No sign, no fuss — just popiah: Wong’s savoury spring rolls win over regulars at Lucky 313 Café

Wong Hie Yii poses for the camera.

By Wilfred Pilo

If you are looking for a fresh, lighter local snack packed with flavour, popiah could be just the thing.

For the past two years, regulars at Lucky 313 Cafe on Green Road have been returning for the popiah made by Wong Hie Yii, 63, a familiar face at the cafe.

Despite having no prominent stall signage, Wong’s popiah has built a loyal following, with regulars praising its savoury flavours and fresh ingredients. The rolls often sell out by mid-morning, making the modest stall easy to miss but hard for fans to forget.

A native of Simanggang, Wong brings more than 40 years of culinary experience to her craft. She only began making popiah in recent years after looking for a dish that was both delicious and less physically demanding to prepare.

Wong’s version of the savoury, fresh local spring roll—popiah.

Wong had initially moved to Kuching to enjoy her retirement but soon found herself missing the kitchen. She previously cooked Foochow noodles at an eatery along Rubber Road before switching to popiah to stay active while avoiding the physical strain of wok cooking.

Her signature popiah features paper-thin skins filled with jicama, carrots, peanuts, dried prawns, minced meat, and fresh coriander.

“But of course, I consulted with friends and family, and they told me that local Kuching residents had a deep appreciation for fresh, traditional spring rolls.

“With my culinary experience, the transition to making popiah was seamless, though it required a slight adjustment to master the flavours. So, it was a little switch from stir-frying noodles to making popiah to stay active while avoiding the physical strain of wok cooking,” she told DayakDaily with a smile.

Smile Popiah’s menu.

Since then, Wong has enjoyed preparing popiah for Kuching diners, particularly those in the Green Road area, where the neighbourhood’s diverse food scene has helped her build a loyal customer base.

She noted that popiah was rarely sold commercially in her hometown of Simanggang. However, demand for greater food variety in the city has turned her small venture into a rewarding one, with some customers even taking her popiah to other towns and countries.

Wong comes from a family with a strong culinary tradition and said she has never doubted her ability to prepare quality food in her own kitchen.

“I started as a teenager, observing the dishes my paternal grandfather prepared; both my mother and my siblings are also skilled cooks.

“I am comfortable with it, and at this age, making popiah is a great way to stay active while enjoying my retirement,” she said.

Wong is confident her family’s culinary legacy will continue, allowing future generations to enjoy the dishes passed down through the family.

Smile Popiah is located at Lucky 313 Cafe on Green Road and operates daily from 6am to noon. For inquiries, call 011-5114 3109. — DayakDaily

Smile Popiah is at Lucky 313 Cafe on Green Road.