'Freaking cute' former rival hawkers now running stall together, married 11 years and still in love

The New Paper
July 24, 2022

How’s this for a quintessential Singapore love story?

Two hawkers fell in love, got married, and set up a stall together - offering both their specialties.

Over a decade ago, Mr Ngoh Jook Guan sold mixed vegetable rice, and Ms Ivy Lim sold porridge, both at the Golden Mile Hawker Centre.

They were rivals of course, but it seems both lived in Pasir Ris, and sometimes they travelled to work or back together.

And eventually they got married.

It has been a marriage of minds, skills and tastes, with the couple running their stall at The Hawker Centre @ Our Tampines Hub, offering both his speciality, braised pork rice, and hers, porridge.

A week ago, Botak Cantonese Porridge uploaded a TikTok video about their love story.

It says Ms Lim found the love of her life at 35. They’ve been married for 11 years and remain very much in love.

Netizens were charmed.

A typical comment was that it was “freaking cute”.

@botakporridge They met as hawkers from opposite stalls #parents #fyp #singapore #hawkerfood #viral #love #trending ♬ Like I Can - Sam Smith

Their food gets rave reviews too, with one website calling it a “real hidden gem in Tampines”.

According to their Facebook page, the stall is one of the Top 3 (East) for the DBS Hawker Gem award.