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Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
The Fed Economist Accused of Espionage for Beijing
John Rogers was visiting Shanghai in May 2013, attending a business forum as a Federal Reserve economist, when he first received an email from an alleged Chinese intelligence agent. The man described himself as a Chinese graduate student who was interested in learning about the Fed. Rogers says he refused the man's offer to pay him. But they stayed in touch, and later, the man invited Rogers to visit China again, all expenses paid. This time, Rogers made the trip, setting off a chain of events that led to espionage charges against him in the U.S.—and exposed new details about China's alleged efforts to recruit informants inside U.S. government institutions. Prosecutors allege Rogers handed over sensitive information to Chinese operatives, who posed as students and who offered to cover travel expenses to China. Rogers met his Chinese handlers in hotel rooms and in some cases shared internal Fed reports, including information prepared for discussions by the rate-setting Federal Open Market Committee, according to an indictment unsealed in January that accused Rogers of conspiring to commit economic espionage. Federal Bureau of Investigation officers arrested Rogers in January and found $50,000 in cash at his Washington-area apartment—money that his wife said belonged to her. Rogers has denied all charges against him, including that he knowingly assisted Beijing. People who know him, and his role at the Fed, say his value to China would have been limited because he wasn't privy to high-level decision-making. An attorney for Rogers said the government's indictment lacks context and relevant facts that would undercut its implication of impropriety. For example, Rogers doesn't speak Chinese, the attorney said. The indictment 'presents an overly-simplistic, one-sided, and skewed version of events,' said the lawyer, who added that Rogers's legal team would provide a detailed rebuttal in court 'where we will prove Dr. Rogers's innocence.' Prosecutors say Rogers was a logical target for Chinese espionage, with an important-sounding title at the Fed and a growing affection for China. In 2018, he married a Shanghainese woman whom he met through a Chinese matchmaking service. FBI agents would later find a note on his iPad, dated December 2018 and addressed to 'Dear Chinese People,' in which he expressed admiration for China. 'I love your kindness, your generosity, and your humbly hard working, high-achieving society,' the note said. 'I love you unconditionally, Shanghai.' Asked about Rogers's case, China's Foreign Ministry said it wasn't aware of the matter. China's main civilian intelligence agency, the Ministry of State Security, didn't respond to queries. Western officials say China has ramped up espionage activities to unprecedented levels under leader Xi Jinping, including targeting institutions such as the Fed, a linchpin of U.S. financial stability. While Chinese cyberattacks have gained more prominence recently, Beijing continues to groom traditional human sources such as informants to get information, even when they appear to offer limited insight. A 2022 report by Republican staff on a Senate committee accused China of trying to 'gain access to sensitive internal information and influence the Federal Reserve' since at least 2013, offering money and other benefits. In one case in 2019, Chinese authorities allegedly held a Fed economist in a hotel room during a trip to Shanghai and threatened to imprison him unless he agreed to provide nonpublic economic data, according to the Senate committee report. Chinese officials allegedly told him they had been monitoring his phones, including conversations about his divorce, and would publicly humiliate him if he didn't cooperate. The economist reported the incident to Fed officials after being released, the report said. China's Foreign Ministry denounced the report, calling it 'political disinformation.' In response to the report at the time, Fed Chair Jerome Powell said the central bank maintained robust information-security protocols. Those policies included reviews of foreign travel and personal contacts for staff with access to sensitive economic information, he said then. The Fed updated its policies in 2021 to prohibit gifts and compensation from entities in countries, including China, that are subject to defense export controls by the State Department. This account is based on interviews with Rogers's associates and a review of documents related to the case. With a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Virginia, Rogers joined the Federal Reserve Board as an economist in 1994. He later worked as a senior adviser researching exchange rates and interest-rate policy. On social media, Rogers aired his fondness for bands such as R.E.M. and the Cure. A lanky figure standing more than 6 feet tall, he sometimes led yoga classes for Fed colleagues. People familiar with Rogers's work said his position as senior adviser could oversell to outsiders his involvement in the Fed's sensitive policymaking discussions. While some officials with the 'senior adviser' title help Fed leaders prepare for their highly secret monetary-policy meetings, others have simply been at the Fed a long time or have specialized research backgrounds. Rogers fell into this latter