Did you know that JEM stands for Jurong East Mall? Honestly, me neither. Located in the heart of Jurong, this shopping centre is a favourite for students to escape the stress of school. I remember many a weekend here with my friends, snacking away as we shopped. If you’re one of those students (or an adult!), check out these food places in JEM to eat your worries away.
01 • Super Sushi
This is Singapore’s newest sushi joint, poised to take over the nation with good take-away sushi. Super Sushi has just opened its newest outlet in JEM this May, serving a wide variety of traditional and modern flavours ranging from classic Tamago ($1.40) to the intriguing Nasi Lemak Maki ($2.10). The rest of their 14 stalls are halal-certified, too, so keep your eyes peeled for the JEM outlet’s halal certification in a few months’ time.
A crowd favourite is the Soft Shell Crab ($4.60) — drizzled generously with mayo and teriyaki sauce and topped with fish roe, this sushi is a crunchy, flavourful delight (and pretty close to the original, too!).
📍 Address: 50 Jurong Gateway Road, #B1-28, Singapore 608549
⏰ Opening hours: Daily, 10am – 9.30pm
🍴 Halal status: Not halal (yet)
🌐 Website: instagram.com/supersushisg
02 • Warabimochi Kamakura
Warabimochi Kamakura serves — you guessed it — speciality warabimochi, a Japanese traditional confectionery similar to the much-loved mochi. While mochi is made with glutinous rice, warabimochi is made with warabiko, a starch extracted from bracken fern roots. It’s less chewy and more jelly-like, with a squishy and soft texture that melts in your mouth. No filling in the middle, either. Instead, it’s paired with roasted soybean flour and black sugar syrup for a subtly nutty and sweet flavour.
Buy a 5-piece original box ($8.90) to share with family and friends, or get a 2-piece cup with ice cream ($6.90) for a sweet treat.
📍 Address: 50 Jurong Gateway Road, #B1-K25, Singapore 608549
⏰ Opening hours: Daily, 12pm – 9pm
🍴 Halal status: Not halal
🌐 Website: warabimochi-kamakura.com/en
03 • D’Penyetz
Up for a challenge? D’Penyetz’s special chilli comes in 9 different spice levels, from a mild chilli sauce to a super spicy basil sambal. Don’t fear the heat — there’s plenty of drinks like Iced Lime Juice ($2.20) and Iced Bandung ($2.80) to cool off with.
Of course, you can’t miss out on their Signature Ayam Penyet ($8.90) (it’s in their name after all!) Fried to perfection, their chicken thigh is crispy on the outside and still oh-so-tender when you bite in.
📍 Address: 50 Jurong Gateway Road, #05-02, Singapore 608549
⏰ Opening hours: Daily, 10.30am – 9.30pm
🍴 Halal status: Halal
📞 Contact: 8452 4060
🌐 Website: dpenyetz.sg
04 • Hand in Hand Peking Duck Restaurant
Authentic Peking duck for an affordable price? Sign me up! Hand in Hand Peking Duck Restaurant specialises in Beijing and Shandong dishes, but they're especially known for their Peking duck meal sets.
Just like what you would find in an expensive restaurant, they provide an array of condiments and ingredients to wrap alongside carefully hand-sliced Peking duck meat and crispy duck skin. Their 2-Pax Value Peking Duck Set ($64.60) comes with half a roasted duck, fried dumplings, and duck bone soup with tofu and vermicelli.
📍 Address: 50 Jurong Gateway Road, #03-23, Singapore 608549
⏰ Opening hours: Daily, 11am – 10pm
🍴 Halal status: Not halal
📞 Contact: 9696 0839
🌐 Website: instagram.com/handinhandfood
05 • Steak 99
Eat off Mount Fuji at Steak 99, where steaks are cooked on volcanic lava stone. It’s a porous material that naturally absorbs excess fat, so your cheat meal doesn’t have to be that bad.
Similar to Pepper Lunch, you’re handed a personal hot plate with a sizzling steak that continues cooking as you chow down (be careful not to let it overcook!). Whether you’re opting for the cheaper sirloin ($9.90) or treating yourself to Angus beef ($18.90), both sets come with 150g of meat, free-flow rice, wakame soup, and cabbage.
📍 Address: 50 Jurong Gateway Road, #02-19, Singapore 608549
⏰ Opening hours: Daily, 11.30am – 10pm
🍴 Halal status: Halal
📞 Contact: 6334 1639
🌐 Website: instagram.com/steak99.sg
06 • The Summer Acai
If you’re looking for a guilt-free treat for the summer, we’ve got you covered! The Summer Acai has just announced a brand-new summer menu chock-full of yummy toppings and superfoods rich in antioxidants.
Choose a sweet sorbet base, pick your fruits and crunchy bits, then top it all off with a generous helping of drizzle, or add one of their premium toppings like tiramisu, brownie, and cheesecake for a little indulgence. What’s more, there’s a little section of the store filled with board games for an afternoon of fun.
