Chef and waitress from Okinawan diner Nirai-Kanai now run Japanese hawker stall in Toa Payoh
K.K. Kitchen is a humble Japanese stall in a Toa Payoh kopitiam that has flown relatively under the radar despite being around since 2019. Amid its storefront cluttered with photos of some of its whopping 75 dishes — mostly your usual Japanese faves like salmon teriyaki — lie a couple of unusual offerings: specialities from Okinawa. You see, the couple behind this stall used to work at Okinawan Diner Nirai-Kanai, one of Singapore’s few cult fave Okinawan restaurants. Malaysian Khoo Han Meng (aka Ken), 41, was an assistant chef at the restaurant for over 15 years. His Burmese wife, Naw Khin Swe Aye, 42, whom he met there, used to work alongside him as a waitress.
Okinawan cuisine is rarely found in Singapore, even more so at kopitiams. It’s different from most Japanese cuisine as it has quite a lot of Chinese (for instance, stir-fried dishes featuring pork) and Western influences — the subtropical prefecture is located near China, Taiwan and is home to US military bases.
Han Meng does the cooking at K.K. Kitchen while Naw Khin Swe Aye serves and mans the cashier.
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How the couple became hawkers
The hawkers have been living in Singapore for over 15 years now, and got married six years ago. The couple met in 2012, when they both worked at the Okinawan diner (which used to be at Liang Court and is now at Great World City). After their daughter was born, Ken “started thinking for the future” before deciding to quit his job and embark on his own biz instead.
Rare Okinawan dishes & over 75 menu items
Ken uses his restaurant experience to whip up two Okinawan dishes at K.K. Kitchen — the Okinawan signature of goya champuru, Stir-Fried Bitter Gourd Set ($6), as well as kufajushi, Seasoned Mixed Rice ($3).
Stir-Fried Bitter Gourd Set, $6
To keep costs down, local mini bitter gourd is used here instead of the Japanese variety. The thin slices are stir-fried with pork belly chunks, tofu cubes and egg. The heaping dish is served as a bento set with half a soy-marinated ramen egg, pickles, white rice, tasty shredded pork garnish and miso soup. Our colleague who dropped by reported that the gourd was less bitter than usual, lightly crunchy and a nice counterpoint to the rich pork and soft tofu. He adds that even a non-bitter gourd fan like him found the dish pleasant.
Seasoned Mixed Rice, $3
Meanwhile, the petite bowl of seasoned mixed rice features Japanese grains cooked in fish stock, along with pork, kombu (kelp), diced shiitake mushrooms and carrots. Our colleague says it’s simple but comforting, with chunks of shrooms in each bite. You can top up $2 to the bitter gourd set to swap the plain rice for this flavoured version.
Why offer only two Okinawan dishes?
The chef-turned-hawker only sells two types of Okinawan dishes as he “doesn’t want to copy items [from his previous workplace]”. Khin says the two offerings are pretty popular among their customers, though she thinks they “may not know it as Okinawan” since the cuisine is uncommon in Singapore.
‘Usual’ Japanese dishes more popular here
That being said, their most popular items are standard Japanese dishes like the crispy, generously-portioned Chicken Katsu Curry Rice ($7) and more modestly-sized Salmon Teriyaki Don ($8), which Khin says “sell out everyday”. The dishes here are wide-ranging and run the gamut from hamburg steak to even sushi (call ahead to order this). It’s almost like a mini izakaya at this cramped stall.
The details
K.K. Kitchen Japanese Cuisine is located at #01-264 Blk 92 Lor 4 Toa Payoh, S310092. Open daily except Tue 10.30am-2.45pm; 4.30pm-8pm. Tel: 9679 2503. More info via Facebook and Instagram.
Photos: Pyron Tan
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