To put it simply, the direct Hokkien translation of ‘zi char’ is “cook and fry” and zi char stalls in Singapore offer a wide range of dishes that are much like home-cooked meals.

Zi char is a perennial favourite dining style when we plan big gatherings. The idea of sharing plates of Chinese food in a boisterous setting is really quintessentially Singapore! It is relatively simple and cheap as opposed to a posh restaurant and the loud chatter and bursts of laughter over the eating make up the ambience.

We’ve gathered a list of the more popular spots for zi char in the far West of Singapore. Here are 9 zi char eateries in Jurong to take your gatherings to.

Photo Credit: teosheewee

BIG EATER SEAFOOD RESTAURANT

Gather around the crabs at Big Eater Seafood Restaurant and you’ll do good to choose between salted egg yolk and black pepper. Otherwise, opt for the easy way out and order both. Get their KL Hokkien Mee for sharing too along with a Crispy Fried Tofu.

964 Jurong West Street 91, #01-342
Singapore 640964
Tel: +65 6397 0480
Daily: 4pm – 2am
Nearest Station: Pioneer

Photo Credit: noobwifethecook

HONG GUAN COOKED FOOD

Hong Guan Cooked Food opened its first stall in 1986 and has been serving zi char with a signature Claypot Assam Curry Fish Head for three decades since. Though sweet and sour meat is usually prepped with pork, Hong Guan uses chicken thigh meat. Order it with their Sambal Sweet Potato Leaves.

3 Yung Sheng Road, #03-139/140
Taman Jurong Market & Food Centre
Singapore 618499
Tel: +65 6265 8860
Tue to Sat: 11am – 2am, 4:30pm – 9pm
(Closed on Sundays and Mondays)
Nearest Station: Lakeside

Photo Credit: Kelvin Tham

HUALONG FISHHEAD STEAMBOAT

Hualong Fishhead Steamboat was, for a long time, deeply rooted in Ang Moh Kio before they expanded out with their ever popular Charcoal Fish Head Steamboat as their reigning dish. The newest outlet was only just launched in late March in Jurong East but it’s unique because its dishes are a combo of zi char and mala (spicy numbing stir-fry).

Blk 526 Jurong West St 52
Zhen Wei Coffee Shop
Singapore 640526
Nearest Station: Lakeside

Photo Credit: jt6263

KAI XIANG SEAFOOD RESTAURANT

Head to Kai Xiang Seafood Restaurant with a group of four and more to gather around their Fish Steamboat. Their signature Fried Eggs With Oysters is an absolute must. Though it’s pricier than the average, it impresses with generous portions of plump and briny oysters over crisp eggs that are fried without starch.

349 Jurong East Ave 1
Singapore 600349
Tel: +65 6563 7798
Daily: 8am – 11pm
Nearest Station: Chinese Garden

Photo Credit: starstuddedx

LEGACY SEAFOOD

Legacy Seafood might sound more familiar if you knew it was previously called Uncle Leong Seafood. Despite the name change, their recommendations remain the same with Chilli Crab or Shimmering Sand Crab Delight as their top crustacean dishes and Guinness Pork Ribs as their must-have main.

10 Science Centre Rd, #01-23
Singapore 609079
Tel: +65 6897 2881
Daily: 11am – 10:30pm
Nearest Station: Jurong East

Photo Credit: wild_biao_catch

QI LIN XUAN KITCHEN

The signatures at Qi Lin Xuan Kitchen are their Teo Chew Style Steamed Red Groupa, Curry Fish Head, Ginger Onion Deer Meat, and for greens, H.K. Kai Lan with Silver Fish. For crustaceans, their popular crabs are Chilli Crab and Salted Egg Yolk Crab. Qi Lin Xuan has a number of outlets so besides Jurong West, you can find another branch near Jurong East MRT Station.

