Ju Xing Home, known to foodies in Hong Kong for its Cantonese stir fries and spicy Sichuan dishes, is opening its first overseas outlet in Singapore. The 80-seat restaurant will open on Dec 1 at Ngee Ann City.
The Michelin Bib Gourmand-awarded Ju Xing Home on Portland Road in Hong Kong, which opened in 2011, exists in popular consciousness as the hole-in-the-wall restaurant that opens late and serves quality home-style cooking, and for this reason, is a favourite hangout of top chefs like Tim Ho Wan’s Mak Kwai Pui, Lung King Heen’s Chan Yan Tak and Ming Court’s Mango Tsang.
Founder and executive chef Ng Kong Kiu told CNA Lifestyle that to stay on top of his game in a city full of good food like Hong Kong, “I cook at the restaurant every day and always check in and listen to my customers’ feedback, to ensure I consistently maintain my quality and improve”
When it comes to ensuring quality at the Singapore outlet, “My sous chef and I will be in Singapore in the days leading up to the opening and throughout the opening period, to ensure that the team and everything is in place,” he said. “I also intend to make regular visits to Singapore to ensure the consistency of the dishes.”
While most of the menu items will be the same as in Hong Kong, including popular favourites like the Poached Chilli Beef and Sichuan Spicy Fried Chicken, “We are definitely looking to create some Singapore-exclusive dishes soon, as well”.
Topping his personal list of must-order dishes at Ju Xing Home is the Lobster or Prawn Fried Rice Vermicelli. “I spent a very long time perfecting this dish, to create the exact quality I had in mind,” he said. “The main highlight of the dish is the crispiness of the deep-fried vermicelli, which takes a lot of time and precision to master. I am always happy whenever my customers, especially celebrities and chefs, come back specifically for this dish.”The Lobster Fried Rice Vermicelli is the favourite dish of Hong Kong actor Alan Tam, one of Ju Xing Home’s loyal celebrity regulars. “Alan Tam visited us eight years ago, when we were still a small shop. We were shocked as we did not expect a superstar to dine with us,” Ng said. He always orders the vermicelli dish and “recommends it to his friends as well. Many of them have since become our regular customers”.
Other screen stars who come to eat include Eric Tsang, Simon Yam, Nancy Sit, Law Lan, Raymond Lam and Bosco Wong.
“One of the largest orders we have received was from Jay Chou, when he spent thousands on takeaway for his entire entourage during his concert in Hong Kong,” Ng recalled.
Ju Xing Home opens on Dec 1 at B2-36A, Takashimaya Shopping Centre, 391 Orchard Road.
