✍ 2 Mar 2026. When kaki kaki jio-ed to meet at Hong Qin Fish Soup & Duck Porridge shop, I jumped at the opportunity. I like Hong Qin's food but have not been here for five years - time is ripe for a revisit and long term review.
Hong Qin tucked away inconspicuously at 134, Geylang East still looked the same as I remembered it.
Simply laid out, bright, clean, with a steady stream of customers, many long time regulars. It's the proverbial "relak one corner" kind of corner coffee shop.
Four of us shared these. Total bill came to slightly over S$50 with drinks included.
Hong Qin doesn't sell fancy, trendy food but comfort dishes little different from when it was founded about 70 years ago.
Top of my mind was Hong Qin's duck porridge. A traditional Teochew dish rarely sold in Singapore now - the only other place that I can think of is Ng Soon Kee at Geylang East Hawker Centre.
Nothing much to see, every thing (rice and pieces of duck) were all hidden under a dark, almost black colour soup.
The rice was boiled in fish stock. Black soy sauce make it dark. The soupy concoction tasted sweet savoury with traces of duck and Chinese spice.
Flavour intensity was mild enough for me to drink it like any soup.
Rice grains were soft tender but not mushy. Each grain infused with sweet savouriness from the soup.
The tender pieces of duck were also sweet savoury. There was hardly any duck gaminess.
Batang fish soup.
Slices of fresh batang and pieces of fried batang fish bone with lettuce and bits of fried garlic in a umami savoury soup with ti poh (dried sole fish). Dressed with lots of parsley.
Good umami savoury soup.
Fresh fish. Tender and naturally sweet white flesh. Served with skin which I like for its subtle layer of texture and flavour.
The fried fish bones added a bit of flavour to the soup and the little bit of attached meat was also delicious.
Braised pork trotters for those who dare.
Fresh soft tender meat, fat and skin infused with Hong Qin's braising stock which was sweetish savoury and quite mild.
Generally, Hong Qin's dishes have well balanced flavours. Even the salted vegetables were more sweet savoury than salty as they took care to wash the salt out of the vegetables during cooking.
Double confirmed. Hong Qin is still my go to place for traditional Teochew duck porridge. Their fish soup is one of my favourites in Singapore too.
Stall name: Hong Qin Fish & Duck Porridge
Address: 134 Geylang East Ave 1, #01-217, Singapore 380134
Nearest MRT: 5 minute walk from Aljunid station
Tel: 9061 4988
Hours: 5:30am - 3:30pm (Weds off)
Written by Tony Boey on 2 Mar 2026
Who is Tony Johor Kaki?
✍ 15 Jan 2019. I had been wanting to taste old school Teochew duck porridge for a long time. Buddy brought me to Hong Qin 鸿勤鱼粥.鸭粥 when we happened to be in the Aljunied area of Singapore yesterday.
Stall name: Hong Qin Fish & Duck Porridge 鴻勤魚粥 • 鴨粥
Address: 134 Geylang East Ave 1, #01-217, Singapore 380134
Tel: +65 9061 4988
Hours: 6:00am - 3:00pm
Hong Qin Fish & Duck Porridge is at a corner coffee shop along busy Sims Avenue near the intersection with Geylang East Ave 1 (and 3 minutes walk from Aljunied MRT station).
Hong Qin is under the flight path of aeroplanes using Singapore's Paya Lebar Airbase (to its northeast). You will see aircraft passing low overhead as they come in to land. The roar of fighter jets overhead is music to my ears (really).
The menu is at the front counter. Hong Qin is most famous for their duck porridge, fish soup, braised duck and braised pork trotters.
Boss Tay Kim Song 郑金松 joined the stall founded by his dad once he completed his full time National Service in 1985. His wife joined him soon afterwards. Together, they wake up at 3am every working day to prepare the dishes.
At Hong Qin, the Tays still cut the fish from whole Ikan Batang (most stalls in Singapore use pre-cut fish from suppliers). Asked if any of their grown up children will be carrying on their grandparents' legacy, Mr. Tay replied that he don't wish for his children to live a hawkers' hard life.
The main thing I came to Hong Qin for - their popular Teochew duck porridge.
The dish consists of a dark soupy savoury herbal sweetish broth with boiled rice and piled with chunky pieces of duck.
I enjoyed this broth as it had a complex blend of flavours which were at the right intensity and was well balanced. The tender naturally sweet rice infused the flavoursome broth, making it extra appetising. The meaty chunks of duck were tender (but not soft) and infused with broth flavours.
Hong Qin's version of Teochew duck porridge rekindled my love for this "old man dish" which I haven't had for a very long time.
Before they moved to this large shop, Mr. Tay's wife used to run the fish soup stall side by side with his duck porridge stall. As mentioned, Mr. Tay's wife personally cut the whole Ikan Batang (Spanish Mackerel) fish, waking up at 3am to do it every day. This is rarely done in today's Singapore.
Clear watery soup with gentle savoury sweet flavour.
Just fresh Ikan Batang fish simply blanched in soup. Just natural fish sweet flavours in the tender white flesh, what's more to say? 😄 Oh, I like it with skin on as it adds another layer of texture and flavour.
Hong Qin is also famous for their braised pork trotter and stewed vegetables.
Hong Qin's braising stock was quite mild - well balanced savoury herbal sweet, so we can taste a bit of the tender juicy pork's natural sweetness. Same for the stewed vegetables 梅菜 - just the right level of salty-savouriness.
Braised duck wings - perfect beer food.
Recommended for you 👍 Not many places in Singapore serve traditional Teochew duck porridge. Hong Qin is a good place to enjoy this dish.
Restaurant name: Hong Qin Fish and Duck Porridge 鸿勤鱼粥.鸭粥
Address: #01-127, 134 Geylang East Ave 1, Singapore 380134
GPS: 1°18'57.1"N 103°53'08.1"E 🌐 1.315861, 103.885593
Hours: 5:30am - 3:00pm (off on alternate Tues)
Non Halal
Date visited: 14 Jan 2019
Written by Tony Boey on 15 Jan 2019 | Updated on 4 July 2021
You even managed to find this stall! Very resourceful indeed. Thank you for all the yummy recommendations:)
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