Very Lucky Turtle Soup & Lim’s Fried Oyster: Two Berseh Stalls That Closed in 2025
Two longstanding stalls at Berseh Food Centre in Jalan Besar ended operations in August 2025: Very Lucky Turtle Soup and Lim’s Fried Oyster.
Very Lucky Turtle Soup traced its roots to a roadside stall started in the 1960s, while Lim’s Fried Oyster had been operating since 1977. Both businesses closed as their owners retired, shortly before Berseh Food Centre shut for renovation later that year.
Very Lucky Turtle Soup — A Family Business Dating Back to the 1960s
Very Lucky Turtle Soup (大幸运山瑞汤) was a longstanding Berseh Food Centre stall known for traditional turtle soup, crocodile dishes, herbal soups and claypot dishes.
Caption: Very Lucky Turtle Soup at Berseh Food Centre before its closure in 2025.
The business was started by Bobby Chu’s parents as a roadside stall in the 1960s. Bobby later took over the family trade, with reports dating the later business operation to 1981.
The stall served more than 20 dishes, including:
- Herbal Turtle Soup
- Red Wine Chicken
- Crocodile Soup
- Pork, chicken and duck dishes
Why Very Lucky Turtle Soup Closed
By 2025, second-generation owner Bobby Chu, then 65, had been running the business for more than four decades.
He told local media that the work involved spending around 14 hours a day standing at the stall. In April 2025, he experienced dizziness and weakness in his legs while working and was taken to hospital.
After the health scare, Chu decided to retire and close the stall at the end of August 2025.
His sons had offered to take over the business, but he chose not to pass it on to them. Instead, he offered to sell the recipes for S$40,000 and said he was willing to teach a buyer how to prepare the dishes.
“Good things have to be shared.”
Very Lucky Turtle Soup ceased operations in August 2025, ending a business history of more than six decades.
Lim’s Fried Oyster — Nearly Five Decades of Orh Luak
Lim’s Fried Oyster was another longstanding Berseh Food Centre stall that closed in 2025.
Caption: Lim’s Fried Oyster, one of Berseh Food Centre’s longstanding former stalls.
The stall had operated since 1977 and specialised in one dish:
Fried oyster omelette, or orh luak.
It was run by Lim Wee Huat and Pan Wei Ling, who were both 73 when they retired.
Why Lim’s Fried Oyster Closed
The couple chose to retire while they were still in reasonably good health, rather than wait until physical problems forced them to stop.
The timing also came shortly before Berseh Food Centre’s renovation in late 2025.
After news of the closure spread, regular customers returned in large numbers for a final plate of oyster omelette.
Lim’s Fried Oyster closed permanently at the end of August 2025.
Two Longstanding Berseh Stalls Lost in the Same Month
The retirement of Very Lucky Turtle Soup and Lim’s Fried Oyster marked a noticeable change in Berseh Food Centre’s stall mix.
Very Lucky Turtle Soup had family roots stretching back to the 1960s, while Lim’s Fried Oyster had operated since 1977.
Together, the two businesses represented more than a century of operating history, although not all of those years were spent at Berseh Food Centre.
Their closures came shortly before Berseh Food Centre closed for renovation from:
29 September to 28 December 2025
These retirements are now part of the food centre’s recent history, alongside other stall changes before and after the renovation.
Related:
[Stall Changes & Former Stalls →]
[Berseh Food Centre 2025 Renovation →]
[History & Heritage →]
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Very Lucky Turtle Soup still open?
No. Very Lucky Turtle Soup closed permanently in August 2025 after owner Bobby Chu retired.
When did Very Lucky Turtle Soup start?
The family business began as a roadside stall in the 1960s.
Is Lim’s Fried Oyster still open?
No. Lim’s Fried Oyster closed permanently in August 2025.
When did Lim’s Fried Oyster start?
The stall had operated since 1977.
Why did the two stalls close?
Very Lucky Turtle Soup closed after Bobby Chu retired following health concerns. Lim’s Fried Oyster closed when its owners chose to retire after nearly five decades in business.
Was Berseh Food Centre renovated in 2025?
Yes. Berseh Food Centre closed from 29 September to 28 December 2025 for renovation works.