How Feng Wei Ju got a Michelin star, let alone two, is one of the great mysteries of our age. In no way, shape or form is it a Michelin restaurant, except maybe as an entrant on their Bib Gourmand list, which rewards restaurants that are of good value.
With almost everything on the menu under $300, Feng Wei Ju definitely keeps the prices down, but superlative world class fine dining it definitely is not.
Three of the five dishes I had there were totally ordinary, and actually quite expensive for what they were.
The Pork and Cabbage Dumplings ($82) have nothing on the ones served at Peking Dumplings, which also happen to be 50 Mops cheaper.
The Shrimp Wonton ($82) at Wong Kun Sio Kung destroys the bowl I had at Feng Wei Ju, while any street stall in town could serve better Stir Fried Tofu with Minced Pork ($80), and probably only charge $30 for the pleasure.
All of the food I’ve mentioned so far is street food too for crying out loud, and not particularly good examples of it either. And yet Feng Wei Ju has 2 Michelin stars???
On the positive sign, two dishes there were really, really good: the Sichuan Chicken Fillets ($86) and Braised Mandarin Fish with Chili ($238).
The chicken fillets were served cold with peanuts on top, a touch spicy, with a pleasant crunchy texture that just made everything work.
The fish was a tad spicy as well, with beautiful crispy skin and slightly sweet sauce, topped off with carrots and cucumbers. Very rare for a fish in this part of the world, it could be enjoyed on its own, and didn’t have to be paired together with rice to give it more body and bite. Make no mistake about it, if you dine at Feng Wei Ju, the braised Mandarin fish is a must try dish.
I experienced quite a few communication problems during my meal. Not all the staff can speak English, so you might have to wait awhile until they round someone up who can explain the dishes and help you order.
I found the visuals to be disappointing as well, certainly well below Michelin standard and not especially eye-catching in any way. In terms of the overall dining experience, I actually prefer another Chinese restaurant at Starworld that lost their Michelin star years ago – the underappreciated and underrated Jade de Jardin.
The bottom line at Feng Wei Ju? If you buy the hype here, you’re probably going to pay the price.
