Home by Enjoy: Joel Ong and Jack Neo launch nostalgic dining concept centred on family and wellness

Home by Enjoy is a new restaurant concept built around something many Singaporeans already know and love: Comforting food shared with family and friends. 

Opened in January, the restaurant is a collaboration between chef Joel Ong of Heartland by Enjoy and local filmmaker Jack Neo. It brings together their shared appreciation for family, heritage, and good food.

Patrons will find nostalgic local dishes with wellness-inspired recipes developed alongside Come Here Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic. Nourishing soups, braises, and communal dining are at the heart of the experience.

Standout items include the signature Enjoy crab bee hoon, Grandpa’s braised pork trotter, Enjoy oyster omelette, as well as herbal soups, such as black chicken soup.

Home by Enjoy’s origins

The collaboration between Joel and Jack began through a mutual connection. “Jack and I were introduced by his friend who dined at our restaurant and recommended it to him,” says Joel. 

For Jack, the partnership was a natural fit. “I chose to collaborate with Joel because he is an excellent chef whose menu is constantly evolving and improving,” adds Jack. 

What followed was a realisation that both men were sharing Singapore stories, albeit through different mediums.

“Jack has spent his career telling Singapore stories through film, while I’ve spent mine sharing Singapore flavours through food,” says Joel. “We’re both passionate about celebrating local culture and creating something Singaporeans can relate to and be proud of.”

He adds: “We imagined a situation where a friend had a stressful week. Instead of bringing them somewhere luxurious, what if you could bring them somewhere that genuinely cared for their wellbeing?”

That idea became Home by Enjoy, a restaurant centred on nourishing food, meaningful conversations, and hospitality. 

The restaurant’s interior reflects that same philosophy. Welcoming colours, nostalgic touches, and family-style seating are intended to make guests feel at home.

One particularly prominent feature is a display corner showcasing props from Jack Neo’s film Long Long Time Ago.Those props represent familiar memories that many Singaporeans grew up with, such as Milo tins.

At the restaurant, you’ll also find posters of Jack’s well-known movies, such as Money No Enough and Ah Boys to Men.

Combining wellness with tasty food

Joel describes Home by Enjoy as his most exploratory project to date. He and Jack pondered how to build something around food they loved, such as soups and braises. 

“As chefs, we still want people to enjoy themselves, so the challenge was finding the balance between nourishment and flavour,” notes Joel. 

Partnering Come Here TCM Clinic, Joel worked closely with its founder Nick Tan and team to incorporate traditional herbal ingredients into selected dishes, such as the double-boiled herbal soups. 

Nick and his team advised them on selecting the herbs, how different ingredients complemented one another, and how to balance flavour with traditional wellness concepts. 

The menu and what we tried

Among the signatures is the Home crab bee hoon (S$98), which Jack himself counts among his personal favourites.

Each crab weighs around 900g to 1kg, and the dish combines a collagen-rich chicken broth with the restaurant’s signature seafood stock. The broth we tried was rich, comforting and full of flavour. 

The Grandpa’s braised pork trotter (S$16) is less flashy, but equally memorable. The braising liquid delivers a gentle herbal warmth, while allowing the pork’s richness to shine through.

The dish is especially personal for Joel. “This recipe comes from my own family and carries memories of home and family gatherings for me,” he adds.

Another signature is the Enjoy oyster omelette (S$20), which features crispy omelette paired with eight premium oysters from Hyogo, Japan. The omelette strikes a nice balance between crisp and fluffy, and the large oysters were plump and juicy.

Of the herbal soups, the black chicken soup (S$13) stands out for its fuller-bodied herbal profile, while the white chicken soup (S$13) is lighter and more approachable. Both feel comforting rather than medicinal, which appears to be exactly what the restaurant is aiming for.

Joel has also brought over the signature Filial pie tee (S$16 for six pieces) from Enjoy Eating House & Bar. The handmade pastry shell features prawns, conpoy and stock-poached jicama — delivering familiar Peranakan flavours in an addictive bite.

Desserts continue the nostalgic theme. The ginger milk curd with osmanthus honey (S$8) is delicate and refreshing, with the floral sweetness of the honey complementing the warmth of the ginger.

Meanwhile, the mao shan wang (MSW) durian pengat (S$12.80) offers exactly what durian lovers hope for — a thick, creamy, and intense flavour. 

Ultimately, Home by Enjoy feels less like a conventional restaurant launch and more like a personal project brought to life.

Between Joel’s family-inspired recipes, Jack’s nostalgic influence and the restaurant’s focus on nourishing food, it offers a dining experience built around making guests feel at home.

“I hope this restaurant gives customers a unique and memorable dining experience,” says Jack. “The dishes are very tasty, and I look forward to working with Joel in future to develop new creations everyone can enjoy.”

This was a hosted tasting.

For more ideas on what to eat, check out Cookboys by Hans, and our top picks for the best sandwiches in town!