Singaporeans love wife biscuits (or “Lao Po Bing” in Mandarin), judging by the long queue that appeared at Hong Kong wife biscuit specialist Hang Heung’s first outlet here. If you like the classic HK treat, here’s one more place to hit up: Joy Luck Teahouse. It’s offering Hong Kong-style Lo Po Beng for the first time at its latest Junction 8 outlet in Bishan, which will open on April 15, 2021.

The cha chaan teng chain, first opened by former TVB producer Robert Chua last August, has prided itself on bringing in snacks from famous HK brands — bolo buns and egg tarts from Chow Yun-fat’s favourite Hoover Cake Shop, Dick Cheung’s go-to milk tea from Kam Kee Cafe and fishballs from the popular Tak Hing Fish Ball Company.

The source of Joy Luck’s wife biscuit, however, is a secret. According to a rep for the chain, the item was “sourced by Robert from Hong Kong, and a HK chef had given him the recipe”. The Singapore-born Robert, who has lived in HK for over five decades, had found it to be “the best-tasting lo po beng.”

Each wife biscuit costs $2.50 (slightly lower than Hang Heung’s lao po bing, which is priced at $2.80). The Cantonese pastry has “a thin flaky crust, which wraps a slightly chewy filling of premium mashed, slightly sweet, candied winter melon.” The lao po bings are baked on-site at the J8 takeaway kiosk.

To celebrate its opening, Joy Luck Teahouse’s new outlet will run a promotion from April 15 to 18, 2021, where the first 88 customers of the day who buy a four-piece box of lao po bing will get another box for free. Customers who drop by after that get an 18 percent discount off their lao po bing purchase (no minimum quantity required).

#B1-03/03A Junction 8, 9 Bishan Place S579837. Open daily 9am-10pm. www.joyluckteahouse.com.

Photos: Joy Luck Teahouse