Just Eat It: Comforting plates of brown fried rice by 52-year-old former online trader
Each of us surely owns a sacred list of gate-kept places for great hawker food. But sometimes, we need suggestions from others to expand our options, don’t we? That’s why we’re highly appreciative of our Sethlui readers who recommend stalls for us to check out. Just Eat It at Tanglin Halt Market happens to be one of such places.
As I commuted here, nostalgic memories from 24 years ago came rushing back to me all at once. I spent every Sunday attending bible class, then hung out at the Tanglin Halt or Holland Village with my friends. Some old flats have been demolished to make way for modern, high-rise BTO flats.
Just Eat It is a relatively new stall, which was opened by 52-year-old Esmond Lee in May 2023. Being curious, I asked Esmond if he had worked in any F&B establishments before opening his own hawker stall.
“Nope, this is my first time and I was self taught. I used to be an online trader,” he added, with a big smile. Unlike conventional mainstream fried rice establishments which use white rice, Esmond utilises 100% whole kernel brown rice to fry his chao fan.
He wanted to offer patrons a healthier choice especially for the Tanglin Halt neighbourhood, which has a higher percentage of elderly folks than younger people.
The menu is straightforward— you can choose to have the Signature Fried Rice (S$4.50) as it is, or top up S$1 for any of the 3 chicken dishes as an extra side.
What I tried at Just Eat It
I started things off with the Fried Rice with Spicy Buffalo Wings Stick (S$5.50). The dish was served in an eco-friendly recycled disposable box, which Esmond doesn’t charge if you choose to dabao it.
The fried rice was stir-fried with egg, cabbage strips, carrot bits and spring onions, and had 5 small prawns beautifully arranged like a crown on top. Accompanying the mound of rice were 3 pieces of drumlets glazed with a honey-like sauce, a dollop of sambal and pickled veggies.
Visually, the fried rice was giving me Wok Hey and Din Tai Fung vibes. Upon taking my first mouthful, there wasn’t any mind-blowing smoky wok hei taste to it. Instead, it made me feel instantly comforted.
You know the feeling when you have a long day of school or work, and your mum puts a freshly cooked plate of fried rice on the table? That was how I felt— it felt home-cooked.
The brown rice grains were extremely fluffy. Even though the signboard mentioned that less salt and no MSG is used, I found that the fried rice was seasoned perfectly. It didn’t feel heavy or starchy, akin to basmati rice used in briyani. And most importantly, it wasn’t oily either.
The prawns were plump and firm, passing my personal freshness test: my tongue didn’t get itchy even after eating 4 of them. Believe it or not, it’s quite reliable (haha).
I tried incorporating a little sambal together with the rice and it gave a subtle punch of tanginess. The spice level was mild, with the heat kicking in only after 8 seconds.
The pickled radish and cucumber slices were vinegary, adding a shiok crunchy texture that contrasted nicely with the fluffy rice.
Here comes the confusing part… remember how I mentioned earlier that the drumlets were served with a honey-like sauce? Well, it tasted exactly like how it looked. I was preparing myself for a sensation of heat but there was only sweetness. Although the meat was decently soft, the meat was a little on the dry side.
My dining partner urged me to try the chicken alone without the rice, and she was right! The spiciness was so faint that you had to really focus on the chicken to detect a tiny tinge of heat tickling your taste buds— I believe even kids could eat this without having to worry about drinking water.
I also tried the Fried Rice with Chicken Patty (S$5.50). Everything was similar to the previous dish except for the large piece of golden brown chicken patty. The surface of the fried patty had speckles of black pepper all over it.
True enough, it had a peppery taste and reminded me of a large, flat chicken nugget. I certainly enjoyed this combination more.
Final thoughts
As I was enjoying my lunch, a part of me was dying to know if the sambal and chicken patty were made in-house or bought from a supplier. The answer was the latter after asking Esmond.
He wanted things to be straightforward and less tedious. A smart move, especially since he’s a one-man show. If you’re looking for comforting and healthy fried rice that’s decently priced, come to Tanglin Halt Market and say hi to the friendly Esmond at Just Eat It.
Expected damage: S$4.50 – S$5.50 per pax
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