After closing his well-loved 17-year-old stall at Old Airport Road Food Centre, Melvin Soh has reopened Toast Hut at a new location in Bukit Merah. The stall, which officially started operations on February 17, is now located at Connection One Tower 1, 168 Jalan Bukit Merah. While he has retained the original name of his business, toast is not currently available on the menu. The new outlet is open on weekdays from 7 AM to 4 PM.

Although many patrons associate Toast Hut with its signature kaya toast, the dish has been removed from the menu for now. Melvin has assured that while kaya toast is on hold, coffee and tea are still available. Instead of toast, he has introduced economic rice, commonly known as 'cai fan,' as a staple dish. He has also included fried bee hoon, fried noodles, and fried kway teow with a variety of side dishes, making the new menu both simple and familiar.

Bukit Merah is not an unfamiliar location for Melvin, as he previously operated a café called Sandffee in the area. That business closed during the pandemic, but when the opportunity arose, he was able to secure a shop space through a bidding process. With limited manpower, he has opted for a menu that requires fewer staff and is easier to manage. He is currently running the eatery with his father and one apprentice.

The closure of Toast Hut’s Old Airport Road stall was largely due to manpower shortages. The stall required at least four staff members, and Melvin’s mother, aunt, and an employee previously helped him with operations. As they aged, the workload became too much for them to handle. Hiring new staff proved difficult, as many potential employees expected high salaries but were unwilling to work long hours.

Understanding the challenges of maintaining a toast-based stall, Melvin had already considered a shift in menu. He wanted to serve dishes that required less time and effort, such as economic fried bee hoon and Kuala Lumpur-style Hokkien noodles. Unlike making toast, brewing coffee, taking orders, and washing cups, serving economic rice is a much simpler process. Toast Hut is now back in business, albeit with a different approach. While toast remains absent from the menu for now, the stall continues to serve affordable and familiar food in its new home at Bukit Merah.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from Instagram/toasthut.