category. He didn't attend Federal Open Market Committee meetings or have access to sensitive FOMC materials. Even so, alleged Chinese intelligence homed in on Rogers when he traveled to China in 2013. He went there to speak at an annual conference hosted by Shanghai's prestigious Fudan University, Rogers recalled in a podcast interview in 2024. In 2017, Rogers accepted an invitation from the Chinese man who described himself as a graduate student to visit his university, Shandong University of Economics and Finance, in the eastern city of Ji'nan, according to the indictment. Rogers asked the student to pay for flights and hotels, and the man agreed. Around that time, Rogers became acquainted with a 31-year-old Shanghainese makeup artist through a Chinese matchmaking service called Sky Love, which caters to Chinese women seeking romantic partners from abroad. After months of online conversations, Rogers wanted to meet the woman, Liu Yu, in person. He added a stop in Shanghai, where they spent about two days together, sightseeing, enjoying a hotpot meal and exchanging gifts, according to Sky Love, which detailed the romance in online posts publicizing its successes in matchmaking. Rogers then traveled to Ji'nan, where he delivered a lecture, 'Uncertainty, Currency Excess Returns and Risk Reversals,' at Shandong University. The couple wedded in Hong Kong in March 2018, and Liu gave birth to their daughter in Shanghai later that year, the company said. About two months after his wedding, Rogers reached out to the Chinese man who said he was a student and asked about an essay the man was writing, according to the indictment. The man sent Rogers questions about Fed policy, purportedly to get help for the essay. Rogers emailed two Fed colleagues asking for information he could share during a trip to China, including on the Fed's views on China's currency. One colleague emailed him two PDF documents, one of which Rogers emailed to his Chinese contact. After arriving in China, under the guise of teaching classes, Rogers met in hotel rooms with the man and another person—who U.S. prosecutors say was also an intelligence agent—and shared internal Fed information, according to the indictment. In text exchanges made public by U.S. prosecutors, Rogers said the Fed wouldn't allow him to discuss policy matters with Chinese contacts unless there was a sound academic reason for doing so. 'There has to be a lot more done to make this legitimate in the eyes of the Fed. Remember, it has to be teaching and not consulting. I am only allowed to teach,' he said in one text message in 2018. If anyone questioned the relationship, 'that would cause me a lot of trouble!' he wrote. Under U.S. law, economic espionage can be punished with up to 15 years in prison. In a February court filing, Rogers's lawyers said the text message 'demonstrates the defendant's commitment to do the teaching which he was hired to do—not to conspire with anyone.' In the second half of 2018, Rogers took a sabbatical from the Fed, spending time in Shanghai as a visiting professor at Fudan, according to his podcast interview. He continued supplying information to the Chinese persons who described themselves as students, including notes on a briefing to someone awaiting Senate confirmation as a Fed governor around two weeks before a Fed policy meeting. Attorneys for Rogers would later tell a Washington, D.C., court that the economist's communications with his Chinese contacts reflected the teacher-student relationship between them. Rogers could answer his students' questions without revealing trade secrets, the attorneys said. In 2020, Fed officials raised questions about Rogers's Chinese ties in an interview with the Fed's watchdog agency, the Office of Inspector General. 'The Chinese, they're watching everything that the U.S. does. I don't mean that in an espionage way, I'm sure they are doing espionage but I don't confront that,' Rogers said, according to a court submission from prosecutors. 'They just want to know what's… the Fed thinking.' Rogers added, 'I was offered money, they'd come out with packets of hundred-dollar bills.' But he denied sharing restricted Fed information. Prosecutors would later charge Rogers with making a false statement during this interview. Attorneys for Rogers said he lost access to most Fed documents in May 2020, around three months after the interview. He was forced out of the Fed in May 2021, according to a government filing. A Fed spokesperson, citing privacy rules, declined to comment on the case. About two months before leaving the Fed, Rogers signed a contract to teach at Fudan, according to government prosecutors. His contract offers a salary of around $150,000 for one semester of teaching per year, according to his lawyers. They said he also received a $300,000 research grant, to be disbursed over three years, from a state-run research institution. Fudan didn't respond to a request for comment. The Chinese persons describing themselves as students continued to contact Rogers. In February 2022, one messaged Rogers asking if he and his wife would be interested in traveling to the eastern city of Qingdao, and arranging a class there. 'All related expenses will be covered by us, and we can pay for the class,' the agent said. It couldn't be learned if Rogers made the trip. Write to Chun Han Wong at and Nick Timiraos at Get 360° coverage—from daily headlines to 100 year archives.
