Meat & Rice Hawker Leaves Buddy To Open Rival Stall Selling Similar Braised Pork Rice Bowls

No bad blood

If you’re expecting bad blood and drama, well, the two young hawkers are still firm friends. In fact, Xavier (right in pic) turned up at the 8days.sg photoshoot for Braissiers Rice Bowl on his day off to support his pal. They joke that they don’t bicker as much anymore, maybe ‘cos they no longer share the same kitchen.

Split because they couldn’t agree on a recipe?

Xavier is the loud, chatty one, while Weijie is more reserved. Weijie graduated with a culinary arts diploma from Sunrice Academy, and worked as a chef in restaurants like now-defunct omakase tapas spot Bam!, and French restaurant Le Bistrot du Sommelier.

When asked if their split had anything to do with disagreements on how thick a rice bowl’s gravy should be (Xavier prefers it oozier while Weijie doesn’t), Xavier laughs and says: “Maybe, because until now, we still can’t agree on the sauce!”

Wanted to strike out on his own

Weijie, however, downplays any tension. “It wasn’t about that,” he says. “I just wanted to see what I could do on my own.” Despite all the media fanfare on Meat & Rice, Weijie doesn’t feel that it’s a waste to leave his buddy and his biz, citing his desire to chase his own dream. He adds: “I was 29, had some culinary experience, and have always wanted to try running my own business.”  

So Weijie decided to take part in NEA’s Hawker Incubation Programme. He secured a stall at Tanjong Pagar Market & Food Centre, and launched Braissers Rice Bowl, which, yes, serves almost identical braised meat rice bowls. 

Weijie tells 8days.sg that he invested around $20K into the new stall. He doesn’t rule out the possibility of working with Xavier again. “I now get to build something of my own, but if the right opportunity comes, we might collaborate again,” he says. “We are still very good friends.” 

On whether they miss working together, they admit: “Not really.” 

For now, Weijie runs his stall solo, working the lunch shift and closing around 2:30pm (or later if there’s still food left). Setting up shop in Tanjong Pagar was a no-brainer; it’s a good location in the CBD. 

Supportive pal

One might expect some tension over the new stall’s almost twin concept, but Xavier is nothing but supportive. "I believe braised meat rice bowls lack exposure, and with Weijie venturing into a different part of Singapore, it's actually a good thing," Xavier tells 8days.sg when we visited his stall Meat & Rice on a separate occasion. "Though our stall names may be different, the food is still the same.” Now that Weijie is no longer at ABC Brickworks Market & Food Centre with him, Xavier runs the stall with another friend.

When asked if his lor bak rice is better than Xavier’s, Weijie doesn’t take the bait. Soft-spoken as ever, he shrugs and says it’s the same, except maybe that the sauce has a lighter mouthfeel.

Rocky start, but no regrets

Even with the rental subsidies from the Hawker Incubation Programme, biz has been tough for Weijie. He tells 8days.sg that when he first opened, he sometimes sold as few as five bowls a day. “To break even, I need to sell at least 25 bowls a day,” Weijie says. With foot traffic proving unpredictable in the evenings, he decided to focus solely on lunch service, even though sales are far from steady.

He suspects the slow start had to do with timing. His stall opened at the start of the year, and just as things began picking up, Chinese New Year rolled around. “Maybe people just didn’t realise I was here,” he says.

But Weijie isn’t deterred. He hopes that as word spreads, more people will give Braissers Rice Bowls a try. He hasn’t started any social media marketing yet but is looking into it. "I just wanted to try [being my own boss],” he says. “Better to do it than regret not doing it.”

Gravy debate no more: only thinner gravy served here

If you’re wondering what’s different between Braissers Rice Bowl and Meat & Rice, as mentioned before, there’s one major distinction: its gravy.

The original braised meat rice recipe came from Xavier’s father, a former zi char hawker. Back at Meat & Rice, Xavier preferred a thick, gooey gravy. But Weijie likes a slightly thinner version, the kind that seeps into the rice rather than sits on top. “It coats the rice grains better,” the former restaurant chef insists.

The menu

Pork Jowl, $5.80 (8 DAYS Pick!)

A good braised pork rice bowl strikes a perfect balance between meat and fat, and Weijie’s version at Braissers Rice Bowl gets it right. Each chunk of pork jowl is evenly marbled, so it’s indulgent without feeling greasy. The meat is slow-cooked till fork-tender, soaking up a braising sauce that’s subtly sweet with hints of warm spices. The flavour comes from a mix of rock sugar, light soy sauce from Ipoh, and aromatics like galangal, ginger, clove, bay leaf, and star anise.

Weijie uses less starch in the gravy, so it’s not a heavy, clingy sauce but instead seeps nicely into the chewy rice. Each spoonful is well-seasoned. Like the bowls at Meat & Rice, there’s also a splash of shallot oil for added fragrance. Tasty.

Pig Trotter, $5.80 (8 DAYS Pick!)

Glossy, gelatinous skin clings to succulent meat, offering a satisfying mix of tender bite and indulgent chew. The fattiness of the trotter gives the dish an unctuous quality. To balance its richness, pickled mustard greens add much needed tang. Break the sous vide egg and stir it into the rice for a creamy, velvety finish. Yummy.

Duck Breast, $6.30   

This braised duck breast didn’t quite hit the mark, coming off a little too gamey and firmer than expected. The flavours don’t seem to meld as well as they do in the pork bowls, too.  

Bottom Line 

If we were forced to choose, we’d probably pick the thicker gravy at Meat & Rice. That said, Weijie’s lighter version has its merits. His is a solid rendition of the classic braised pork rice for those who enjoy runnier gravy and more nuanced flavours. The pork jowl and trotter bowls are the standouts, offering tender, well-marinated meat with just the right amount of unctuousness.

The details

Braissers Rice Bowl is at Tanjong Pagar Plaza Market & Food Centre, #02-44, S081006. Open daily from 10.30am till 2.30pm.  

Photos: Dillon Tan

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