Nong Geng Ji Jewel Review: Family-Friendly Hunan Food at Changi Airport

A comfortable family-friendly Hunan restaurant at Jewel with bold chilli dishes, dependable mild options for children and a pleasant rustic atmosphere.

Our recent visit to Nong Geng Ji at Jewel Changi Airport wasn’t initially intended as a standalone food outing. We took our daughter to Jewel to enjoy some downtime at Canopy Park, and after that we wanted somewhere casual to enjoy a sit-down meal as a family. There wasn’t a line at the restaurant when we passed by, so we figured we’d give it a shot.

This Nong Geng Ji Jewel review will discuss our experience taking a young child there, what we thought of the food we ordered, the restaurant ambiance, and if spicy Hunan food is family-friendly.

TLDR: We had a good experience at Nong Geng Ji. The restaurant itself was comfortable, had dishes our daughter liked, and the more intense Hunan flavours provided a nice change of pace from typical family restaurant meals for the adults.

The meal also felt like slightly better value as we were able to utilise a birthday voucher that gave us 12% off our bill.

A Convenient Meal Before Visiting Canopy Park

Jewel Changi Airport is one of those tourist attractions that we can spend a few hours there without needing to go anywhere. We went there primarily to take our daughter to Canopy Park today instead of heading there to dine at Nong Geng Ji specifically. However, before walking and enjoying ourselves at Canopy Park, we were feeling hungry and wanted a proper sit-down meal instead of grabbing some bites from the numerous stalls located there. Nong Geng Ji worked well for us as we did not have to queue for the restaurant when we arrived.

Was glad that we didn’t have to queue. Some of the restaurants there do get crowded easily during the weekends and meal times. It’s also easier to dine with a young toddler if we don’t have to stand and wait outside for long periods.

Located at #B2-235/236, Nong Geng Ji is a Hunan style restaurant known for its strong flavours that leans towards being chilli-forward, savoury stir fry, and dishes that you pair with rice. According to their website, Nong Geng Ji is an authentic Hunan restaurant and they have over 100 restaurants all over the world.

First Impressions of the Restaurant

The décor was homely and rustic. It looked more unique than your average shopping- mall Chinese restaurant.

Lots of wood detailing, peasant-style bowls/tableware and country countryside-inspired accents. The feel is very much in keeping with the restaurant’s mission to provide home-style Hunan cooking instead of upscale banquet dishes.

The theme definitely came through in the décor, but the whole place didn’t feel like it was trying too hard to be Broadway. It was comfortable and functional for eating. Warm lighting. Roomy tables (enough for several dishes for sharing). We didn’t feel crowded when all our dishes came at once.

Lots of other reviewers of Jewel’s outlet have mentioned the wooden furnishings, lantern lighting and references to the Hunan countryside.

What We Ordered at Nong Geng Ji Jewel

Hunan food can be spicy, but Nong Geng Ji’s menu is wider than that stereotype implies. Sure, there are plenty of dishes heavy with chilli, but they also serve roasted chicken, steamed egg, soups and other relatively mild dishes.

It was important that there be variety because we wanted food that the adults could enjoy without resorting to ordering things with nothing left our daughter could eat.

Crispy-Skin Roasted Chicken

The roasted chicken was among the safest picks on our table.

It was served chopped into pieces and arranged in a woven basket. The skin had a glossy golden-brown hue and roasted fragrance with a lightly smoky edge. Crispy on the outside, the meat underneath was tender (as opposed to dry).

My daughter was able to eat the mild parts of chicken without being affected by the chilli or heavier seasoning used on other dishes. Consider this a versatile centrepiece when dining with families, especially when paired with rice and steamed egg.

Jewel’s current menu lists half a portion of Crispy Skin Roasted Chicken under its selection of dishes suitable for all ages. The chain has also launched its own open-fire roasted chicken as one of its Jewel-exclusive options.

It might be chicken-terraining for adult palates, but it offered nice reprieve from the oilier dishes and outright spiciness. I’ll definitely order this if eating with young kids or those unable to handle chilli.