Mint
25-05-2025
- Business
- Mint
The Fed economist accused of espionage for Beijing
John Rogers was visiting Shanghai in May 2013, attending a business forum as a Federal Reserve economist, when he first received an email from an alleged Chinese intelligence agent. The man described himself as a Chinese graduate student who was interested in learning about the Fed. Rogers says he refused the man's offer to pay him. But they stayed in touch, and later, the man invited Rogers to visit China again, all expenses paid. This time, Rogers made the trip, setting off a chain of events that led to espionage charges against him in the U.S.—and exposed new details about China's alleged efforts to recruit informants inside U.S. government institutions. Prosecutors allege Rogers handed over sensitive information to Chinese operatives, who posed as students and who offered to cover travel expenses to China. Rogers met his Chinese handlers in hotel rooms and in some cases shared internal Fed reports, including information prepared for discussions by the rate-setting Federal Open Market Committee, according to an indictment unsealed in January that accused Rogers of conspiring to commit economic espionage. Federal Bureau of Investigation officers arrested Rogers in January and found $50,000 in cash at his Washington-area apartment—money that his wife said belonged to her. Rogers has denied all charges against him, including that he knowingly assisted Beijing. People who know him, and his role at the Fed, say his value to China would have been limited because he wasn't privy to high-level decision-making. An attorney for Rogers said the government's indictment lacks context and relevant facts that would undercut its implication of impropriety. For example, Rogers doesn't speak Chinese, the attorney said. The indictment 'presents an overly-simplistic, one-sided, and skewed version of events," said the lawyer, who added that Rogers's legal team would provide a detailed rebuttal in court 'where we will prove Dr. Rogers's innocence." Fed Chair Jerome Powell has pointed to the central bank's security protocols in response to past concerns about alleged Chinese spying. Prosecutors say Rogers was a logical target for Chinese espionage, with an important-sounding title at the Fed and a growing affection for China. In 2018, he married a Shanghainese woman whom he met through a Chinese matchmaking service. FBI agents would later find a note on his iPad, dated December 2018 and addressed to 'Dear Chinese People," in which he expressed admiration for China. 'I love your kindness, your generosity, and your humbly hard working, high-achieving society," the note said. 'I love you unconditionally, Shanghai." Asked about Rogers's case, China's Foreign Ministry said it wasn't aware of the matter. China's main civilian intelligence agency, the Ministry of State Security, didn't respond to queries. Western officials say China has ramped up espionage activities to unprecedented levels under leader Xi Jinping, including targeting institutions such as the Fed, a linchpin of U.S. financial stability. While Chinese cyberattacks have gained more prominence recently, Beijing continues to groom traditional human sources such as informants to get information, even when they appear to offer limited insight. A 2022 report by Republican staff on a Senate committee accused China of trying to 'gain access to sensitive internal information and influence the Federal Reserve" since at least 2013, offering money and other benefits. In one case in 2019, Chinese authorities allegedly held a Fed economist in a hotel room during a trip to Shanghai and threatened to imprison him unless he agreed to provide nonpublic economic data, according to the Senate committee report. Chinese officials allegedly told him they had been monitoring his phones, including conversations about his divorce, and would publicly humiliate him if he didn't cooperate. The economist reported the incident to Fed officials after being released, the report said. China's Foreign Ministry denounced the report, calling it 'political disinformation." In response to the report at the time, Fed Chair Jerome Powell said the central bank maintained robust information-security protocols. Those policies included reviews of foreign travel and personal contacts for staff with access to sensitive economic information, he said then. The Fed updated its policies in 2021 to prohibit gifts and compensation from entities in countries, including China, that are subject to defense export controls by the State Department. This