Sunday 12 July 2009

The Recession Takes Its Toll :(

Modified 12 July 2009- Have been told that both Kam Tong and Kiasu have reopened! :)

Modified Tues 19 May 2009- Just discovered Kam Tong on Queensway has also closed down, joining the list of casualties below! Never eaten there myself, but I've been told by friends who used to be fans that the quality has been dropping significantly over the years so that may be part of the reason. Sigh... wonder who's next.

Original post 5 May 2009:
They are dropping like flies.

Last night a friend told me that Kiasu on Queensway, one of my favourite Malaysian restaurants and Time Out Cheap Eats 2007 winner, had closed down. We were in the area for dinner and walked past it on the way back; sure enough there it was, dark and boarded up, the latest casualty in the economic crisis :(

Just last week Arivind and I had tubed to Chinatown excitedly for dimsum at our favourite 40% discount joint Chinese Experience, only to discover it was emptied out and shuttered, with a sign plastered on saying "non-payment of rent".

I can't believe it. Two great restaurants, one of them award-winning, always packed to the brim with customers, serving great food at cheap prices, once doing bustling business but now, just like that, wiped out of existence.

Guess the recession doesn't discriminate when choosing its victims.
Posted by Samantha Tan at 7/12/2009 11:50:00 pm
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5 comments:

  1. Fat Les5 May 2009 at 13:43

    Thanks for the post. As far as I'm concerned no love lost for Kiasu (wasn't a fan, but I vaguely know the gaffer, he'll bounce back) and as for CE, they deserved some kind of medal for discounted eating. Ouch, but the domino effect sets forth.

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  2. Samantha Tan5 May 2009 at 23:03

    Kiasu was slightly pricey but I approved of the hawker staples, and it was the only place where the Curry Laksa came with chunks of siew yook! :) CE is just in a league of its own, damn shame *sigh*

    Fingers crossed none of the other Malaysians become casualties too!

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  3. Anonymous29 May 2009 at 22:45

    Hi, just to let you know that Kiasu has now reopened (on "cash only" terms!). Looks like Mr Lim has managed to renegotiate the terms of his lease...

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  4. Samantha Tan29 May 2009 at 23:55

    oh really? thanks for the tip, will pass the word round! :) x

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  5. Anonymous9 August 2010 at 10:59

    So, after having been told that they shut down "due to the landlord increasing the rent", the truth (unfortunately)comes out:

    http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5jHirFZjjvAclWlNccRaGwOT-YjoA

    And we ate there all the time...

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