Stir-Fried Pork with Abalone and Chilli

The stir-fried pork arrived bearing much of what I’ve come to expect from a Hunan restaurant.

Chunks of green chilli, thin cuts of pork, garlic and small strips of abalone covered the plate. Everything was coated in a glossy sauce with savoury notes. There was also plenty of wok hei to enjoy.

The heat wasn’t numbing like the mala pork dishes you’ll find at Sichuan restaurants. In fact, the green chilli tasted fresher and more direct with a sharp burn that intensified with each bite.

The pork held on to the seasoning well while the sliced abalone offered more bite. As for the peppers, they were hardly ornamental. Together with the pork, green peppers made up the bulk of the dish, providing sweetness with a good deal of heat.

Nong Geng Ji’s Stir-Fried Pork with Abalone and Chilli is one of the restaurant’s flagship dishes. It pairs Hunan green peppers with minced pork and baby abalone. You’ll find it highlighted on most promos as one of the eatery’s signature plates.

Organic Steamed Egg with Minced Pork

The steamed egg also made for a great dish for our daughter.

Light and smooth, the egg had a texture similar to custard. Minced pork and sauce were spread evenly on top. Seasoning on the minced pork prevented it from tasting bland and the smooth egg made it quite comforting to eat.

It also made for a good palate cleanser between mouthfuls of spicy food. Taking a spoonful of steamed egg with rice helped mitigate the heat while eating chili-heavy dishes.

Their menu describes this as Organic Steamed Egg with Minced Pork made with “organically grown eggs and minced meat.”

Parents should give it a taste before serving it to young children, as the minced pork on top is well-seasoned. Compared to the other dishes with Hunan flair, this was by far one of the more kid-friendly plates on the table.

Pan-Seared Green Chillies with Century Egg

Needless to say, one of the most intriguing dishes came last.

The restaurant served the century egg and green chilli mixture in a clay bowl, accompanied by a large wooden pestle.

Guests could crush everything together at the table. It had an earthy, almost-smoky flavour with green chillies cuts adding some heat. The creamy century egg helped tone down some of the sharper flavours.

Pan-searing the green chillies also gave it a unique texture that was softer than raw green peppers.

Century egg can be an acquired taste for some. If you find the Chinese preservation method too aromatic or intense, this dish might not be for you.

Those who grew up eating century egg may have more fun than others. I thought it was pretty enjoyable although I wouldn’t order it if there are children dining with you.

As with the menu description above, the plate consists of pan-seared green chillies and century egg. The combination results in silky egg with a hint of char from the peppers.

I found this more appealing as an adult than something suitable for the whole family. Pan-seared green chillies were tasty in small portions and complemented plain rice well. Too strong for my daughter’s liking though.

Fruity Iced Teas

Speaking of rice, we had these to wash everything down.

We ordered the orange and pink-red variations of their fruity iced teas. Both came in tall glasses filled with ice, chopped fruit and mint leaves.

These were quite thirst-quenching after eating spicy food. Iced teas also helped clear our palates before moving on to the next dish.

Jewel’s fruity teas tend to be on the sweeter side. The sweetness balanced out the saltier notes and chilli-heat we were experiencing from other dishes on our table.

Beverage selections vary per outlet but some current options include Signature Lemon Tea, Pineapple-Passion Fruit Jasmine Tea and Jasmine White Peach.

Is Nong Geng Ji Jewel Very Spicy?

As a Hunan restaurant, guests at Nong Geng Ji should expect that chilli plays an integral part in many of their dishes.

That being said, not everything is unreasonable spicy. We had a variety of chilli forward dishes as well as some chilli-less dishes like roasted chicken and steamed egg.

Hunan food versus Sichuan food: the main difference is Hunan food tends to use more fresh chillies and preserved chillies for a more direct, aromatic spice. Sichuan food is more synonymous with the ma (numbing spice) of Sichuan peppercorns.

Some dishes at Nong Geng Ji have the potential to really turn up the heat after a few bites, but you can stagger your order to create a well-rounded meal rather than make everything blistering hot.