account is based on interviews with Rogers's associates and a review of documents related to the case. With a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Virginia, Rogers joined the Federal Reserve Board as an economist in 1994. He later worked as a senior adviser researching exchange rates and interest-rate policy. On social media, Rogers aired his fondness for bands such as R.E.M. and the Cure. A lanky figure standing more than 6 feet tall, he sometimes led yoga classes for Fed colleagues. People familiar with Rogers's work said his position as senior adviser could oversell to outsiders his involvement in the Fed's sensitive policymaking discussions. While some officials with the 'senior adviser" title help Fed leaders prepare for their highly secret monetary-policy meetings, others have simply been at the Fed a long time or have specialized research backgrounds. Rogers fell into this latter category. He didn't attend Federal Open Market Committee meetings or have access to sensitive FOMC materials. Even so, alleged Chinese intelligence homed in on Rogers when he traveled to China in 2013. He went there to speak at an annual conference hosted by Shanghai's prestigious Fudan University, Rogers recalled in a podcast interview in 2024. In 2017, Rogers accepted an invitation from the Chinese man who described himself as a graduate student to visit his university, Shandong University of Economics and Finance, in the eastern city of Ji'nan, according to the indictment. Rogers asked the student to pay for flights and hotels, and the man agreed. Around that time, Rogers became acquainted with a 31-year-old Shanghainese makeup artist through a Chinese matchmaking service called Sky Love, which caters to Chinese women seeking romantic partners from abroad. After months of online conversations, Rogers wanted to meet the woman, Liu Yu, in person. He added a stop in Shanghai, where they spent about two days together, sightseeing, enjoying a hotpot meal and exchanging gifts, according to Sky Love, which detailed the romance in online posts publicizing its successes in matchmaking. Rogers then traveled to Ji'nan, where he delivered a lecture, 'Uncertainty, Currency Excess Returns and Risk Reversals," at Shandong University. The couple wedded in Hong Kong in March 2018, and Liu gave birth to their daughter in Shanghai later that year, the company said. About two months after his wedding, Rogers reached out to the Chinese man who said he was a student and asked about an essay the man was writing, according to the indictment. The man sent Rogers questions about Fed policy, purportedly to get help for the essay. Rogers emailed two Fed colleagues asking for information he could share during a trip to China, including on the Fed's views on China's currency. One colleague emailed him two PDF documents, one of which Rogers emailed to his Chinese contact. After arriving in China, under the guise of teaching classes, Rogers met in hotel rooms with the man and another person—who U.S. prosecutors say was also an intelligence agent—and shared internal Fed information, according to the indictment. In text exchanges made public by U.S. prosecutors, Rogers said the Fed wouldn't allow him to discuss policy matters with Chinese contacts unless there was a sound academic reason for doing so. 'There has to be a lot more done to make this legitimate in the eyes of the Fed. Remember, it has to be teaching and not consulting. I am only allowed to teach," he said in one text message in 2018. If anyone questioned the relationship, 'that would cause me a lot of trouble!" he wrote. Under U.S. law, economic espionage can be punished with up to 15 years in prison. In a February court filing, Rogers's lawyers said the text message 'demonstrates the defendant's commitment to do the teaching which he was hired to do—not to conspire with anyone." In the second half of 2018, Rogers took a sabbatical from the Fed, spending time in Shanghai as a visiting professor at Fudan, according to his podcast interview. He continued supplying information to the Chinese persons who described themselves as students, including notes on a briefing to someone awaiting Senate confirmation as a Fed governor around two weeks before a Fed policy meeting. Attorneys for Rogers would later tell a Washington, D.C., court that the economist's communications with his Chinese contacts reflected the teacher-student relationship between them. Rogers could answer his students' questions without revealing trade secrets, the attorneys said. By 2019, Rogers had brought his new wife and daughter to live with him in Washington, according to a Sky Love post. His wife has another daughter in China and continued to spend 'significant time" there, prosecutors said. In 2020, Fed officials raised questions about Rogers's Chinese ties in an interview with the Fed's watchdog agency, the Office of Inspector General. 