Jia Wang Cafe – Hidden Zi Char Gem in Jalan Bukit Ho Swee!

Finding Jia Wang Cafe, a hidden zi char place, was like going on a treasure hunt — a bit of a journey but damn, were the rewards good! Plus, it’s also a short walk away from Tan’s Tutu Coconut Cake so you know where to pop by for dessert after. 

The eatery was located at the foot of an HDB block with seats available both inside a small air-conditioned space or outdoors (don’t worry, it’s sheltered). The entire area was a bit of a ghost town as the neighbourhood was mostly a residential area, which also means this is the perfect place to escape the hustle and bustle of life and enjoy some good food in peace. 

I ordered a total of three dishes and deciding my favourite among them was one of the hardest choices I had to make. After thinking for a bit, the Wu Ba Leaf Fish Head ($24) emerged as the winner. The crimson red snapper came adorned with lady fingers, tomatoes, onions and a generous amount of tomato-based assam sauce. 

While the sauce wasn’t as spicy as I would have liked it to be, the tamarind sauce was tangy, full of umami and goes really well with the firm, clean flesh of the fish. To be honest, the fish still tasted great without the sauce, exuding a delicate flavour that spoke volumes of its freshness.

I’m a garlic fanatic so it’s no wonder the Fried Garlic Pork ($12/16/20) came in at a close second. Just the aroma alone from the mountain of fried garlic piled onto the plate was enough to make my mouth water. I was expecting to be served meaty chunks because that’s how most zi char places would have done so but to my surprise, Jia Wang’s version was made up of fried pork slices instead. 

With just the right amount of meat and fat, the pork was marinated in nam yee (fermented bean curd) before being fried and drizzled with a sweet black sauce. Although it would have been nice if the garlic flavours were more prominent in the meat itself, this was still an incredibly addictive and absolutely delicious dish.

Another fragrant dish to grace my table was the Hotplate Oyster Egg ($10/15/20). The fluffy scrambled eggs came sizzling, and were topped with plump oysters and vibrant green spring onions. The eggs were a tiny bit runny which was exactly how I like them. If you prefer yours more cooked, let it simmer for a while on the hotplate and it’s just as tasty, thanks to the on-point seasoning. 

I would usually order my default drink of lime juice at zi char places but the lady boss, who was very friendly and accommodating, recommended the Sour Plum Lime Juice to me. It was very refreshing and sweet – perfect for a day in hot, sunny Singapore. 

Although there are many other dishes I would like to try, I have a feeling I would go right back to these three because they’re just that good. 10/10 would come back again!

MissTamChiak.com made an anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

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