5, with sides like sambal tofu and sambal kang kong priced at $8 each. However, the stall’s popular sambal prawns won’t be making a return. Yam rice is available for $1.50 a serving.
Photo: Google/Grotto Scotto
Stall boasts longest lines at Punggol Coast Hawker Centre
According to Facebook user Peter Tay, South Buona Vista Braised Duck now boasts the longest queues in the hawker centre. It takes around 1 hour and 15 minutes just to get your food during peak hours. He says the braised duck “tasted just as good” as before, though the stall has apparently “stinged on their signature two-flavour chilli and the sambal kang kong could be punchier.”
For the uninitiated, the duck typically comes with two dips – a fragrant, hae bee hiam-heavy sambal, and a tangy vinegary sauce spiked with chopped chillies and garlic.
Artist’s impression of Punggol Coast Hawker Centre
New home, same duck, smarter hawker centre
The new Punggol Coast Hawker Centre, with a total of 40 food stalls and 576 seats, isn’t your typical heartland food centre. It comes with AI-powered video analytics for real-time queue monitoring and other digital upgrades that aim to improve both diner experience and stall holder operations.
It’s also wallet-friendly. Think $1 kopi, set meals from $3.50, and mixed rice bentos from as low as $1.50 for ComCare cardholders.
Chiap Teck now gets to focus on what he does best – cooking duck – without the stress of maintaining a standalone eatery.
South Buona Vista Braised Duck is located at #02-K59 Punggol Coast Hawker Centre, 84 Punggol Way, S29911. Open daily, 11am to 4pm. Tel: 9860 5359.
Photos: Aik Chen, Punggol Coast Hawker Centre
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