Wok hei and pasta, can meh? The new Woksta at ABC Brickworks tosses locally inspired spaghetti in a wok
ABC Brickworks Market & Food Centre reopened in June after a two-month renovation, and there’s a new kid on the block dishing up a rather unexpected combo we haven’t quite seen before: wok hei and pasta.
Meet Woksta, a playful mash-up of wok and pasta.
It officially opened on October 5, taking over the spot previously occupied by smash burger concept Kine.
Behind Woksta is 34-year-old Henry Yong, who runs the kitchen solo. His longtime friend Catherine lends a hand, taking care of the front of house while helping out with the business’ marketing and social media.
The stall is open on weekdays only, from 11am to 2pm, and it tends to sell out between 1.30pm and 1.40pm — so you’ll want to swing by early to beat the lunch crowd.
A burning passion for the wok
Henry’s journey into the kitchen wasn’t exactly conventional. Before putting on an apron, he spent over a decade with the Singapore Air Force, having signed on at just 19.
In 2024, he made a career switch and joined the Michelin-listed Scandinavian restaurant Dill in Duxton as part of its founding kitchen team.
Henry spent a year there learning the ropes of professional cooking, picking up formal techniques with a focus on European cuisine, before leaving in October 2025.
With Woksta, Henry brings together what he learnt in the kitchen with something he’s long been passionate about: the wok.
He also wants to explore the idea of “Singaporean noodles” — a pretty peculiar concept, considering the dish is more commonly found overseas, particularly at Chinese eateries where it often takes the form of stir-fried, curried-like noodles. Though it carries our name, it’s almost never seen here.
His approach? Marrying two components many of us are familiar with — smoky wok hei and spaghetti — for a fun twist on our everyday hawker fare.
But this wasn’t the sole reason behind his move from a high-end restaurant to a hawker stall.
With two little ones aged four and six, Henry wanted to be more present in their lives.
In the past, Dill’s dinner-only service meant he often missed out on evenings at home. Now, running Woksta gives him more time with his kids as well as the chance to tuck them into bed.
What to expect at Woksta
Woksta’s menu is lean at the moment — it has three dishes, all of which are paired with a housemade coconut-onion white sauce that’s cooked with salted fish and ikan bilis, with no cream or cheese involved.
In the long term, Henry hopes to expand the lineup with seasonal creations and even a cold pasta dish, which are already in the works.
Of the three, the laksa seafood (S$10) packs the biggest punch. The wok-fried spaghetti comes crowned with a crunchy mix of desiccated coconut and dried laksa leaves, while the coconut-onion sauce is drizzled with dried shrimp chilli oil.
Henry recommends trying the spaghetti on its own first, before mixing it with the accompanying sauce.
Here, the spaghetti’s wok hei notes aren’t quite as in-your-face as we’d expected — but hey, that’s not a bad thing at all.
The noodles are cooked just right, with a delicate bite that’s softer than your usual al dente pasta and almost reminiscent of rice vermicelli, albeit slightly thicker.
Toss it all together, and you get a satisfyingly lemak richness, with the unmistakable laksa flavours bringing it all together. It’s shiok, flavourful, and best of all, not overly cloying!
The curry fried chicken (S$7) is another one to try, and it’s already becoming a crowd-favourite.
You’ll get Woksta’s signature wok-fried spaghetti, finished with curry leaf oil and served with housemade fried chicken seasoned with some curry powder.
The comforting curry flavours hit the spot, though the sauce leans a little sweet, reminding us more of Japanese curry.
Nonetheless, it’s a solid pairing with the fried chicken, which boasts a nicely crisp exterior and juicy meat inside.
Then there’s the fish & coconut (S$9) that keeps things simple with spaghetti and Woksta’s signature coconut-onion sauce. It’s topped with desiccated coconut and pandan oil, along with chunky pieces of fried fish.
Here, the sauce carries a subtle coconut fragrance that lingers gently on the palate, mellowing out even further when mixed with the spaghetti.
Compared to the other two, this is the mildest of the lot. The sauce coats the noodles well, adding just enough creaminess without feeling too heavy.
As Woksta settles into its groove, Henry is still tweaking his recipes slightly here and there. Since he runs a one-man show in the kitchen, wait times can sometimes stretch to 15 minutes during peak hours.
But trust us, good things come to those who wait! If you’re craving for a hearty plate of hawker-style pasta that’s a little different from the usual, Woksta is definitely worth a try.
This was a hosted tasting.
For more places to eat, check out the new Korean-Italian concept Osteria Da Su by Nae:um Group and Shake Shack’s seasonal white truffle offerings.
Tue 11am - 2pm
Wed 11am - 2pm
Thu 11am - 2pm
Fri 11am - 2pm
- Queenstown
- Redhill
Shannon has the taste buds of a grandmother and perpetually struggles with a food coma.
Read more stories from this writer.
