These S’poreans accidentally started a Web3-driven chip shop, now it’s expanding to Vietnam

Instagram has been my best friend lately.

I know, how Gen Z of me to name an app as my close companion, right? Most times it’s just ridiculous memes and adorable hedgehog videos, but once in a while, I’d find an intriguing business.

Frying Fish Club is one such case.

Located on Owen Road, it’s a Japanese-inspired chippy that’s not too far from Farrer Park MRT. But that’s not what caught my attention as fusion restaurants are a dime a dozen these days.

No, it’s because they market themselves as an NFT and Web3-driven restaurant.

So I did what any good samaritan in my position (as a writer) would do—asked them just what that meant.

A club for foodies and techies

Frying Fish Club isn’t exactly like a conventional club. It’s not an association or formal organisation like your regular Rotary Club or Chinese Swimming Club.

Yet, it has the same mission of bringing people together. In this case, it’s the Web3 and NFT community. So you could think of it as a space that welcomes and gathers industry enthusiasts.

The restaurant will host regular meet-ups for different Web3 projects. Previously, they’ve even hosted “APEHOUSE” in 2022 for Bored Ape Yacht Club and Mutant Ape Yacht Club members. This also led to the introduction of its NFT-inspired craft beer label called “Bored and Boozy”. 

That said, they’re not just providing a venue for people to congregate and discuss their passions. Their aim is to be part of the growth in the Web3 community itself.

The craft beer label aside, Frying Fish Club has taken a dip into the NFT world with a limited collection minted on Ethereum. These are offered in three tiers: maguro, chutoro, and otoro. 

Holders of these NFTs can enjoy a lifetime discount of up to 20% at the restaurant. If you’d like, you could even delete your NFT from the blockchain in exchange for a fish and chips set.

Swimming with the current

The founders didn’t start the restaurant in 2020 intending to focus on Web3 or NFTs, though.

Owen Kwa and Timothy Boey’s vision for Frying Fish Club was to serve up good fish and chips to anyone who might enjoy them. But at the same time, the duo still wanted the chippy to be more than a traditional F&B space.

Their involvement in various NFT communities eventually changed the eatery’s concept over time. Sharing with us, Timothy explained that their other business partner, Jaye, is an active member in a number of NFT projects and communities.

“It started off by hosting some of his friends and we got connected to more people within the Web3 and NFT space. I’m personally interested in IRL (in real life) connections and we’re very much a physical space for Web3 people to connect.”

“We started hosting small meet-ups around early 2021 and there was a growing interest in hosting bigger events,” Timothy said. He fondly recalled the first one that kickstarted everything. The very first NFT event they hosted had over 80 people show up despite the restaurant only having a seating capacity of 35.

This demand continued with many Web3 companies and communities coming to them for event hosting. “We subsequently became known as the Web3 meet-up place in Singapore,” Timothy stated.

Serving up fin-tastic food too

As a Japanese-inspired fish and chips restaurant, Frying Fish Club has a broad appeal. Timothy shared that many of its patrons are actually couples and families, most of whom don’t even know of its Web3 affiliation.

“Occasionally, we get questions about NFTs and that’s always a nice conversation starter,” he expressed candidly.

The star of the restaurant is the Signature Fish & Chips made using white tuna. This is served with a side of edamame in teriyaki sauce in lieu of the usual mushy peas. 

If you’re feeling more adventurous, its Nori Fish & Chips might be right up your alley. It features nori-crusted fish paired with Asian slaw. But Timothy actually recommends the Steak & Hummus as many customers have raved about the dish. 

Other ways the Japanese inspiration comes in can be seen in their appetisers, such as the Tako Wasabi, Creamy Miso Clam Soup, Saikoro Steak, and various flavours of Oyster Shooters.

Timothy explained that the Japanese influence was actually accidental. You see, he and Owen had previously opened another restaurant called Mirage that had a primarily Japanese concept. But they decided to close that in favour of launching Frying Fish Club… in the same location.

“We liked the location because of its accessibility and we also had a lot of regulars who knew where we were,” he remarked. “We started [Frying Fish Club] by using some of the ingredients and flavouring techniques we already knew,” thus giving way to its Japanese-fusion concept. 

It’s not just a trend

If you’ve been keeping up with the news, you’ll notice that the NFT hype has quieted down in recent years. That said, Timothy stated that there’s a lot of new developments going on around the broader Web3 space. 

Forbes reported a couple months ago that some of the newer progress we’re seeing in the industry include:

So Frying Fish Club will continue to be a space for building meaningful connections within the Web3 community. 

Speaking on the local Web3 community itself, Timothy mentioned that they’re generally very helpful to one another. “While most people are in Web3 for financial gains, despite this, I know many who are very open about their knowledge and are also very open to providing help.” 

“I think Web3 is growing and, more importantly, evolving. I believe it will eventually become ubiquitous in everyday life in a way social media is today.”

In that spirit, they’ve launched a second outlet in the East Coast by partnering with local ice cream brand, Creamier. And very soon, Frying Fish Club’s first overseas outlet will open in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam.

Featured Image Credit: Frying Fish Club