11 best stalls at the newly re-opened Jurong West Hawker Centre (JW50 Hawker Heritage)
It’s no secret that Jurong West Hawker Centre has had a troubled history, but with its recent re-opening in late Sep 2023, things are finally looking up for nearby residents. As a fellow Westie, I was thrilled that Pioneer folks finally have a proper, full-blown hawker centre in their area.
Now under the management of JW50 Hawker Heritage, the revamped hawker centre is equipped with more stalls (a whopping 39) and a larger seating capacity.
Bringing cash is essential as a slow roll-out has made digital payment unavailable for some stalls. In addition, some businesses are still ironing out their kinks, so opening hours may vary.
1. Stove Fire Chinese Cuisine 火炉火中餐 (#01-15)
On my first visit, I walked straight through the front entrance and found myself before Stove Fire Chinese Cuisine. Something compelled me to pick their signature dish despite a routine avoidance of fire (and spice), but I’m glad I did because it blew me away.
Their bowl of Sichuan Boiled Meat (S$5/S$8/S$10/S$12) comes with a choice of Chicken, Beef, Pork or Vegetables. Each milky sip brings a multifaceted fusion of a pleasant in-your-face (or nose) wok hei with deliciously complex peppery notes from the Sichuan red peppers and green peppercorns, as well as a secret spice blend. The beef and chicken (which I tried on separate occasions) were tender and brimming with superb flavour. I’ll declare this outright: this soup is entirely worth travelling for.
A great complement to the numbing spice is the Shanghainese Noodles (S$3), a zha jiang mian equivalent with a topping of scallions and sauce that’s on the sweeter side.
Their Fried Rice King (S$5/S$7) uses lala sauce and a whole host of other secret ingredients to deliver, as the owner proudly declares, ‘5 different colours’, ‘10 varying flavours’ and ‘4 separate textures’ — hence the deservingly grandiose name.
The stallowner has spent a good 2 decades learning cuisines from all over the world, and even ran another Japanese-Korean stall at Jalan Besar prior to making the shift here. If you’re looking for affordable, authentic Chinese food with a refined hawker flair, look no further than Stove Fire Chinese Cuisine.
+65 9295 6368
Thu to Tue: 11am – 9pm
Closed on Wed
2. Xiang Yu Pan-fried Buns (#02-18)
Xiang Yu Pan-fried Bun, as you might have surmised, sells freshly hand-made dumplings — already very popular judging from its lengthy queues. Some reviews harp on their ‘slow service’ which might explain the crowd, but turnaround time didn’t seem much different from other dumpling stalls when I was there.
As what seems to be the trend these days, the stall is helmed by a former Paradise Dynasty chef (of over 12 years), with this being his first hawker venture.
The Pan-fried Pork Buns (S$4 for 3pcs, u.p. S$4.50) were oozing with juices so best exercise a soft bite to avoid triggering the hot ejecta. If you’d like a different filling of meat, they also have Pan-fried Prawn Buns (S$5 for 3pcs, u.p. S$5.50).
The Chives & Pork Dumpling (S$5 for 10pcs), are on the smaller side but still packaged with delicious meat fillings that ring out with a tinge of sweetness on every chew. Don’t forget to dip them in vinegar for a flavour multiplier.
Xiao Long Bao (S$6 for 6pcs) and Prawn Wanton Soup (S$6.50) round out the range of dumplings typical of these stalls while noodle die-hards can partake in Xiang Yu’s Spiced Beef Noodle (S$5.50) and Zha Jiang Noodle (Dry) (S$4.50).
Wed to Sun: 11.30am – 3.30pm & 5.30pm – 8.30pm
Closed on Mon & Tue
3. T-Bar (#02-21)
I’ll bet you weren’t expecting a boba tea stall here. They’re becoming a common sight at hawker centres so it wasn’t a surprise to find T Bar filling this niche at the new Jurong West Hawker Centre. What’s pretty cool is that their selection leans towards a mix of freshly squeezed cold brew fruit tea rather than typical milk tea derivatives.
The Strawberry Yoghurt (S$3.80) is surprisingly light and doesn’t let its sour notes knock the sweetness off-balance. There’s still a thicker consistency achieved from the make-up of yoghurt, which allows the flavours to linger. Mango Green Tea (S$2.80) manages to even out the faint bitter aftertaste of tea with sugary mango pulp.
Their Watermelon Lemon Tea (S$3.20) is somewhat of a confused concoction, pitting 2 overly different fruits against one another that leaves an intended(?) dryness awkwardly contrasted by juicier blended watermelon bits.
