Dajie Makan Place @ Clementi is the Clementi branch of one of Singapore's homegrown halal Chinese food brands, dishing out halal Chinese classics from the coffee shop at Blk 354 Clementi Ave 2, #01-253. Open every day from 10:00 AM to 9:30 PM, the stall centres its menu on the dishes the brand is loved for — yong tau foo, mala hotpot and Hainan chicken rice — alongside hawker staples like kuey teow goreng, laksa noodles, Hakka minced meat noodles and nasi goreng kampung.
The story goes back to 2007, when founder Carol Tan started Da Jie Niang Dou Fu after travelling China's markets and hidden alleys, discovering centuries-old recipes like mala hotpot and Hainan chicken rice — and after a pivotal moment watching her Muslim friends savour halal Chinese cuisine. The brand earned acclaim in The Straits Times, Berita Minggu and Lian He Wan Bao, was a Hawker Master Chef 2012 finalist, was featured at Singapore Favourite Food Village, reached the Singapore Food Masters 2021 finals, and rebranded as Dajie Makan Place in 2022.
Food here comes with a bigger purpose. Dajie runs weekly meal programmes for seniors — more than 50,000 meals served to date — partners with Lions Club Singapore and supports President's Challenge initiatives, while offering training and second-chance employment to youths. Guided by Carol's belief that 'people connect with people more than food,' the Clementi stall keeps things warm, family-friendly and reasonably priced, with fresh ingredients and a welcoming team that regulars come back for month after month.
Breakfast, lunch or an early dinner, the coffee shop at Blk 354 Clementi Ave 2 hums with the smell of halal Chinese comfort food. This is Dajie Makan Place @ Clementi, the Clementi branch of a homegrown Singapore brand that has been feeding the community since 2007 — first as Da Jie Niang Dou Fu, and since 2022 under the Dajie Makan Place name.
It is one of four Dajie outlets across the island, alongside Yishun, Bukit Batok and the Mookata @ Bedok barbecue spot, and it keeps the same neighbourhood rhythm as the rest: open every day from 10:00 AM to 9:30 PM, with a menu built around the dishes the brand is famous for.
Dajie's story starts with founder Carol Tan, who explored China's bustling markets and hidden alleys and came home with centuries-old recipes — among them mala hotpot and Hainan chicken rice. The turning point was watching Muslim friends savour halal Chinese food; she launched Dajie to share that culinary charm with Singapore's Muslim community, blending warmth, family and the joy of gathering.
Singapore noticed early. The brand earned acclaim in The Straits Times, Berita Minggu and Lian He Wan Bao, was a finalist in Hawker Master Chef 2012, appeared at the Singapore Favourite Food Village, and later reached the finals of the Singapore Food Masters 2021. In 2022, Da Jie Niang Dou Fu rebranded as Dajie Makan Place — a wider makan identity for a menu that had grown well beyond yong tau foo.
Start with the dish that started it all. Yong tau foo — niang dou fu — is Dajie's founding signature, and regulars describe a set of different pieces with rice and a big bowl of soup: the kind of filling, reasonably priced, healthy meal reviewers say is hard to find elsewhere.
The mala hotpot is the fiery star of the show, Dajie's halal take on the Chinese favourite, while Hainan chicken rice rounds out the trio of star offerings — the classic, done halal.
Beyond the big three, the menu reads like a tour of halal Chinese hawker staples: chicken cutlet rice for the fried-food fans; chicken noodle for something comforting; Hakka minced meat noodles for a hearty topping; kuey teow goreng straight from the wok; laksa noodles in its curry gravy; and nasi goreng kampung for village-style fried rice.
What keeps people coming back, by the brand's own telling, is less a single dish than the feeling of the place. Dajie describes itself as warm, family-friendly hospitality — 'people connect with people more than food' is Carol Tan's simple belief — and customer reviews echo it, praising friendly workers and a welcoming environment where regulars return month after month.
The team's extensive experience in cooking and management shows up on the plate: fresh, pure ingredients, reasonable pricing, and a diverse menu that gives local residents and tourists alike something for every palate, from spicy mala to comforting chicken rice.
Dajie's mission runs past the counter. The brand runs weekly meal programmes for seniors — more than 50,000 meals served to elderly residents — and works with Lions Club Singapore, BGSS, President's Challenge-supported initiatives, schools and social service agencies. Its employment programmes offer skills training and second-chance opportunities for youths and individuals seeking a fresh start. Every plate at Clementi is part of that bigger picture.
You'll find the stall at #01-253, Blk 354 Clementi Ave 2, Singapore 120354, open daily from 10:00 AM to 9:30 PM. Call 6774 2030 to check on the day, or order in through delivery platforms including Deliveroo and foodpanda. Whether it's a quick yong tau foo lunch, a fiery mala session with friends or a family chicken rice dinner, the Clementi stall serves up nearly two decades of halal Chinese hawker craft — one warm bowl at a time.