This Hidden Cafe In Clarke Quay Has Legit Malaysian Food Under $20, Opens Till 2AM

Ju Wei Old Nanyang Coffee Shop is a retro cafe in Clarke Quay

Clarke Quay is usually frequented for the abundance of bars and clubs in the neighbourhood. The next time you’re in the area on a night out, plan a visit to Ju Wei Old Nanyang Coffee Shop for a late-night supper. This under-the-radar cafe, which opens till 2am, serves legit Malaysian fare, with the likes of curry chee cheong fun, nasi lemak and more! 

Caffeine addicts can look forward to the usual kopitiam drinks including kopi and teh, alongside interesting renditions here such as the Banana Kopi Smoothie ($4.50++), which we unfortunately didn’t get to try as it was sold out. 

We settled for Hor Ka Sai ($4.50++), a combination of Milo and kopi, and Yuan Yang ($3.90++), which paired teh and kopi. The former was like a kopitiam version of a mocha, well-balanced with bitter notes from the coffee, and a chocolatey sweetness from the Milo powder. 

We enjoyed our drinks with the Kaya Butter Toast ($2.50++), featuring thick slabs of cold butter and the cafe’s house-made kaya spread, which was delightfully sweet and custardy. If you’re interested, they also sell their kaya in jars that come in two flavours, regular and pandan. 

We were also especially excited to fill up on the Malaysian-style mains here, as that’s what the restaurant specialises in.

Although my colleague and I usually prefer Singapore’s version of hokkien mee, we could get behind the KL Hokkien Mee ($11.90++) served here. 

For the uninitiated, this Malaysian version features thick noodles coated in a dark soy sauce , unlike the light-coloured rendition we are used to here. This dish came with copious amounts of prawns, pork lard, squid, and veggies.

We then tried the Chicken Curry Chee Cheong Fun ($7.90++), a Malaysian hawker staple that’s hard to find here in Singapore. This dish consists of thick and flat rice noodles, steamed chicken slices, fried tau pok, gelatinous pig skin, and long beans, bathed in a rich curry that was lemak and creamy. 

My favourite thing here was the fried tau pok which soaked up all the delicious broth. I loved pairing all the various components together on a spoon, topped with a little bit of sambal for the perfect bite. 

We would also recommend the Nasi Lemak with Crispy Fried Chicken Whole Leg ($12.90++). The coconut rice was decently fragrant and paired well with the sambal and the side of curry veggies it came with. 

But the true star of the show was the crispy fried chicken leg that was fried to perfection, as it was uber juicy and tender. I especially liked that it came with all the deep fried battered bits, so you could add to the rice for an extra crunch.  

The cafe’s interiors exuded extravagant oriental vibes on one end, and old-school kopitiam feels on the other. A section of the eatery was entirely retro-themed, with wooden furniture, old-school Chinese signages, an old telephone, and vintage tiling, while the other side was modern: there were gorgeous murals on the walls and a large lit-up dragon hanging from the ceiling. It’s the perfect place to hit with friends for supper after drinks, or to catch up with a local foodie!

Kopi lovers, check out this our feature on famous Malaysian coffee brand, Choon Kee. Alternatively, check out our City Hall food guide if you are looking for other places to eat in the area. 

Address: 29 Carpenter Street, Level 1, Singapore 059923
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 8am to 2am
Tel: 6988 0836
Website
Ju Wei Old Nanyang Coffee Shop is not a halal-certified eatery.

Photos taken by Maisie Chong and edited by Casandra Nicholas.
This was a media tasting at Ju Wei Old Nanyang Coffee Shop.