📍 Address: 50 Jurong Gateway Road, #01-09, Singapore 608549
⏰ Opening hours: Daily, 11am – 9.30pm
🍴 Halal status: Not halal
🌐 Website: thesummeracai.com
07 • Lee Wee & Brothers
Support a local family business at Lee Wee & Brothers, whose family heritage recipes have been passed down from generation to generation. They make their own assam sauce and chilli paste from scratch, too! If you’re curious about the process, they’re offering otah-making workshops and behind-the-scenes tours of their central kitchen as part of the annual Singapore Heritage Festival. Take a bite of Singapore’s history with their Signature Chicken Cutlet Nasi Lemak ($6.50) and Curry Chicken w/ Soft Loaves ($6.90).
📍 Address: 50 Jurong Gateway Road, #B1-K08, Singapore 608549
⏰ Opening hours: Daily, 11am – 9pm
🍴 Halal status: Halal
📞 Contact: 6535 6535
🌐 Website: leeweebrothers.com
08 • Go-Ang Pratunam Chicken Rice
Go-Ang Pratunam Chicken Rice has grown from a mere pushcart in 1960 to one of the most iconic spots for Khao Man Gai (Thai chicken rice) today. They’ve been on the Michelin Bib Gourmand list since 2018, yet have stayed true to their roots with their affordable and delicious Hainanese Chicken Rice ($8.90). It comes with generous portions of tender chicken meat and fragrant rice, alongside a secret homemade chilli sauce that will blow you away.
📍 Address: 50 Jurong Gateway Road, #B1-08, Singapore 608549
⏰ Opening hours: Daily, 11am – 10pm
🍴 Halal status: Halal
📞 Contact: 6050 6629
🌐 Website: instagram.com/goangsg
09 • Twyst
This fast-casual restaurant offers quick and cheap DIY pasta meals at affordable rates, starting from $8.90. Ready-made Barilla noodles are elevated to al dente perfection. Customise your order at a self-order kiosk, and your plate comes out hot and ready in minutes.
That’s not all they have to offer, though. The brand prides itself on serving up classics with a fusion “twyst”, so come try out their house specialities, Laksa Olio ($11.50) and Miso Butter ($11.50) if you’re feeling adventurous.
📍 Address: 50 Jurong Gateway Road, #B1-K14, Singapore 608549
⏰ Opening hours: Daily, 10.30am – 9pm
🍴 Halal status: Halal
🌐 Website: twyst.sg
10 • Quiec by Olivia
Singapore’s first cheesecake boutique (!!!), Quiec by Olivia is spin-off from the Olivia Restaurant and Lounge, who have been recognised in the Singapore Michelin Guide since 2021. Their secret? Blue cheese. Not too much, but enough to inject some sharpness and saltiness to balance out the cream.
Their Signature Cheesecake ($16.40) is a rich and velvety delight of cream, blue cheese, and almond sablé. If you find cheesecake too jelat, you can try a Signature Grilled Cheese Sandwich ($11) instead for some gooey pull-apart goodness.
📍 Address: 50 Jurong Gateway Road, #01-33, Singapore 608549
⏰ Opening hours: Mon to Fri, 10.30am – 9.30pm | Sat to Sun, 10am – 10pm
🍴 Halal status: Not halal
🌐 Website: queic.com.sg
11 • Rumah Sayang
Rumah Sayang serves Malay-Peranakan cuisine with a focus on Nasi Padang. They offer a wide variety of dishes to choose from, with noodles, fried rice, claypot, and more. With generous portions and strong flavour, this is your go-to place for a hearty and satisfying meal. Get 1 meat and 1 vegetable, and 1 otah for $8.20, and don’t forget to try one of their unique dishes like Nasi Pattaya ($10.50) or Laksa Goreng ($10.20).
📍 Address: 50 Jurong Gateway Road, #B1-41/42, Singapore 608549
⏰ Opening hours: Daily, 9am – 9pm
🍴 Halal status: Halal
📞 Contact: 6339 0938
🌐 Website: redginger.com.sg
12 • TAI ER
Suancai, or Chinese sauerkraut, is a traditional Chinese pickled dish of cabbage or mustard greens. It’s difficult to describe the taste, honestly — on its own, suancai has an unforgettable pungence that people either love or hate.
With over 500 restaurants worldwide, Tai Er has made quite a name for itself with this very dish. In their Signature Sauerkraut Fish ($48), a boneless fish fillet is simmered with Sichuan peppercorns, pickled cabbage, and chilli peppers for a uniquely tangy-spicy-sour taste. The store also provides complimentary free-flow tea, with a little station of dried roselle petals and tangerine peels to add for flavour.
📍 Address: 50 Jurong Gateway Road, #B1-04, Singapore 608549
⏰ Opening hours: Mon to Thu, 11.30am – 9pm | Fri to Sun, 11.30am – 9.30pm
🍴 Halal status: Not halal
📞 Contact: 6592 0570
🌐 Website: instagram.com/taiersingapore
(Feature photo from: Twyst)
