Couple says goodbye to The Glass House

The iconic Glass House flagship branch of seafood restaurant chain Fish & Co will be demolished in late September due to redevelopment efforts by Park Mall, and couples who have flocked there over the past 14 years are sad to see it go.

Particularly affected are Mr Jonathan Ng, 31, and his fiancee Ms CC Ouyang, 30, who have been dating for nine years, during which memorable chapters of their love story played out at Glass House.

They hold the place so dear to their hearts that they held their pre-wedding photoshoot on Monday (June 27) at the venue, which is located at Penang Road next to Park Mall and is under the same management as the lifestyle and furnishing centre.

The couple - who are due to tie the knot in September - met in 2007 at Princeton University in the US, where Mr Ng, a Singaporean, was studying for his Master’s degree. After a one-year long distance relationship, Ms Ouyang, a US citizen, visited Singapore in early 2008 and one of the first places Mr Ng took her to was the Fish & Co at Glass House.

During the date, he requested the live band on-site to play their “couple song”, Hey There Delilah by US pop-punk group Plain White T’s, which is about a couple in a long distance relationship. .

Ms Ouyang said that back then, she really enjoyed the experience and could see herself living in Singapore in the future. She moved to Singapore in late 2008 after graduating.

“I love the unique structure and am a huge fan of seafood,” she told The New Paper.

In late 2012, Mr Ng, a regional manager at a multi-national company, planned to pull off a public proposal and deciding on Glass House was a no-brainer.

The venue became more special to him because it was special to Ms Ouyang, a vice president in the finance industry.

“She would always bring up the date because she really likes the place,” he said.

On the big day, he reached Glass House an hour earlier and alerted the staff about the proposal.

He also told the live band that he would like to join them in performing Hey There Delilah .

“I’ve never sung on stage before (that) so it was pretty ballsy,” he recalled with a laugh.

Halfway through his performance, he jumped off stage and got down on one knee before popping the question to Ms Ouyang, who was shocked into silence for so long that patrons were chanting “Say yes! Say yes!”.

When she finally regained her composure and accepted the proposal, a three-generation Turkish family seated next to them were bawling in happiness.

An elderly woman from that table even came over to cradle Ms Ouyang and Mr Ng’s heads in her hands while blessing them with a joyous married life ahead.

“At least that’s what I hoped she said in Turkish,” he joked.

Ms Ouyang said it was the dream proposal since the place had a deep sentimental value for her.

“It’s a good tale to tell the kids,” Mr Ng said.

When the couple found out about the fate of Glass House and realised their special place could vanish for good in just a few months, they felt incredibly sad as they have “so many memories attached” to it.

Ms Ouyang especially appreciates its family-friendliness, which makes it so wholesome and nostalgic.

“It’s a great place for young relationships to develop,” she said. “And our date here was magical.”

Ironically, the couple don’t have any photographic mementos of their first date and proposal at Glass House - until now.

She added: “We are happy and fortunate (Fish & Co) let us do the (wedding) shoot here as a chance to get some clear, final pictures.”