'The Chinese, they're watching everything that the U.S. does. I don't mean that in an espionage way, I'm sure they are doing espionage but I don't confront that," Rogers said, according to a court submission from prosecutors. 'They just want to know what's… the Fed thinking." Rogers added, 'I was offered money, they'd come out with packets of hundred-dollar bills." But he denied sharing restricted Fed information. Prosecutors would later charge Rogers with making a false statement during this interview. Attorneys for Rogers said he lost access to most Fed documents in May 2020, around three months after the interview. He was forced out of the Fed in May 2021, according to a government filing. A Fed spokesperson, citing privacy rules, declined to comment on the case. About two months before leaving the Fed, Rogers signed a contract to teach at Fudan, according to government prosecutors. His contract offers a salary of around $150,000 for one semester of teaching per year, according to his lawyers. They said he also received a $300,000 research grant, to be disbursed over three years, from a state-run research institution. Fudan didn't respond to a request for comment. The Chinese persons describing themselves as students continued to contact Rogers. In February 2022, one messaged Rogers asking if he and his wife would be interested in traveling to the eastern city of Qingdao, and arranging a class there. 'All related expenses will be covered by us, and we can pay for the class," the agent said. It couldn't be learned if Rogers made the trip. Write to Chun Han Wong at and Nick Timiraos at
Time Out
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Jimmy O. Yang makes a Hong Kong homecoming with his stand-up comedy show
Hong Kong-American comedian and actor Jimmy O. Yang visited our city for a short trip back in March and got a good deal of attention for his videos on food, experiences, as well as meetings with local stars Dayo Wong and Chow Yun-fat. Fans were in his comments clamouring for a Hong Kong leg on his tour, and O. Yang has now finally confirmed his first stand-up show in our city. Jimmy O. Yang Live In Hong Kong is going to be particularly special as it marks O. Yang's first-ever show in Asia – in fact, our city is the only Asian stop on his North America-centric tour as he moves on to London and Amsterdam afterwards. The 37-year-old is set to take the stage at the Hong Kong Coliseum on June 14, and we're so glad he still feels a strong enough connection to the city of his childhood to perform for us live. Those who follow him on social media will know that O. Yang can speak Cantonese, Shanghainese, and Mandarin Chinese, so we can probably expect some of his material to be in Cantonese specifically for his Hong Kong show. Tickets are priced at $380, $580, and $780, with the first round of sales starting on May 9, 2pm, for HSBC credit card priority bookings only. This will be followed by the Klook pre-sale on May 12 at 12 noon, then sales for the general public will open on May 15 at 10am. The Hong Kong Coliseum only seats 12,500 people and we're sure the one-night-only show will be in hot demand, so mark your calendars for ticket drops.
Tokyo Weekender
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Tokyo Weekender
Tokyo's Best Restaurant and Bar Openings: April 2025
Japan's capital regularly welcomes new and exciting hospitality venues and April was no exception. Here's a look at some of Tokyo's best restaurant and bar openings last month. List of Contents: Imperial Treasure Sushidokoro Kanpai Hyatt Regency Tokyo: Nineteen Eighty Bar & Lounge The Tokyo Two Rooms Reopening Mori no Beer Garden P.: Mikkeller Burger, Mini Massif, Adicurry and Pizza Slice Uchu Brewing Toranomon, The Glass Rock Building Related Posts Imperial Treasure First opened in Singapore in 2004, Imperial Treasure now boasts more than 20 restaurants around the globe in locations such as Hong Kong, London and Paris. On April 27, it finally launched in Japan in Tokyo's upscale district of Ginza. The Michelin-starred fine dining eatery offers a wide variety of Chinese dishes, including Shanghainese, Cantonese and dim sum. The star of the show is probably the Peking duck, which is slowly aged for around 40 days. Dishes