Fried Rice Story, Bedok Reservoir: Din Tai Fung-style fried rice with Jumbo Crab Meat and Grilled Scallops

Eggs, white rice, and some leftover ingredients. That is all the ingredients you would need to put together a versatile plate of fried rice. Although this might sound simple, some hawkers have still managed to elevate this humble dish to something much more special. Enter Fried Rice Story, a new fried rice hawker located at a kopitiam at Bedok Reservoir. For those who are bored of your mainstream Din Tai Fung and King Of Fried Rice, this is the stall for you.

Tucked away in an HDB estate, it took me a while to locate the kopitiam. Illuminated by bright fluorescent lights, it also houses other household hawker names too, such as Kallang Airport Wanton Mee.

I have never seen a fried rice player with such a huge diversity of toppings. Fried Rice Story allows you to choose from four different flavours of rice, which include your classic Egg and Teriyaki. If you are feeling more adventurous, I suggest you opt for their Mala or Truffle-infused Egg Fried Rice.

When it comes to toppings, you will be spoilt for choice. Their extensive menu includes crowd favourites like Grilled Chicken (S$7.90) and Katsu Chicken (S$7.90), Shrimp (S$7.90), and Braised Beef (S$8.90). Also, I find the inclusion of Jumbo Crab Meat (S$10.90) and Grilled Scallops (S$8.90) very interesting. Aside from its fried rice, the stall also offers its signature Jumbo Crab Meat Omelette (S$12 to S$18) and Fried Mantou with Condensed Milk (S$4.90) to go along with the rice.

What I tried

Firstly, I jumped for Fried Rice Story’s Truffle Egg Fried Rice with Shrimp (S$7.90).

Personally, I am someone who would shy away from truffle fried rice due to how jelak it gets after a while. However, it only took me a few mouthfuls of rice to dispel my scepticism.

I instantly fell in love with the truffle-infused fried rice. It was not too overwhelming, yet it was still prominent enough for its smell to waft up to your nose. Thus, the truffle really helped to inject that addictive aroma into the fried rice. Alongside that, the shrimps also brought a nice savoury crunch to the dish.

Moving on, I went for their Mala Fried Rice with Jumbo Crab Meat (S$10.90).

The crab meat was surprisingly fresh and not too chewy. They carried a soft texture that was very satisfying to bite into, with a pile of fish eggs heaped on top. In addition, the mild spice level of the fried rice caters nicely to those who are not spice daredevils.

Being a big fan of teriyaki, I was really looking forward to trying their Teriyaki Egg Fried Rice with Chicken Katsu (S$7.90).

Taste-wise, this fried rice strikes the perfect balance between savoury, sweet and salty. The chicken katsu was deep-fried brilliantly, and I found crumbs spilling all over the table when I bit into the skin. Inside, the meat was incredibly tender and flavourful as well. Hence, I have to say that this was one of the dishes that I enjoyed the most.

Last up was their original Egg Fried Rice with Grilled Chicken (S$6.90).

Similarly, the chicken packed lots of flavour and its skin bore an appetising shade of brown. However, I would have loved it if the meat was juicier, as it got quite dry after a while.

As for the rice, I felt that a little more seasoning would have done wonders here as the rice tasted a little too mild for my liking.

When it comes to fried rice, the chilli is the deal-breaker for me.

For convenience’s sake, many hawkers tend to turn to subpar store-bought chilli. Thankfully, this was not the case when it came to Fried Rice Story’s fragrant homemade chilli. It took a while for the spiciness to kick in – but it was not too overwhelming. Being slightly on the sweet side, the chilli adds a different dimension to the fried rice.

In addition to that, I also got to enjoy their signature spicy seafood sauce. It carried a slight sour taste which complemented the chilli really well. Also, you can try dipping your meat into both sauces for that explosion of flavour.

Despite all the spotlight on their fried rice, their two sides still stood out for me.

Their Fried Mantou with Condensed Milk (S$4.90) was a match made in heaven for me. I immediately fell in love with the crispy exterior and fluffy interior of the deep-fried mantou. The condensed milk was the icing on the cake, providing a sweet and milky touch to the buns.

Their Jumbo Crab Meat Omelette (S$12) came with generous portions of crab meat tucked inside of it. The eggs were well seasoned, but they came soaked in sauce which made the dish a little soggy.

Final thoughts

Fried Rice Story definitely has its hits and misses.

However, I felt that the vibrant dishes and generous portion sizes still managed to win my heart over. Not only that, but they also provide unique toppings which you would not find in mainstream fried rice stores, as well as their game-changing side dishes.

Although their fried rice might lean slightly towards the pricier side (depending on toppings), I would still strongly recommend it to anyone, especially if you happen to be around the area!

Expected damage: S$8.90 – S$10.90 per pax

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