It was one of those humid Singapore evenings, the kind where the air feels like a warm towel. We’d wandered into Newton Food Centre expecting satay smoke and cracked shells, the loud stuff tourists come for. But the queue at the seafood stalls was long, and we were tired, and somewhere along the row we noticed a small stall with a Michelin sticker and no fanfare at all.
That’s how we ended up at Kwang Kee Teochew Fish Porridge, stall #01-20, sitting down with a bowl of clear soup instead of the crab we’d planned on. We didn’t leave dazzled. We left something quieter than that.
First, A Small But Important Clarification
Kwang Kee Teochew Fish Porridge at #01-20 is not the same stall as Newton Authentic Song Kee at #01-37. Both do Teochew fish soup, both sit in the same food centre, and their names get tangled online all the time. So if you’re hunting for Kwang Kee, look for #01-20 specifically. We’ve seen people queue at the wrong one.
The Setting: Newton, Loud and Unpolished
Kwang Kee Teochew Fish Porridge at Newton Food Centre is unpretentious and lively. The open-air hawker centre features bright communal lighting, ceiling fans battling the heat, and the usual city sounds like pigeons and satay smoke drifting nearby. The stall is tucked away amid the noise, about a five-minute walk from Newton MRT Station. For a more comfortable meal, choose a seat away from the central satay smoke and near a fan. This setting reflects the authentic, no-frills experience Kwang Kee offers.
The Food: Clean, Simple, and Honest About What It Is
We ordered three things across the visit, and each one told us something different about the stall.
Dual Fish Soup (S$6 to S$12, depending on size)
This is the bowl we’d recommend to first-timers: the double fish soup at S$7. It features both tender batang fish slices and fried dory fish, offering two textures in one bowl. The clear broth, made with mackerel head and scallions, is hot, light, and naturally sweet from slow cooking, with no fishy smell. The fresh batang fish adds delicate sweetness, while the fried fish enriches the soup’s flavor, especially with fried shallots and spring onions on top.
Tip: eat the fried fish early to enjoy its crisp contrast before it softens in the broth.
Fried Fish Soup or Fried Fish Bee Hoon (S$6 to S$12)
The fried fish comes crispy at the edges when it first lands, then slowly turns tender in the broth. That short window (the first few minutes) is when it tastes best, before the batter surrenders completely. It can be paired with rice, porridge, or noodles, including thick bee hoon, mee sua, or yee mee depending on what’s available.
What we appreciated is that the fried fish gives the clear soup more body without turning it creamy, and the broth is not too salty. It stays a clean broth with a bit of weight, not a heavy milk-based bowl, though Fried Fish Soup is available with optional evaporated milk. If you’ve grown up on rich, evaporated-milk fish soup, this will feel different. Whether that’s a plus depends entirely on you.
Sliced Fish Porridge (S$6 to S$12)
Teochew fish porridge isn’t the thick Cantonese congee some people expect. It’s rice grains sitting in a clear broth, loose and light, keeping the rice around the fish and vegetables rather than turning into thick congee. Here, the fish slices stayed tender, the flavour clean, and the whole bowl was gentle enough that the fish remained the focus, with simple sides like cabbage kept in the background.
It’s comfort food in the plainest sense. Someone raised on pepper-heavy, strongly seasoned soups might taste it and think it’s underwhelming. Regulars would tell you the restraint is the dish. We landed somewhere in between: we understood it, even if it didn’t set our world on fire.
A Word On The Chilli
The chilli is the counterpoint the mild broth needs. A little adds acidity, heat, and a savoury lift without hijacking the whole bowl. Our advice: taste the soup clean first, then add the chilli gradually. If you mix everything in straight away, you’ll never know what the broth tasted like on its own.
Service: Fast, Direct, No Performance
The service at Kwang Kee Teochew Fish Porridge is typical of a long-established hawker stall. You order at the counter, choose your fish and rice or noodles, pay, and wait or collect your meal. It’s efficient, not warm. Established in 1962 and run by second-generation hawkers, it earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2021 and has kept that status since.
Tip: have your order ready before reaching the front, especially at lunch. This helps the line move faster and keeps everyone happy.
Practical Information
Here’s what you need to know before visiting.
Address: Kwang Kee Teochew Fish Porridge, Newton Food Centre, Stall #01-20, 500 Clemenceau Avenue North, Singapore 229495
Nearest MRT: Newton MRT, a 3 to 5-minute walk depending on the exit.
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 11am to 8pm; closed Monday.
Pricing: Bowls range from S$6 (small) to S$12 (large). Small is good for a light meal; size up or add rice/noodles if hungry.
Reservations: None. Seating is communal and first-come, first-served. For groups, one person can hold seats while another queues.
Best times to avoid crowds:
Tuesday to Friday, 11am–11:45am
Mid-afternoon, 2pm–4:30pm
Early dinner before 6pm
Wednesdays are generally quieter
Avoid weekday lunch (12–1:30pm), weekend lunch, and peak dinner when seats fill fast. Mid-afternoon is calm but some items may run low.
Parking: Public parking nearby is limited during dinner and weekends. Newton MRT and ride-hailing along Clemenceau Avenue North are more convenient.
The Honest Downsides
While the broth is tasty, it can seem plain if you expect bold, peppery, or milk-rich fish head soup. Portion sizes are modest, so sizing up is advisable. The Michelin Bib Gourmand highlights value and fresh fish rather than a dramatic presentation. Delivery is best avoided as the contrast of hot broth and crisp fried fish softens en route.
Our Verdict
Kwang Kee earns its Michelin nod through quiet strengths: fresh, tender fish and a clear, flavourful broth that’s easy to finish without feeling heavy. Prices remain honest, and the style stays true to traditional Teochew eating—a bowl that doesn’t demand attention but satisfies. The fried fish soup uses dory and batang fish for richness instead of pork or lard, matching the stall’s lighter style.
The dual fish soup offers both textures in one bowl, while the sliced fish porridge showcases the stall’s heritage. Neither is flashy, but both feed you well.
Best for:
Fans of light, clean soups
Older diners and families
Solo lunches and fish-soup lovers
Visitors seeking a Michelin-listed hawker meal
Those wanting a lighter dish in Newton’s busy food area
Less suited for:
Diners avoiding fish or creamy, strongly seasoned broths
Large groups needing private seating
Air-conditioning seekers
Social-media-driven food hunters
Latecomers missing the full menu near closing
We came in craving crab but left appreciating a simple fish soup. Sometimes, the quiet dish is the one that stays with you. For more great eats, check out Must-Try Hawker Stalls in Singapore.
If this kind of honest, unhurried food writing is what you come here for, come sit with us a while over at SG Foodie Travels. We’re usually somewhere quiet, spoon in hand, finding the next bowl worth telling you about.
