There is a satisfying logic to Si Chuan Dou Hua Restaurant looking beyond its familiar Sichuan and Cantonese repertoire for its 30th anniversary. Its latest menu turns to the Fujian roots of its founder, the late Dr Wee Cho Yaw, and to the family meals that mattered to him.
“Once Upon A Time, From Fujian To Singapore” is available from 1 July to 30 September 2026, exclusively at Si Chuan Dou Hua Restaurant at the TOP of UOB Plaza. Promotional set menus start from S$138++ per person.
The anniversary collaboration brings renowned “Chinese Dragon Chef” Master Chef Chen Zhi Ling together with the restaurant’s Executive Chef Hoo Chee Keong. Chef Chen is known for his command of Fujian cuisine and state-banquet experience. Here, the chefs draw on dishes and techniques from across Fujian Province without turning the meal into a history lesson.
A Menu Built Around Family Memories
Dr Wee founded Si Chuan Dou Hua in 1996. The restaurant began as a business opportunity but became a place for celebrations, friendships and meals shared around the table.
His daughter, Si Chuan Dou Hua Executive Director Wee Wei Ling, recalls in her tribute book Food For Thought that Sunday lunch remained a family fixture regardless of how busy her father was. Porridge with mustard greens, popiah and peanut candy from Xiamen were among the simple foods tied to those gatherings.
That makes this anniversary menu feel personal. It is not Fujian food added to the menu for novelty. The dishes connect the restaurant’s 30-year story to the values its founder held close: family, humility and remembering one’s roots.
From Fujian Classics To Refined Interpretations
The media tasting began with a Combination of Five Hokkien, Sichuan and Cantonese Delicacies. The platter brought together a handmade taro ball, chilled bamboo clam, sweet-and-sour lychee meat, chilled sipunculid worm jelly, and fresh bean curd stick with grilled pepper and century egg. It is a compact introduction to the menu’s range of textures and regional influences.
Combination of Five Hokkien, Sichuan and Cantonese Delicacies. SUPERADRIANME photo
The Boiled Oyster Soup with First-Harvested Seaweed then puts Fujian’s coastal produce front and centre. Plump oysters sit in a dark seaweed broth, a straightforward pairing that lets the ingredients do most of the talking.
The Braised Yellow Croaker in Soy Sauce is served whole with spring onion, chilli and aromatics. Take your time with this one, as the fish has its share of fine bones. The beautifully rich, oily flesh, however, slips away from them with ease. It may be designed as a communal centrepiece, but having the whole fish to yourself lets you enjoy it at your own pace, whether you reach for a fork and knife or a pair of chopsticks. The choice is yours.
The chefs also allow themselves a little luxury. Deep-fried Ngoh Hiang with Sturgeon Caviar places beads of caviar over folded pieces of ngoh hiang. The presentation is contemporary, but the spiced Fujian roll remains recognisable. A member of the restaurant team said the arrangement had been likened to the Supertrees at Gardens by the Bay. With caviar crowning each piece, I had another name for it: “Caviar by the Bay”.
Popiah With A Fujian Point Of View
The Traditional Hokkien Popiah has particular significance for the Wee family and was often served at their gatherings. This version is also a useful reminder that the popiah familiar to Singapore diners is only one expression of the dish.
Instead of the braised turnip commonly used here, the traditional Fujian rendition is filled with fresh bamboo shoots. Cut open, the roll reveals a tightly packed mixture of vegetables and pork beneath its thin wrapper.
Oysters, Yam Porridge And “Hu Tou” Vermicelli
Fujian’s coastal influence returns in the Pan-fried Oyster with Sweet Potato Flour. Chef Chen prepares it in front of us at the media tasting, folding oysters and chopped greens into sweet potato starch before pan-frying the mixture until the edges brown. Here, the starch does the binding, unlike the versions commonly found in Singapore, which often include egg.
Two comforting staples bring the savoury courses to a close. Stir-fried “Hu Tou” Vermicelli with Pork Knuckle arrives in a wok, while Hokkien Yam Porridge with Mustard Greens recalls the simpler family meals Ms Wee wrote about. The vermicelli struck a particularly personal chord with our video editor, Dennis, who said each bite reminded him of his late grandmother’s cooking and almost moved him to tears.
Dessert stays traditional with Mung Bean Cake with Salted Egg Yolk and Traditional Boiled Sweet Peanut Soup. The neat square of mung bean cake is served simply on a leaf, while the sweet soup finishes the meal on a familiar note.
Should You Book It?
Go expecting a heritage menu rather than a Sichuan mala showcase. The appeal lies in seeing how Fujian food travelled into a Singapore family story, then into the kitchen of a restaurant celebrating three decades. The public promotional set menus start from S$138++ per person. The dishes photographed here were served at the media tasting; the exact selection may differ across the promotional menus.
UOB Cardmembers enjoy 15% savings on the promotional set menus and receive peanut candy specially flown in from Xiamen. It is a small gift, but one that neatly returns the anniversary story to Dr Wee’s memories of home.
Key Information
| Category | Details |
| Restaurant | Si Chuan Dou Hua Restaurant, TOP of UOB Plaza |
| Promotion | Once Upon A Time, From Fujian To Singapore |
| Dates | 1 July to 30 September 2026 |
| Price | Promotional set menus from S$138++ per person |
| Card offer | UOB Cardmembers enjoy 15% savings on promotional set menus and receive peanut candy flown in from Xiamen |
| Address | 80 Raffles Place, #60-01, UOB Plaza 1, Singapore 048624 |
| Reservations | +65 6535 6006 |
| [email protected] | |
| Promotion details | Once Upon A Time, From Fujian To Singapore |
| Notes | Prices are subject to service charge and prevailing GST |