This well-frequented food centre should be your go-to spot in Jurong West for a hearty, wallet-friendly and scrumptious meal. It was founded in 1985 to cater to residents of the surrounding housing estates, and underwent a revamp in 2009.
Today, it boasts multiple Michelin-rated vendors and cult-favourite stalls that loyal customers make the journey out west to patronise.
Whether you're in the mood for silky, slippery noodles accompanied by bouncy fish balls, toothsome chwee kueh smothered in preserved radish and chilli sauce or nutritious Hakka thunder tea rice bursting with fresh flavours, we guarantee you won't leave hungry.
Check out these notable joints on your next visit at Jurong West 505 Food Centre, 505 Jurong West Street 52.
Wen Guang Handmade Fishball Noodle
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Who doesn't love tucking into a delicious bowl of fish ball noodles? If you're here, satisfy your cravings at Wen Guang Handmade Fishball Noodle, which attracts rather long queues during peak periods.
Go straight for the dry mee pok noodles ($3 and up). You'll get a big bowl of al dente noodles tossed in a delightful spicy sauce and crowned with a smattering of spring onions, plus handmade fish balls, fishcake slices and meatballs swimming in a clear broth.
It's fresh, tasty and thoroughly satisfying.
Stall: #01-25.
Soh Kee Cooked Food
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Recognised with a Michelin Bib Gourmand mention, Soh Kee Cooked Food is renowned for its comforting bowls of Cantonese-style porridge and tender and succulent helpings of chicken.
The plain porridge has a luscious consistency that isn't too thick or watery, and acts as a great base for the juicy chicken, which is served with a drizzle of sauce, spring onions and cucumber slices. You can add an egg to your porridge if you wish, and can anticipate forking out upwards of $3.50 for a meal.
Stall: #01-44
Jian Bo Shui Kueh
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Another Michelin-rated vendor, this stall offers a myriad of traditional Chinese delights, including their standout chwee kueh ($3 for five pieces).
The small discs, which are crafted using rice flour, have a pleasing springy texture — you won't find any mushy pieces here — and are served with a plentiful helping of preserved radish and a dusting of sesame seeds. Chilli fiends can request for a dollop of shrimp-based chilli sauce for a great spicy kick.
Stall: #01-27
Traditional Hakka Lui Cha
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If you're looking for something on the healthier side, or don't feel like having a meat-heavy meal, we suggest ordering some Hakka thunder tea rice from this stall.
Each portion comes brimming with your choice of white or brown rice, finely chopped vegetables such as green beans, cabbage and chye sim, cubes of beancurd, plenty of peanuts and a tiny mound of funky preserved radish.
Of course, there's the mandatory bright-green soup that's herbaceous, nutty and refreshing. Expect to pay around $4.
Stall: #01-12
Loong Kee Yong Tau Fu
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This Michelin Plate-designated stall is known for its scrumptious yong tau foo. Pick-and-mix from the dizzying assortment of ingredients on offer to assemble your ideal meal.
Options run the gamut from vegetables generously stuffed with fish paste to fresh Chinese greens to different deep-fried items. Besides the standard clear soup, you can opt for a fragrant and slightly spicy laksa-style broth. Depending on your choice of ingredients, a meal here goes for roughly $4.
Stall: #01-31
Wai Kee Wanton Noodle
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Although this food centre has multiple spots selling wanton noodles, this one is our personal favourite.
For $3.50 and up, you'll receive a heaping plate of eggy, al dente noodles — they're fairly thicker and chewier than most other establishments, with a great springy bite — that are well-coated in a savoury sauce.
The noodles are topped with slivers of char siew and some leafy greens, and the small but mighty wantons come bobbing about in a bowl of soup on the side. Lashings of chilli sauce are a must.
Stall: #01-14
Ming Fa Shou Shi
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You can't go wrong with a no-nonsense plate of fried bee hoon with a range of scrumptious sides (around $3). That's exactly what you can expect at Ming Fa Shou Shi, which is a popular pick among the neighbourhood's residents.
The lovely fried bee hoon is cooked to perfection and retains a satisfying bite, and the snacks available include the likes of ngo hiang, fishcake, beancurd skin, prawn crackers and century egg.
It all comes with some refreshing cucumber wedges and a selection of sweet and spicy dipping sauces.
Stall: #01-33
Du Du Cooked Food
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Grab a sweet snack at Du Du Cooked Food, which is known for its traditional tutu kueh (they also have a branch at Havelock Road Food Centre).
Retailing at $2 for four pieces, these pillowy old-school delicacies are made upon order and are packed with either moist and aromatic coconut shavings or a mixture of ground peanuts and brown sugar.
For those who like novelty, they even have a super-sized version that's about thrice the size of the standard option.
Stall: #01-19
Bukit Timah Fried White Carrot Cake
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Apologies to anyone searching for black carrot cake, as this vendor only does the white variety — as made clear by a prominent sign displayed at the shopfront. Their sole offering is worth a try, though, even if you're partial to the dark version.
Part with $2.50 and up and you'll receive a plate of large and chunky golden-brown slabs that you can slather in their famous sambal chilli. The carrot cake has a supple yet soft bite to it, with pockets of preserved radish, fluffy eggy bits and wonderfully crispy sections.
Stall: #01-10
Xiang Fried Hokkien Noodle
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Xiang Fried Hokkien Noodle offers plates of the crowd-favourite dish that are perfect for those who like theirs on the slightly wetter end of the spectrum.
Yellow and white noodles, prawns, egg, pork slices, squid and spring onions are fried together in a sumptuous stock and served with a sprinkle of fried shallots and hot sambal chilli.
Do add a drizzle of lime to cut through all that richness. A meal here will set you back approximately $4.
Stall: #01-184
This article was first published in The Singapore Women's Weekly.