Very Lucky Turtle Soup & Lim’s Fried Oyster Retired

Two of Berseh Food Centre’s most legendary stalls have now permanently closed their shutters. Very Lucky Turtle Soup and Lim’s Fried Oyster — together representing over a century of hawker heritage — served their final customers in August 2025. The retirements mark a significant turning point for Berseh Food Centre and for Singapore’s hawker culture.

Very Lucky Turtle Soup — 60 Years of Legacy

Very Lucky Turtle Soup (大幸运山瑞汤) served traditional turtle soup and herbal dishes for over 60 years . Founded by Bobby Chu’s parents as a roadside stall in the 1960s, the business moved to Berseh Food Centre in 1981 and remained there until its closure .

Bobby Chu, now 65, took over the stall from his parents in the early 1980s. He had briefly left to learn how to cook claypot rice before returning to continue the family trade .

The stall’s menu was extensive — over 20 dishes featuring pork, chicken, duck, turtle, and crocodile . Signature dishes included Herbal Turtle Soup (S$12 to S$50), Red Wine Chicken (S$6.50), and Crocodile Soup (S$25 to S$40) . Only legally farmed turtles and crocodiles were used .

The Toll of 14-Hour Days

But the long hours took their toll. For years, Bobby Chu worked 14-hour days, opening his stall at around 9am and getting home only at 11pm .

“I open the stall at around 9am and get home only at 11pm. I’ve been standing 14 hours a day for years.” 

On April 18, 2025, he suddenly felt dizzy and experienced weakness in his legs while working . He was rushed to the hospital and diagnosed with a viral infection. Doctors warned that prolonged standing had caused poor blood circulation in his legs — and that continuing could lead to disability .

“The doctor told me if I continue like this, there’s a real risk of disability.” 

He was hospitalised for three weeks and took additional time off after his discharge .

The Difficult Decision to Close

After four decades of running the stall, Bobby Chu made the difficult decision to close at the end of August 2025 . His sons had offered to take over, but he declined .

“My mother told me that if I want to close it down, I should not feel pity about it. I also do not want to continue working until I have to rely on a walking stick to go around. I hope I can get some good rest after retiring.” 

“I’ve been doing this for 40 years. I really can’t put it down, I can’t. But I really can’t [continue] with it. With my health condition, I can’t do it. I’ll miss this place too. I’ve been here for 40 years, I spent more time here than at home. Who wouldn’t miss it?” 

His secret recipes were put up for sale for S$40,000 . He expressed willingness to teach the buyer everything he knows and even visit their stall to provide guidance .

“Good things have to be shared. If they can learn my recipe, I’ll be very happy.” 

Lim’s Fried Oyster — 48 Years of Sizzling Woks

Another icon also closed its shutters for good in August 2025. Lim’s Fried Oyster operated at Berseh Food Centre since 1977 — nearly 50 years .

The stall was run by 73-year-old Lim Wei Fat and his wife Phan Hui Ling. For almost five decades, the stall served only one dish: oyster omelette (orh luak) . It operated from Wednesday to Sunday, 6pm to midnight .

The couple decided to retire while they were still in good health, rather than waiting until health problems forced them to stop . The timing also aligned with Berseh Food Centre’s renovation in September 2025 .

“Now that everyone has heard that I’m closing down, they’ve all come here. Our business has been especially good over the past two days.” 

Google Maps now marks Lim’s Fried Oyster as “Permanently Closed” .

What This Means for Berseh

The permanent closure of these two stalls — along with the food centre’s renovation from 29 September to 28 December 2025 — represents a significant moment in Berseh’s history .

Together, the two stalls represent over 100 years of combined hawker heritage. Their departure leaves a void in Singapore’s hawker culture and serves as a reminder of the challenges facing Singapore’s ageing hawker population.

— Berseh Food Centre, 166 Jalan Besar, Singapore.