exclusive to Imperial Treasure Ginza include sautéed egg whites with Hokkaido sea urchin and deep-fried amadai with crispy rice. It's a heavenly gourmet experience enhanced by a carefully curated wine list and a spectacular setting. See here for more information. Sushidokoro Kanpai An intimate space with darkened windows, Sushidokoro Kanpai feels like a luxurious hideaway restaurant despite being in the lively district of Shimbashi. The hospitality group Isseki Sancho has teamed up with the Kanpai Sushi Bar & Grill in Los Angeles to create a modern sushi space where Edo-period techniques and Californian free-spirited ideas intersect. It's like a show as the chef works his magic with his knife to present an array of creative dishes using the freshest ingredients. From the horse mackerel to the flounder, everything was sublime and was nicely washed down with some nihonshu. That was then followed by a couple of cocktails at the adjoining Bar Trillion, which will officially open in May. See here for more information. Hyatt Regency Tokyo: Nineteen Eighty Bar & Lounge The Hyatt Regency in Nishi-Shinjuku is currently undergoing its most extensive renovation in the hotel's 45-year history. The symbol of this renovation is Nineteen Eighty Bar & Lounge, a stylish all-day venue offering breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea. It then transforms into a bar in the evening, when guests can choose from a rich lineup of classic cocktails. Highlights include King of Fruits, a drink crafted using every part of the melon, and Time for Tea, a beverage that represents a quiet and elegant moment. In front of the bar are the hotel's famous Swarovski crystal chandeliers, while behind it is a large clock, inspired by the iconic timepiece at New York's Grand Central Station. See here for more information. The Tokyo This place actually opened at the end of March, but we thought we would include it anyway. Located in the trendy neighborhood of Nishiazabu, The Tokyo is a sophisticated space that's been described as 'a cutting-edge playground for adults.' Main features include an illuminated long counter, five private rooms and an immersive DJ bar floor. The bar offers a variety of drinks such as champagne, wine and cocktails, in addition to several grilled dishes and light bites. For those going there to eat, though, 2nd Edition Teruzushi Nishiazabu is the place. Hidden in the corner of the lounge, it's a highly acclaimed sushi bar with an omakase course curated by Takayoshi Watanabe. See here for more information. Two Rooms Reopening A hugely popular destination in the heart of Aoyama, Two Rooms closed its doors at the start of the year to undergo a full-scale renovation. It reopened on April 2, and the cuisine, produced by Matthew Crabbe and his team, is even better than before. The wagyu beef tartare and uni nori wraps, in particular, are well worth trying. As the name suggests, there are two distinct rooms: the elegant Atelier 246 and the Vista Lounge, which has a more contemporary feel. One of the main attractions of Two Rooms, though, is its refined terrace, which overlooks Tokyo's dynamic cityscape. As part of the company's new entertainment dining experience, guests can now enjoy live jazz performances followed by DJ sets. See here for more information. Mori no Beer Garden On April 15, Mori no Beer Garden opened for its 40th edition. Located in Meiji Jingu Gaien's Niko Niko Park, the popular beer garden seats around 1,000 people. Of those seats, approximately 600 are under tents, so guests needn't worry if it rains. There's also a mist system to provide relief from the summer heat. The standard menu features an all-you-can-eat barbecue including assorted meats, various vegetables, french fries, yakisoba and popsicles. From the all-you-can-drink menu, guests can order from seven types of beer, as well as whisky, wine, highball and soft drinks. The 40-year edition plan also includes a seafood plate of black tiger prawns and scallops and four types of craft beer. See here for more information. P.: Mikkeller Burger, Mini Massif, Adicurry and Pizza Slice P., a high-quality food hall with four stores, opened in the riverside neighborhood of Futako Tamagawa on April 29. It is a welcoming open space with large windows, lots of plants and cobblestone flooring. In the center is a terracotta-colored counter that is shared by three of the stores: Mikkeller Burger, Mini Massif and Adicurry. The popular Danish craft brewery Mikkeller serves wagyu crispy smash burgers along with 10 taps of beer. Those looking for something spicier can