Opened in 1969, the spot operates from 6am to 1.30pm on weekdays. It will serve its final meals on Sept 18, ending a 57-year run.
Former British Army corporal’s mess
Before becoming a public canteen, the site served as a corporal’s mess hall for the British Army during the colonial period. It subsequently became part of Seletar Camp and fed generations of national servicemen posted there.
The no-frills canteen later became a popular lunchtime haunt for workers from the surrounding Seletar Aerospace Park, taxi drivers and cyclists passing through the area.
Three stalls here
It houses three stalls: a cai png joint, a nasi padang stall and a drinks stall. William runs the canteen and was serving customers at the cai png counter when we visited.
It was reportedly slated for closure in 2012 to make way for the development of Seletar Aerospace Park, but managed to survive for another 14 years.
A notice displayed at the canteen thanks customers for their support over the years.
Uncle Boh Geh finally speaks to us
Its elderly owner, William Toh, is famously known to be camera-shy. Photography and filming were prohibited within the premises for years, but shortly before its closure, the low-key hawker allowed 8days.sg to film inside the canteen and granted us a rare, albeit brief, interview.
When approached for quotes, William initially said he was busy but did not turn us down.
Our colleague eventually bought a plate of cai png and chatted with him while he continued working. William did not object to the camera, though he kept his responses characteristically short.
Perhaps with the canteen closing for good, he had become more relaxed about his own rules.
“I’m retiring!”
Asked why he was called “Boh Geh Uncle”, William flashed his trademark toothless grin.
“Because I don’t have teeth!”, he quipped. “Boh geh” means toothless in Hokkien.
When asked why he was closing the canteen, his answer was just as succinct: “I’m retiring!”
There will be no second generation taking over from him either.
“My children have their own careers,” he explained simply.
Fellow hawkers ready to call it a day too
The drinks stall auntie, who has worked at the canteen for around 20 years, does not seem overly sentimental about its impending closure either.
Asked if she had any special memories of the place, she laughed: “Not really, I’m just getting old.”
Second-generation nasi padang hawker Mohammed Adil Bin Abdul Talib said his mum has operated her stall there for 26 years, while he helps out when needed.
“We’re okay with [the closure] because we’ve been here for very long. My mum also wants to retire,” he said.
The family may reopen its nasi padang stall elsewhere. “Next time, maybe we’ll shift to another place. We’ll let you know,” Adil shared.
He added: “Thank you for supporting our shop throughout all these years.”
Hearty meals from $4.80
The canteen’s simple but filling meals include cai png at around $4.80, $5 nasi padang and $1.60 teh peng. The nasi padang stall also offers $5 ayam penyet on Wednesdays and $5 briyani on Fridays.
Longtime customers react to closure
Among the customers saddened by the news was a German machine repairman from aerospace manufacturer Pratt & Whitney, which has a facility nearby.
The cheerful regular told 8days.sg: “Whenever I’m in Singapore, I come here every day. Oh, the food is very good. The chicken, rice and eggs. I love it. I eat the same thing every time when I’m here.”
So fond was he of the time-worn canteen that he even tried to find a way to save it.
“I talked to [William] and asked him what he’s going to do now, and also what I can do [to keep the canteen open], but I’m not sure what we can do,” he said.
His expression turned glum when we asked how he felt about losing his daily lunch spot. “Oh yes, I’m really sad. I don’t know what I’ll do.”
Another customer, who has patronised the canteen almost daily for around a decade, will especially miss its cai png.
“Their dishes have a home-cooked taste,” he said. “I mainly come here for the cai png dishes. I like the fried fish, chicken wings and braised eggs.”
The long-time regular was more stoic about the impending closure. “It’s something we all have to face. We can’t help it,” he said.
So where will he have his daily meals after Sept 18?
“I’ll figure it out when the time comes.”
Old no-photography signs were still visible when our colleagues visited, though nobody stopped the crew from filming this time.
Boh Geh Uncle Canteen is at 398 Piccadilly Rd, S798368. Open Mon–Fri, 6am–1.30pm. Its last day of operations is on Sept 18.
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