JUwei 聚味老南洋咖啡店 is the new potential late-night spot for anyone craving Nanyang delights like nasi lemak and curry chicken, conveniently located just opposite Clarke Quay MRT station.
Open till 2am, this revamped coffeeshop within the SAFRA Town Club building is decked in retro furniture, decor, and multi-coloured lighting. Before its current iteration, the space was home to JUwei Sichuan Cuisine 聚味江湖菜馆. Now, the menu has shifted to focus on classic Nanyang fare.
The offerings are extensive, including breakfast toasts, beverages, cheong fun, wok-fried items, and rice sets. However, do note that the morning menu has a more limited selection.
Kaya Butter Toast 4.2/5
We enjoyed the Kaya Butter Toast ($2.50). It had cold slabs of butter and fragrant kaya sandwiched between thin crisp toasts. While the portion could be larger, I especially liked that the kaya wasn’t too sweet. You can also make it a Toast Set ($5.90) with additional half-boiled eggs and a cup of kopi.
Chicken Curry Chee Cheong Fun 3.5/5
The Chicken Curry Chee Cheong Fun ($7.90) came paired with an assortment of ingredients – chicken, beans, beancurd skin, tau pok and pig skin. The curry was aromatic, but I wished the cheong fun was smoother.
Penang Char Kuey Teow 3.5/5
The Penang Char Kuey Teow ($10.90) carried a decent amount of flavour and wok hei, but it was a pity that the kway teow we had leaned to one of a harder texture. The dish was fried with fishcake, prawn, egg and lap cheong.
Prawn Paste Chicken Mid Joint 4/5
Our Prawn Paste Chicken Mid Joint ($8.90) was served piping hot, with each piece fried to a crunch that you would like your har cheong gai to have. These were nicely marinated, and its meat remained juicy.
Nasi Lemak with Crispy Fried Chicken Whole Leg Combo 4.2/5
Last but not least, we had to try JUwei’s Nasi Lemak with Crispy Fried Chicken Whole Leg Combo ($12.90), a dish we saw many other diners enjoying. It was nicely served on a wooden platter with sides of achar, keropok, curry vegetables, egg, and a bowl of soup. The rice could be more lemak, but the texture was done well and fluffy. The highlight was the chunky chicken leg that came with crisp skin and tender meat, accompanied by extra crisp bits for added crunch. The soup was a miss, but the sambal added a sweet-spicy hit.
Photos and words by Jo. A girl who loves her Mala (麻辣) at Da La (大辣), discovering hidden food gems and a good cup of matcha latte. Note: This is an invited tasting.
JUwei 聚味老南洋咖啡店
29 Carpenter Street
Level 1
Singapore 059923
Tel: +65 6988 0836
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Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay (NE Line)
Opening Hours:
Mon-Sat: 8am – 2am
(Closed on Sun)
Direction:
1) Alight at Clarke Quay MRT station. Take Exit E. Cross the road and walk to Carpenter Street. Turn left onto Carpenter Street. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]