If you’re doing a family style meal, I would recommend getting at least one non-spicy protein, one steamed/egg dish, and only one or two really chilli-heavy specialties.

Is Nong Geng Ji Jewel Kids-Friendly?

Nong Geng Ji Jewel was child-friendly as long as parents select dishes wisely.

Nong Geng Ji Jewel was spacious enough with seating and we didn’t feel awkward eating alongside our daughter. Service staff weren’t rude or stern like what we would expect from a fancy restaurant. There was enough mild dishes for us to craft a child-friendly meal.

The roasted chicken and steamed egg was hands down the easiest dish our daughter could eat. Other potential family friendly dishes from their menu at the moment are tomato with egg, sweet- and- sour chicken and braised beef brisket with radish.

The hardest part was spotting family-friendly dishes because most of their signature dishes come with discernible or invisible chilli. Parents should not be lulled into a false sense of security if the dish isn’t vibrant red. Green chilli packs a punch too and sauces can be deceivingly spicy.

Don’t hesitate to let the staff know that you are dining with a child and inquire what dishes can be made with minimal or no chilli.

Using Our 12% Birthday Voucher

One pleasant surprise when dining was finding out I still had a birthday voucher to use.

I had 12% off the meal and didn’t expect the voucher to still be active six months on from my birthday. Many restaurant birthday deals expire within the month of your birthday, so I was glad it lasted longer to make using the voucher more convenient.
It didn’t make the meal hugely cheaper but it did make ordering a few sharing plates and drinks feel more justified.

Terms of voucher eligibility, expiry dates and discount amounts may vary depending on the customer or member promotion. Please refer to the terms shown on your account prior to dining.

Value for Money

Nong Geng Ji isn’t the most affordable option at Jewel for dining. Prices get hectic once you start ordering multiple sharing dishes along with single rice and drinks.

Portions were ample enough to share (for the most part) and overall the food tasted more unique than your typical Chinese cheap casual-dining joint.

You definitely get your money’s worth by going with a group though. With three or four people, you can mix a nice variety of spicy signatures, greens, and less spicy dishes without over-doing it.

If it’s just two of you I would stick to about two mains, one vegetable/egg dish and rice. If eating family style, get the roasted chicken and steamed egg to start and then each adult can order a stronger Hunan specialty.

What I Would Order Again

My first go-to item if ordering with our daughter would be the crispy roasted chicken. This was easy to share, very kid-friendly in terms of appearance and mild flavour.

Next would be steamed egg since it helped balance out the heavier flavours and provided us with another reliable dish we could serve her.

For us adults I’d have to say the stir-fried pork with abalone and chilli most defined the Nong Geng Ji experience for me. Smoky, savoury with plenty of green chilli taste, this is a dish that had me going back for more rice time and time again.

Century egg and green pepper was interesting, though one I’d probably only order if dining with others who are already fans of century egg.

Getting to Nong Geng Ji Jewel

Address: 78 Airport Boulevard, #B2-235/236, Jewel Changi Airport, Singapore 819666

Final Verdict: Is Nong Geng Ji Jewel Worth Visiting?

We had a good experience at Nong Geng Ji Jewel.

We walked in without a reservation, didn’t have to queue and were seated immediately in a spacious restaurant with a cosy rustic ambience. The menu also allowed us enough leeway to order less spicy dishes for our daughter while we devoured the restaurant’s signature Hunan dishes that are known to pack a punch.

Great for families/groups wanting to enjoy a proper sit-down meal at Jewel after spending the day there. It’s not ideal if you’re after cheap food or a completely spice-free menu but order carefully and it’s a lot more diner-friendly than what the reputation of its chilli-centric dishes might suggest.

On a side note, it was nice having the 12% birthday voucher to use, especially since ours was valid 6 months after the date of my birthday hehe

A recommended pick from Jewel Changi Airport’s roster of Chinese restaurants. I’ll be back for the roasted chicken, steamed egg and butter stir-fried pork dish – and would probably try another dish from the outlet’s selection of Hunan specialties next time.