Latest news with #Lad&Dad
Malay Mail
a day ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
Singapore restaurateurs flee rising costs for cheaper lifeline in Johor Bahru
SINGAPORE, July 30 — Struggling with high rents and labour shortages, Singaporean restaurateurs are turning to Johor Bahru for relief, drawn by lower costs and the hope of reviving their businesses. Hyderabadi chef Govinda Rajan, who opened his first Malaysian branch of Mr Biryani just three months ago, is already eyeing expansion, calling it a much-needed lifeline as his Singapore outlets battle to survive, the South China Morning Post reported. Across the city state, food and beverage (F&B) businesses are closing at the fastest rate in nearly 20 years, with 3,047 establishments shutting down in 2024 alone. This year has already seen 1,404 closures in the first half, including long-time favourites like Crystal Jade's Holland Village branch and Michelin-starred Poise. Govinda and others say while ingredients in Malaysia may be pricier, the overall costs — from rent to wages — are far more manageable, helping restore profitability. Singapore's tight foreign worker policies and locals' aversion to service jobs have further strained the sector, leaving many businesses short-staffed and financially squeezed. Temasek Polytechnic's Geoffrey Tai said more operators are expanding regionally to escape Singapore's high overheads and tap into growing middle-class markets like Malaysia. Lower operating costs have helped restaurateurs like Keith Koh, who opened a Muslim-friendly outlet of Lad & Dad in Kuala Lumpur in May, rediscover their passion and reduce burnout. Still, Singapore saw 3,790 new F&B openings last year and nearly 2,000 more in the first half of 2025, though industry insiders warn many are underestimating the risks. Chef-owner Bjorn Shen, who has expanded to Penang and Bali, said profits of 20–30 per cent are achievable abroad, compared to 5–7 per cent at best in Singapore, where most new restaurants fail within two years.
The Star
04-07-2025
- Business
- The Star
Lad & Dad Fish & Chips will leave you well-fed and glad
At 11.30am on a Friday, Lad & Dad in Kuala Lumpur is relatively quiet. One or two tables are occupied but nothing to raise blood pressure levels and certainly nothing that portends the flood of humans that will soon arrive. Because by noon, the restaurant is out-of-control packed – each table absolutely heaving and swollen to capacity. Outside, a long, snaking queue has formed and eager would-be diners can be seen craning their necks in the hope of getting a table soon-ish. It's quite mad really. Who would have thought a fish and chips restaurant would have such a strong pull? Well, owner Keith Koh did. Which isn't all that surprising once you realise that Koh is a veteran in the business of proving his dissenters wrong. 'More than 10 years ago, I was in Britain studying and I worked in hospitality. In the final year of my degree course, I decided I wanted to start an F&B business. But with the little savings that I had, I could only afford a hawker stall in Singapore. 'I had a big argument with my dad and I eventually convinced him to give me two years to get the business going. So I registered a company together with him so that he could see the books and basically get a sense of assurance – hence the name, Lad & Dad,' says Koh. Koh (left) started Lad & Dad with his father Desmond Koh who now helps him manage the eatery in Singapore. He first ran a food stall in one of Singapore's ubiquitous food courts, serving up old-school English fare like Yorkshire puddings, mashed potatoes and lamb stew. He says the decision to serve these was driven by a desire to be different. 'The whole idea wasn't just for me to be in F&B, but to introduce a whole dining experience. "English food has never been top of the list when it comes to international cuisine – it's always Italian or Spanish or something else. So I felt that the market for English food was still raw back then,' explains Koh, adding that he also wanted his food to be affordable. The eatery is perpetually packed and often boasts long, teeming queues during lunch hour. Interestingly, for the first year, fish and chips wasn't even on the menu as it took Koh that entire year to figure out how to make the best possible version of it. He received valuable feedback from his parents. 'When I first developed my recipe in Britain in the dorms, my local housemates were my focus group and they really liked my recipe. 