Ju Wei Ge at Fortune Centre serves up homely salt-baked chicken and sauerkraut fish
You’ve probably heard of the saying, “rejection is redirection” — a phrase often used to soften life’s blow.
For 48-year-old Chong Chee Leong, these weren’t just comforting words — it turned out to foreshadow what was to come.
After 26 years in the IT industry, Chee Leong was left “shocked, angry, and scared” when he was abruptly retrenched from his executive role.
Rather than letting this adversity consume him, he channelled his long-held passion for food, and took a bold career switch. With support from his siblings, he opened Ju Wei Ge at Fortune Centre in late October, 2024.
With a focus on Nanyang cuisine, the eatery puts a fresh spin on familiar favourites — including inventive takes on salt-baked chicken and a housemade jelly hor fun dessert (or jelly noodles) — while still preserving its down-to-earth roots.
For Chee Leong, this isn’t his first foray into the F&B industry though — in fact, his initial attempt at sustaining a zi char stall, called Yummy Wok at Northpoint City, 21 years ago ended in its closure.
This time, he joined hands with his sister, Jollee Chong, 44, to build Ju Wei Ge in Singapore from the ground up.
Across the border in Johor Bahru, their older sister Grace Chong, 50, shares a deep love for food, too. She runs a sister concept, named Ju Wei Ge Restaurant, which specialises in Sichuan fare.
Spot-on, homely food
Here, all of its dishes are served as a set meal, complete with a choice of drink and two pieces of housemade agar-agar that’s made by Jollee.
Ju Wei Ge’s sauerkraut Chinese fish set meal (S$11.90) is a must-try for those looking for a comforting bowl of soup. The broth brims with slices of fish, enoki mushrooms, and tangy strips of pickled vegetables.
But unlike its fiery Sichuan counterpart, Ju Wei Ge’s rendition dials down the heat to a level that’s more shiok than spicy — it’s satisfying and warms the palate without putting you off.
Another highly recommended dish is the salt baked chicken burger (S$9.80) that features a thick slab of Hakka-style salt-baked chicken thigh nestled between two buns.
It’s a simple, hearty dish that’s quite no-frills — it looks just like something my mum would lovingly piece together in our kitchen at home.
Though I was skeptical about the combination, this dish was pleasantly surprising. The protein is perfectly seasoned, with just the right dose of brininess, while still remaining very moist.
If a burger isn’t quite your thing, the salt-baked chicken is available with rice (S$9.80) or noodles (S$8.80), too.
There’s also a rendang salt baked chicken set meal (S$10.80), that’s Ju Wei Ge’s latest menu addition.
The tender chicken thigh is dressed in a fragrant layer of rendang spices that hits all the right notes — rich, subtly spicy, and deeply aromatic.
The paste was so good that I found myself eating spoonfuls of it on its own. It’s a hearty blend of flavours that work well — and a dish that I’ll be back for.
Handcrafted by Jollee, the Hor Fun jelly dessert (S$8.80) is a refreshingly one-of-a-kind dessert fix.
If you’ve never had it before, Ju Wei Ge’s very own jelly lands somewhere between grass jelly and agar-agar — it’s smooth, with just enough bounce that gives you a satisfying chew.
Paired with a generous serving of housemade coconut milk, the dessert isn’t too sweet, while still richly comforting with gentle coconutty notes.
So for those of you who have not made it past the third floor of Fortune Centre, it’s time to venture higher and check out Ju Wei Ge on the fourth level!
This was a hosted tasting.
For the latest eats, read more about the comforting Thai fare at Nampla and Nonette’s pop-up in Singapore with banh mi and Asian-inspired donuts.
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Shannon has the taste buds of a grandmother and perpetually struggles with a food coma.
Read more stories from this writer.
