From hawker establishments to casual Taiwanese eateries and chain restaurants, here are a few places where you can feast on the iconic Taiwanese dish of braised pork rice.
Taiwan may have opened up to international tourists again, but that doesn’t mean you need to travel all the way there to dig into a bowl of lu rou fan. This simple yet sumptuous meal of braised pork rice – which is typically served with an egg and blanched leafy greens – reportedly originated in mainland China during the Zhou dynasty. It then made its way to Taiwan and is now a hallmark of Taiwanese cuisine.
Classic and creative renditions of the dish can be found at a myriad of places in Singapore – from humble hawker joints across the city-state to Taiwanese eateries and restaurant chains. Here are some spots where you can tuck into the tasty, comforting dish.
Golden Mile Food Centre is where you’ll find Braise. Headed by a young couple, the hawker stall dishes out affordably priced bowls of lu rou fan with a twist. Large chunks of pork are coated in a rich and thick gravy and ladled atop a mound of rice, with a plentiful helping of blanched vegetables and an ajitsuke tamago (ramen egg). They also offer similar items made with different cuts of meat – including pork belly, pork rib and pork shank – and you can add extra toppings such as shiitake mushrooms, pressed tofu and black fungus.
Braise is at #01-104 Golden Mile Food Centre, 505 Beach Road, Singapore 199583, tel: 8338 1583.
Have a lu rou fan craving you need to satisfy in a pinch? Make your way to Taiwanese restaurant chain Isshin Machi, which has outlets at the likes of Holland Village, Waterway Point and East Coast Road, to name a few. Here, the Hakka-style braised meat rice comes with a heaping amount of succulent and fatty pork, a braised egg, preserved vegetables and cucumber slices for a well-rounded and delicious bite. You can complement it with sides that run the gamut from salt and pepper mushrooms to pork wantons.
Isshin Machi has multiple outlets in Singapore including Waterway Point, Holland Village, Gr.iD mall and Serangoon Garden Way. Click here for a list of locations.
Want Food Taiwanese Delights is helmed by a Taiwanese couple, so you know you’ll be getting some authentic nosh when you pay it a visit. The lu rou fan comes with a generous portion of moist and savoury meat, warm white rice, a braised egg and pickled cucumber to cut through the richness of the other ingredients. It’s a no-frills and homey take on the dish that will hit the spot. Alternatively, try a gussied-up take in the form of their braised pork rice bento, which adds Taiwanese sausage, preserved vegetables, tau kwa and cooked cabbage.
Want Food Taiwanese Delights is at 153 South Bridge Road, Singapore 058729, tel: 9396 9800. Visit its Facebook page for more information.
This eatery, which has two outlets, is popular with those looking to feast on moreish Taiwanese fare. The lu rou fan, which is a tad on the smaller side, is a simple but scrumptious affair: well-marinated braised pork layered atop white rice and crowned with a dusting of spring onions. Still hungry? Get a few other items from their menu of crowd-favourite dishes – including tomato omelette, braised Chinese cabbage, salted crispy chicken and a range of herbal soups – and wash everything down with some cold milk tea.
Eat 3 Bowls is at 462 Crawford Lane, #01-61, Singapore 190462, tel: 9154 8191, and 103 Pasir Panjang Road, Singapore 118531, 9154 8191.
Can’t decide between Taiwanese and Korean food for lunch? You can get both at this hawker stall within Whampoa Food Centre, though do be prepared to contend with a long queue. Order the braised pork rice and you’ll get a bowl brimming with fluffy short-grained rice, moist and tender braised meat, a braised egg and Korean-style pickled vegetables for a refreshing crunch. Pair this with chewy and cheesy tteokbokki, kimbap and crispy popcorn chicken for the ultimate fusion meal.
NiuNiu Tea & DuDu Rice is at #01-82 Whampoa Food Centre, 90 Whampoa Drive, Singapore 320090.
Located at the well-trafficked Dunman Food Centre, Lin’s Braised – which is helmed by a hawker who pivoted to the trade from a white-collar job – doles out delicious Hakka-style braised pork rice. Each flavourful helping sports white rice topped with lots of juicy braised pork mixed with preserved vegetables, tau kwa, tau pok and a braised egg, and everything is made from scratch. Sample their braised pig trotter rice for something different, and do order a side of earthy braised peanuts to complement your main dish.
Lin’s Braised is at #02-29 Dunman Food Centre, 271 Onan Road, Singapore 424768, tel: 8498 2031.
Boasting outposts at Boon Lay Place and Golden Mile Food Centre, Wen Li Taiwanese Food is known for its flavourful Taiwanese cuisine – including the classic creation of braised pork rice that’s reportedly crafted using a recipe obtained from a Taiwanese grandmother. Their rendition is heavy on the sauce and features a good balance of lean and fatty pork, short-grained rice, a medium-boiled egg, chilled cucumber salad and a smattering of spring onions.
Wen Li Taiwanese Food is at 90 Boon Lay Place, Singapore 649884, tel: 9114 2356 and
505 Beach Road, #01-65, Singapore 199583, tel: 9658 2980.
This eatery in the Bugis area cooks up zi char-style dishes with a Taiwanese spin. Among the offerings on their extensive menu is lu rou fan. The well-executed dish features just two components – soft and fluffy white rice and glistening, umami-packed braised pork – and makes for the ideal start to your feast. Other dishes we recommend are the crispy squid, stir-fried Taiwanese cabbage and Taiwanese preserved radish omelette.
Tai One Wei is at 751 North Bridge Road, Singapore 198719, tel: 6970 0405.