try Adi's delightful Nepalese curry. Or you can indulge in some scrumptious pastries and natural wine at Mini Massif. Away from the counter, it's worth sampling the fantastic New York-style slices of pizza from Pizza Slice. See here for more information . Uchu Brewing Toranomon, The Glass Rock Building The Glass Rock Building, the final piece of the Toranomon Hills Station Tower project, opened on April 9, with seven shops being added to the complex. This included Uchu Brewing Toranomon, which is known for its space-themed beers brewed in the natural environment of Yatsugatake. It features six draft beers on tap, canned beers and other goods. Opposite Uchu Brewing Toranomon is Magma Books, a beautifully designed bookstore that is spread across two floors. On the first floor, you'll also find Tully's Coffee, the chocolate brand Benoit Nihant and the specialty flower shop Rose Gallery, which are all connected. Down to BF2 is the premium lifestyle retailer Banana Republic and the eyewear brand Owndays. See here for more information. Related Posts Where To Find Tokyo's Best Vegan Sushi Tokyo's Must-Try Michelin Bib Gourmand Ramen 7 Affordable Michelin-Rated Restaurants in Tokyo
Time Out
29-04-2025
- Time Out
Bukit Batok West Food Centre is now open with 22 food stalls and 80 tables
Bukit Batok West Food Centre officially opened on March 19, ahead of its projected opening date in the second quarter of 2025. That's good news for those living in the west, who now have plenty more affordable dining options around the vicinity. The hawker centre is located next to Le Quest Shopping Mall and is three bus stops or a seven-minute drive from Bukit Batok MRT. The new food centre has a seating capacity of 400 people with over 80 tables. 22 stalls will be offering a mix of local and international fare, and there's even a Vietnamese stall in the mix. Since it's operated by the Fei Siong Group, which also manages Woodleigh Village Hawker Centre, you'll find some of the same vendors here. They include popular names like economic bee hoon stall Eng Kee Chicken Wings, Munchi Pancakes for min jiang kueh, and You Tiao Mei which sells Chinese desserts and snacks like tau suan and fried dough fritters. View this post on Instagram A post shared by You Tiao Mei (@ It's pretty uncommon to spot Vietnamese cuisine in a hawker centre, but Bukit Batok West Food Centre has Petit Saigon, which dishes out bowls of pho, banh mi, noodles, spring rolls, and more. They're also are affordably priced – from $4.80 for chicken pho, $6.20 for chicken banh mi, and $4.50 for fresh spring rolls. Another interesting find is Xiang Yu Pan-Fried Bun, which specialises in Shanghainese pork sheng jian bao ($4.50 for three), handmade by a former Crystal Jade dim sum chef. Each bun is filled with piping hot gravy, so be extra careful when biting into them. There are also pan-fried buns with pork ($4.50), pork and chive dumplings ($5) and chilli oil wontons ($5.50) on the menu. Those looking to get their noodle fix can do so at Fried Hokkien Noodles for a 'drier' version of the local dish (from $5) with options to add big prawns, lala, or roasted pork; Jue Yan Lor Mee for goopy gravy-loaded bowls of noodles (from $5.50) topped with braised meat, fish chunks, and eggs; or 老招牌云吞面 (lao zhao pai yun tun mian) Wantan Noodle for old-school style wonton noodles. For something other than the usual hawker fare, check out El Brasa, a halal-friendly Western stall featuring from burgers to pasta at below $10. Try the signature chicken chop ($7.90) which has got the standard slab slathered with black pepper sauce, aglio olio, and salad on the side; or the Samyang prawn pasta ($8.50) which is creamier than it is spicy. And if you're just after a snack or stocking up for breakfast, visit Long Cheng Bakery for fresh bakes like sausage buns and the like (mostly under $2), waffles, and a range of kueh. Here's a full directory of the stalls at Bukit Batok West Food Centre: Al Yusra El Brasa Eng Kee Chicken Wings Feng Wei Ngoh Hiang Prawn Cracker Satay Fried Hokkien Noodles Golden Wok Fried Rice Harmony Hot & Cold Drinks He Wei Fan Zhuang Huang Chao Teochew Noodle House Jue Yan Lor Mee Ju Xiang Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice Kallang Bahru Braised Duck Kway Chap Mala Master Munchi Pancakes Nam Kee Pau Petit Saigon Sunbo Express Penyet & BBQ Urfan's Rojak & Prata Paradise 老招牌云吞面 Wantan Noodle Xiang Yu Pan-Fried Bun You Tiao Mei Yuan Lai Vegetarian Bukit Batok West Hawker Centre is located at Harmony Village @ Bukit Batok, 469 Bukit Batok West Ave 9, Singapore 650469.