'But when I brought it back for my mum and dad to try, they were like 'There's no way this would fly in this part of the world'. They told me outright that there wasn't enough flavour or depth to it. 'I thought I had the perfect recipe, but then I spent a year trying to get it right. In the end, I think it was a good thing we waited that long because when we finally got the right one, it took off immediately,' he says. So why open in Malaysia? Koh says an opportunity presented itself last year and he opened in Wisma Cosway in KL to great reception and serpentine queues. Unfortunately, things fell apart and he ended up having to close shop. But demand from fans in Malaysia proved overwhelming so this year, he decided to reopen Lad & Dad at another lot in the same building. The secret to the restaurant's success is in its fish batter, which is made using a wide range of herbs and spices. — Photos: Lad & Dad KL The location choice is a little perplexing as most new restaurants typically launch in more salubrious neighbourhoods or upscale malls. Yet, Koh says the bare-bones building that the eatery is housed in really resonates with the brand's unassuming roots. 'The malls have been knocking on our doors, but rental at these malls is like RM50,000 to RM60,000. And we are still only a small family business. 'We felt that to come full circle in our 10-year anniversary, we wanted to pay homage to our hawker stall roots and continue to make our fish and chips affordable. No way can we sell it at our current prices if we were paying RM50,000 in rent. 'Which means fewer people will be able to eat it and that defeats the purpose again,' says Koh. At Lad & Dad here, fish and chips reigns supreme. There are only two fish options – Norwegian haddock or perch sourced from the region. On the chips front, you can opt to have thick-cut or the more popular thin-cut fries. Served alongside this are a selection of sauces like classic tartar sauce, mushy peas, malt vinegar, curry sauce and the KL-exclusive sambal aioli. Each order of fish and chips comes with a choice of two sauce accompaniments. The perch is sourced regionally and has a crackly outer skin that yields to incredibly flaky flesh within. Start with the Classic Perch Fish & Chips (RM29.90). The batter that took Koh over a year to perfect is made up of a range of proprietary herbs and spices like salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme, paprika and other ingredients that cannot be disclosed. But trust me when I say that all the hard work was oh-so worth it. Because this is a fish that has been battered and fried to absolute perfection and retains a crispy, crackly carapace that is an absolute auditory and sensory delight. The batter itself is laced with a multi-dimensional flavour profile – there is a herbaceous underlay and a touch of spice gilding its core structure and this is what gives it an edge over conventional fish and chips. Each mouthful delivers a power-packed textural odyssey – first landing on a brittle crunch that then segues into sweet, tender flesh within. If you're opting for the thin-cut fries to accompany your fish, you'll marvel at how each long spud baton is crisp on the outside yet succumbs willingly to starchy innards that are insanely addictive. From the sauce selection, the classic tartar sauce delivers a creamy yet lightly acerbic counterpoint to the fried fish while the sambal aioli hits all those spicy high notes and then some. Opt for the Norwegian haddock with thin cut fries if you want to indulge in a crispy, crunchy, flaky, voluptuous slice of fish. If you're opting to indulge, then sample the Premium Haddock Fish & Chips (RM51.90). The haddock is extraordinarily good – a fat, voluptuous slice of fish with flaky, voluminous flesh that is the gift that keeps on giving. Pair this with the thick-cut fries and enjoy the sumptuous, hedonistic journey to nirvana. Wash down all this goodness with the House Made Lemonade (RM9.90) which is made with freshly squeezed lemons and is a potent citrus siren designed to sluice through the richness of the fish and chips with lethal efficiency. Moving forward, Koh says there are already plans afoot for expansion in the Klang Valley and beyond. 'Expansion is definitely in the works. But we want to take it slow. We want to make sure we find the right group of people to work with,' he concludes. Address: Lot G-30, Ground Floor, Wisma Cosway, 88 Jalan Raja Chulan, 50450 Kuala Lumpur Open: Mondays to Saturdays, 11.30am to 2.30pm; 5pm to 8pm