No.1 Fruit Tea (S$3.50) is the best pick of the fruity bunch. This messy suspension of several fruits like passionfruit, lime, watermelon and even pineapple just works somehow. Not a hint of clashing flavours as I siphoned the refreshing beverage as aggressively as the straw would allow.
Milk tea lovers have the basic option of Milk Tea (S$2.50) or Brown Sugar Pearl Milk Tea (S$2.80) and an uncommon variation in Peppermint Milk Tea with White Pearl (S$2.80). T Bar has also hopped on the avocado craze with the Honey Avocado Shake (S$3.80) and Mango Avocado Shake (S$3.80).
All drinks can be upsized for an additional S$1; the price point alone makes me envious of residents staying nearby.
Daily: 10am – 10pm
4. West’s Bros Western Food Stall (#01-07)
There are 2 definitive Western food stalls at Jurong West Hawker Centre — 1 on each floor. West’s Bros Western Food Stall is situated on the first. My eyes were magnetised by the Chicken Chop thanks to its affordable S$5.80 price tag, but something more attention-grabbing won me over. It wasn’t Salmon with Mentaiko (S$8.50) or the value meal of Chicken Karaage/Wing/Nuggets with Rice at only S$3.
Har Cheong Gai takes not the form of fried chicken wings, but a very appetising Prawn Paste Chicken Cutlet (S$7) under West’s Bros machinations.
Underneath the crust was a thoroughly juicy subcutaneous layer that gave this sinful slab of chicken an extra ‘mmm’ stimulus along with a touch of sweetness. The thinner cutlet works to the dish’s advantage as the meat, crust and fatty, oily goodness are weighed out perfectly in mouthfeel.
All main dishes include sides of coleslaw, baked beans and a choice of carbs from fries, rice or spaghetti.
Tue to Sun: 12pm – 2pm & 5pm – 7.30pm
Closed on Mon
5. Munchi Pancakes (#01-13)
Munchi Pancakes finally establishes a foothold in the West at Jurong West Hawker Centre. Fans of their myriad flavours no longer have to embark on lengthy expeditions, though they’ll still have to contend with the queue due to very high demand.
The conventional picks of Peanut and Red Bean Min Jiang Kueh (S$1.60) give you a choice of original, charcoal or green tea skin, but if you’d rather not suffer the wait time, pick one that’s available off the display.
Adventurous eaters, you’re in for a herculean challenge – choosing (and sticking with) a flavour from the plethora of options.
If it’s any help at all, Thai Milk Tea with Original Skin (S$2.20) has less of the bitter, herb-ey notes, Oreo Cheese with Green Tea Skin (S$2.20) has a dominantly cheesy profile that overwhelms the Oreo at times. Meanwhile, the Black Sesame with Green Tea Skin (S$2.20) sports a nutty, chunky filling akin to tangyuan that my colleague, Aaron, really liked, and the Strawberry Cheese with Charcoal Skin (S$2.20) is a beautiful contrast of colours with a pleasant creamy filling. I hope you weren’t expecting a full rundown of all their flavours.
Order Delivery: foodpanda Deliveroo
Tue to Sun: 8am – 8.30pm
Closed on Mon
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6. Im Jang Thai (#02-24)
Foodies hunting for authentic Thai fare might just find the right spot in Im Jang Thai, helmed by a Thai national.
The Thai Basil Rice (S$5) is a perfect barometer to distinguish between better and less polished Thai food spots.
The fine chicken meat is thoroughly seasoned to be more savoury than sweet with a distinct peppery kick. Serviceable, but a possible turn-off to those that prefer a less intense meal. The egg yolk was sadly almost cooked through, which made it quite drying.
What most diners will likely be looking out for is the Mookata (S$32) set, which serves a massive tray of vegetables, meats and more (out of frame in this case) capable of feeding at least 5.
Other Thai signatures not to be missed are Pad Thai (S$5), Tom Yum Chicken Soup (Red/Clear) (S$6) and Green Curry Chicken (S$8).
Make sure you hit the proper daily fibre intake with Mango or Papaya Salad (S$5).
Thu to Tue: 6am – 10pm
Closed on Wed
7. Muhammad Aizaan Indian Muslim Food (#01-14)
Muhammad Aizaan is the second stall of the same name from Yuhua Market & Hawker Centre.
Tired of noodles and rice, I opted for a bountiful plate of Rojak and pointed randomly at ingredients on display with reckless abandon. This ended with me S$9.50 poorer and a short-lived case of buyer’s remorse.
