Three generations of Singaporean cooking: a Hong Kong Hainanese chicken rice shop
The chef behind BUGIS is Vietnamese — Nguyễn Văn Hùng (in Vietnamese naming the family name comes first, so Nguyễn is the surname). His grandfather and father cooked Singaporean food in Singapore their whole lives — counting from the day his grandfather first stood at the stove, this family has been cooking for more than sixty years.
BUGIS is a Hainanese chicken rice shop and Singaporean restaurant in Hong Kong, on Level 2 of Plaza Hollywood, Diamond Hill. It appears on the Environment and Ecology Bureau's list of restaurants offering less-salt-and-sugar options.
Three generations, the same method, the same proportions of spice. From a kitchen in Singapore to Plaza Hollywood in Diamond Hill — the chef brought the flavours he grew up with, unchanged.
Signature dishes: Hainanese chicken rice and laksa
What is "cham cham"?
Cham cham is a Singapore and Malaysian hawker term meaning mixed noodles — usually yellow noodles combined with rice vermicelli. Two textures in the same bowl — ordinary hawker vocabulary in Singapore, and how BUGIS serves its laksa in Hong Kong.
Bak kut teh has two schools
Most people do not realise there are two distinct traditions.
| School | Broth | Flavour |
|---|---|---|
| Teochew | Clear | White pepper — sharp and light |
| Hokkien / Nanyang herbal | Dark | Chinese herbs and spices, simmered long |
BUGIS follows the Nanyang herbal route.
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The family's story in Singapore, the spices and the process, and the rest of the menu will be added after the interview — this is first-hand material that cannot be found anywhere online.
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Find us
- Address
- Shop No. 234, Level 2, Plaza Hollywood, 3 Lung Poon Street, Diamond Hill
- Phone
- 2116 0838
- Opening hours
- Monday to Sunday & public holidays, 11:30–22:00
Open straight through — lunch and dinner, no afternoon break. - Getting there
- MTR Diamond Hill station, directly connected to Plaza Hollywood