442 Jurong West Ave 1, #01-758
Singapore 640442
Tel: +65 6569 2540
Daily: 3pm – 11:30pm
Nearest Station: Lakeside

Photo Credit: ahungrywes

SINGFOOD STALL

Help yourselves to halal zi char dishes at SingFood Stall when you take your group gatherings to Jurong. Besides Curry Fish Head, try their creamy Cheese Prawn Bee Hoon that comes in a claypot. Their Hot Plate Chilli Snapper that’s not too spicy and has a sweet aftertaste.

504 Jurong West Street 51
Singapore 640504
Tel: +65 9815 2768
Daily: 12pm – 10:30pm
Nearest Station: Lakeside

Photo Credit: winnie_photography_

SUM KEE FOOD

Opposite Superbowl Jurong is where the second outlet of Sum Kee Food sits. You might find fish eggs in their signature Curry Fish Head that is meaty with smooth and tender flesh. Order their Ultraman Chicken which is popcorn chicken coated in salted egg yolk sauce.

19 Yung Ho Rd
Singapore 618592
Tel: +65 6873 3069
Daily: 11am – 2:30pm, 5pm – 10:30pm
Nearest Station: Lakeside

Photo Credit: michelin guide

ZAI SHUN CURRY FISH HEAD

For a hugely popular spot amongst West-siders that also received a Michelin Bib Gourmand Award in 2017, Zai Shun Curry Fish Head is the spot for steamed fish and Teochew porridge. You’ll want to bring your family down early for Zai Shun closes by the early afternoon and you don’t want to miss them just because you couldn’t beat the lunch crowd.

253 Jurong East Street 24, #01-205
Singapore 600253
Tel: +65 6560 8594
Thu to Tue: 7am – 3pm
(Closed on Wednesdays)
Nearest Station: Jurong East

When King Albert’s Park is mentioned, people normally think of the good ol’ days when McDonalds occupied the area. However, now, the place has been completely revamped into an up-and-coming mall space.

Just a walk through King Albert’s Park Mall, you will see several cafes and restaurants, including a new cinema. One such place that caught our eye was the sleek and simple Camaca cafe.

Camaca is a sugar-free dessert cafe, serving up indulgent treats that come without the guilt, along with a wide selection of single-origin coffees.

We ordered the Roasted Oolong Tea gelato (S$4.80++) and were pleasantly surprised by how creamy and flavourful the ice cream was even though it is sugar-free! The deceiving giant macarons on display were actually just packaging for the gelato inside.

The staff explained this keeps the gelato from turning too icy, hence maintaining a smooth texture. They even have a special machine to “de-shell” their gelato and to churn it out in a swirl after. One gripe we had was that it started to melt very quickly after it was served, but it was satisfying nonetheless!

Their gelato features all-natural flavours such as Pomelo Tea, Lychee Rose and even Musang King Durian. You can choose to have your gelato with an add-on of waffles (S$10.00) as well.

Camaca also serves a selection of pastries, and we managed to try their popular Vanilla Cheese Roll (S$4.00++), served with a splash of berry coulis.

It was truly one of the softest roll cakes we have ever tried—the texture of the cake and cream felt like cloud on our tongues. It was mildly sweet, with specks of vanilla bean running through the cream.

Lastly, we tried their Camaca SG Limited blend in the form of a Cappuccino (S$5.50++). It had a well-balanced flavour with hints of acidity and a lingering bitter note. The blend consists of 5 different beans from various origins including Ethiopia and Columbia.

They do serve up more varieties of single-origin coffees with other more unique tasting notes. Their staff were more than happy to explain the tasting notes of each of the bean varieties when we asked. They don’t provide any sugar with their coffee but you can request for some syrup!

Located just a stone’s throw away from King Albert’s Park MRT, Camaca is a great place to fight the increasingly warm weather with their gelato or to simply enjoy some cake and coffee. Keep an eye out for their bright green signboard; it’s hard to miss.

Camaca
9 King Albert Park #01-11 / #01-12
Singapore 598332
Tel: +65 6904 3811
Daily: 11am – 10pm
Nearest Station: King Albert’s Park