Thanks to the haphazard selection, I had to call on a friend in reserve. It was a brief spell of regret as the rojak turned out to be more voluminous than I could handle. The fritters were doughy on the inside and complemented the sweet rojak sauce extremely well while the fish cakes and fried boiled eggs diversified the textures alongside crunchy cucumber and earthy onion slices.
I was never able to make out any peanuts in the red sauce, which is a usual component in Indian Rojak.
Thu to Tue: 6am – 10pm
Closed on Wed
8. Shi Nian (#02-05/06)
To be honest, I had no idea Shi Nian was such a well-established brand prior to my first visit to Jurong West Hawker Centre. As of Oct 2023, they have 25 stalls across Singapore!
The stall on the left sells mainly pig leg and pig trotter rice as well as pig intestines, while the one on the right offers Yong Tau Fu.
The pig trotter in the Pig Trotter Rice (S$5.90) was remarkably succulent and almost too fatty. I enjoyed how they dissolved mid-chew with the braised gravy and rice, but that was a double-edged sword with those small portions.
As for the Pig Intestines (S$5), every single piece was well-cleaned and springy, releasing the absorbed gravy as I ate.
The Yong Tau Fu set (S$7.50) felt somewhat like a betrayal. The word ‘set’ implies a satiating meal, but this one fell short by a mile. Still, the accompanying ingredients like the chicken wing and wu xiang were greatly enhanced by Shi Nian’s sweet chilli sauce and left me feeling satisfied.
With decent portions, Shi Nian would definitely be higher on the list. Perhaps these reduced portions are a consequence of their rapid expansion.
Food Delivery: foodpanda Deliveroo
Daily: 10.30am – 9pm
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9. Tanjong Rhu Wanton Noodle (#02-15)
Tanjong Rhu Wanton Noodle is another reputed name at the new Jurong West Hawker Centre. They’ve received plenty of media attention, which you’ll inevitably realise from their dazzling yellow stallfront.
The Signature Wanton Noodle (Dry) (S$4.30) was strewn with some char siew and a singular piece of fried wanton. Not the best look, but taste isn’t always congruent with appearances.
As it turned out, the noodles were just the right firmness and mixing it with the sauce pooled underneath took an unassuming dish up a notch. The char siew, while dry, was flavourful and presented a different texture whilst I polished off the whole plate, barring the veggies.
For something different, try Chicken Feet Noodle (S$4.80) or Shredded Chicken Hor Fun/Noodle (S$4). If you want an unadulterated wanton meal, they have a whole tray of Fried Wanton (S$4.80) and Dry Wanton (S$4.80),
Daily: 7am – 9.30pm
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Order Delivery: foodpanda Deliveroo
10. GOPIZZA (#02-20)
Every now and then, our cravings just don’t align with the enormous hawker spread. GOPIZZA offers a specific food not typical of our hawker centres — pizza.
Meat Maniac Pizza (S$12.90) hits you with a triple meat assault and, as its name suggests, caters to hardcore meat maniacs.
The cheese base (mozzarella and cheddar) of this Korean pizza chain is much more conservative so you won’t feel too much guilt scarfing down the slices topped with turkey bacon, pepperoni and bits of bulgogi.
Another meaty option is K-Bulgogi Pizza (S$11.50), which drizzles the bulgogi meat with teriyaki sauce and mayonnaise. If the American take on pizza is more your thing, their American Cheese Pizza (S$6) is topped with even more mozzarella cheese. Just mozzarella cheese.
Heretics have Hawaiian Pizza (S$8.90) and Veggie Pizza (S$7.90) so they don’t feel too left out at parties.
Order Delivery: foodpanda Deliveroo
Daily: 11am – 9pm
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11. Japanese & Korean Cuisine (#02-22)
The 2nd storey of Jurong West Hawker Centre is where you’ll find more international cuisine, and where the un-interestingly named Japanese & Korean Cuisine stall is located.
For S$5.20, my go-to pick at stalls like this is Teriyaki Chicken Omelette Rice, which looked to be a decent challenge for small appetites.
The teriyaki chicken had a deeply crunchy skin, pulled off better than some Japanese hawker stalls. With some teriyaki sauce, the soft chicken meat within gets some spotlight as well. Mayonnaise is provided as a denser condiment and its mild sweetness pairs with both teriyaki chicken and the omelette rice.
Hotplate Saba Set (S$5.80), Chicken/Pork/Beef Bibimbap (S$6) and the Mentaiko Salmon Don (S$8) are probably much more appealing to the regular person. Kimchi Chicken Ramen (S$5.20) also sounds like an interesting mix of both Japanese and Korean.
Wed: 3pm – 9pm
Thu to Tue: 11am – 9pm
Closed on Mon
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