This humble oyster omelette stall in JB is thriving despite COVID-19

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This humble oyster omelette stall in JB is thriving despite COVID-19

The pandemic has crippled many eateries in JB. However, this orh luak stall, run past an elderly couple and their son, has tweaked its business strategy to survive amid tough times.

JOHOR BAHRU: Almost all of the nutrient carts along Meldrum Walk food street have been padlocked and shunted to the side.

The aisle, located a mere 500m from the immigration complex linked to the Woodlands Causeway, was previously teeming with visitors from Singapore craving for a gustation of affordable, delectable Malaysian Chinese street food.

Nevertheless, with the pandemic enforcing border closures over the final year, only a handful of stalls were left operating.

JB Fried Oyster was the just stall open on Meldrum Walk during a contempo CNA visit in April 2021. (Photo: Amir Yusof)

In a nondescript corner of the lane, the sizzling audio from a big pan at a stall named JB Fried Oyster broke the silence on a drizzly Wed afternoon.

An elderly couple – Fong Ah Seng and Get E Cheng – and their son Richard Fong were cramped in a small-scale infinite of effectually 5 sq grand behind the food cart.

Fong prepared the ingredients and stir-fried the omelette on a pipe hot gas pan, Go packed the food into cardboard packaging while Richard helmed the register and handled orders on his phone.

The family starts work at 10am and finishes at around 7pm. They exercise this typically four times a week. (Photo: Amir Yusof)

In a city that has been beleaguered past the economical effects of COVID-nineteen, this stall'due south ability to not merely survive, only thrive, has made it a success story in these troubled times.

The key to this success is its fluffy fried oyster omelette, which has locals from across the state coming back for more than.

Fried oyster omelette, more ordinarily known past its colloquial Teochew term "orh luak", is a beloved hawker dish sold in many eateries across Malaysia and Singapore.

But what makes this stall's dish outstanding, according to many of its fans online, is its wok hei. Wok hei is a Cantonese term referring to the smoky aroma imparted to food that has been tossed and seared at high heat.

Fong Ah Seng's recipe has garnered praise for its generous serving of large, fresh oysters and wok hei aroma. (Photo: Amir Yusof)

Fong said that the all-important char comes from knowing how to fry and handle the omelette at the right temperature.

"Practice makes information technology perfect. I've been doing this for more than 50 years," he said.

DECADES OF Feel

The 72-twelvemonth-old beginning learnt how to make orh luak as an 18-twelvemonth-old junior chef working at a restaurant in JB that specialised in Chinese cuisine.

The restaurant'due south owner, a Chinese national, taught him the recipe. A few years later, Fong left the job and opened his own stall in downtown Johor Bahru.

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Fong's technique of frying each batch of omelette is a piece of work of art.

He first ladles milky white slurry batter onto the hot pan, and every bit it sets slightly, he pours in more than two dozen eggs. With his trusty spatula, Mr Fong breaks the yolks and stirs the mixture gracefully, in small concentric circles.

Dipping the spatula into a big basin of lard nearby, Fong deftly flicks some lard into the pan every now and then. At the right juncture, he adds chives, garlic or further seasoning based on the orders.

His oyster omelette is made from a variety of fresh ingredients, says Fong Ah Seng. (Photo: Amir Yusof)

In one case the omelette is set up and golden brownish, Fong throws in fresh oysters the size of fifty cent coins, which are imported fresh from Thailand that aforementioned morning.

He then portions and serves the thick, fluffy omelette in packs of brown greaseproof newspaper inside small-scale paper-thin boxes, accompanied by a small container of fish sambal.

"People eat it as a snack, or part of a chief meal. That's the beauty about this dish," said Fong.

Become, 63, has been married to Fong for around forty years and she has been his helper throughout their union. Yet, not once has she held the spatula and made the omelette.

"He is the simply one that knows how to fry them perfectly, so it's all-time I practise not spoil the quality for our customers," she added.

The couple first opened a stall near a temple in downtown JB, just later on moved to this spot at Meldrum Walk as there are no rental charges. (Photograph: Amir Yusof)

Richard, their son who quit his career equally an It programmer to help further the family unit business, echoed similar sentiments.

"My begetter is the best at frying. He has taught me how to exercise information technology, but he's withal the best at it. Ane mean solar day I will take over, but equally long as he is strong enough to do it, I will let him be," said Richard.

TAKING ORDERS ONLINE

The trio works four days a week, and on a good day, sells 100 to 200 packs of oyster omelette at RM12 (U.s.a.$2.90) each.

COVID-xix has concise tourism from Singapore and reduced local human foot traffic forth the alley.

However, Richard has helped pivot the stall to take orders online, and this has allowed it to continue to operate through this pandemic.

"Nosotros have become pop through discussion of oral fissure so nosotros and so decided to open a Facebook page (JB Fried Oyster) to update our customers on our operating hours, and as well how to accept orders," said Richard.

READ: Singapore-style fried Hokkien prawn mee woos Malaysian foodies in Petaling Jaya

The Facebook page has more 13,000 followers, both locals and Singaporeans.

"Since COVID, nosotros've been getting a lot of orders in bulk. People will purchase in huge boxes, xxx to twoscore packs and accept them to their hometowns in Kulai, Batu Pahat or wherever and resell them," said Richard.

"With the pandemic, people don't like to get out of their homes to buy food. So this kind of delivery service appeals to many families," he added.

He said that when COVID-nineteen beginning closed borders in March 2020, his family shop lost well-nigh twenty per cent of concern, by and large from Singaporean customers.

Customers from different parts of Johor purchase the oyster omelette in bulk and bring them dorsum to their corresponding hometowns. (Photo: Amir Yusof)

Still, their new business strategy to get online and focus on the local market place has borne dividends, and the shop is doing even amend than in 2019, pre-pandemic.

"We're happy that nosotros are able to still survive and make money now. Forth this lane, only one other chicken wing stall is open. The other stalls, especially those who offer dining in options similar lok lok or yong tau foo cannot survive," he added.

Richard explained that later on the movement control order was implemented in March last year, many of these stalls selling Chinese street food were forced to shut, and nigh all of them have yet to reopen.

Luckily for Richard, his family unit's stall connected to receive orders due to its popularity through word of mouth and social media.

The stall has also garnered fame online after a video of Fong in action, published by Singapore-based foodie YouTube channel DancingBacons in November 2019, went viral.

The video has chalked up xi million views and attracted many comments, including those from netizens all over the world. Many lauded Fong for his frying skills and for working hard to make a masterpiece.

Fong was shocked to see the social media interactions the clip had, and said he felt "touched" by many of the responses.

"I twenty-four hour period when the border reopens, I hope many of these people volition come down to our stall so they can try the omelette," said Fong.

"Information technology tastes equally good equally it looks," he added.

This humble oyster omelette stall in JB is thriving despite COVID-19

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