Wei Ji Braised Duck: Braised Duck Stall Run By A 20 Year-Old Student At Bishan

Incidentally, this was one of those times I craved braised duck rice, and just wished I could get my hands on a plate that had enough herbal flavours to do the dish justice. When I approached Wei Ji Braised Duck , I was excited to meet the mother and children who in recent weeks threw open its doors this stall.

The family-run business offloads traditional Hokkien-style braised duck and braised pork rice, which I was eager to try. Owners of Wei Ji Braised Duck It was easy to spot Wei Ji in the industrial kopitiam with its black signboard.

You’d think she was 16 or younger, but Kennie Rosemary Ng is 20 and now the head of the family. As the eldest of four children, each three years apart, she of late took over her late father’s stall to help shoulder the responsibility of taking care of the family.

While finishing her private diploma in international business, she and her siblings have been helping their mum run the stall. Her late father who was the sole breadwinner started He Ji Braised Duck when he was 14.

All their money was put into this and they rebranded themselves as Wei Ji in memory of his name, Ming Wei. It’s filled with memories of Kennie’s father, and a caricature of him on the new signboard looks down over them as they go about work.

In the same way, though she would prefer to run the stall on her own, she wants to make sure her younger siblings learn independence and how to cherish what they have. At the end of the day though, she wants them to try what they’re interested in, and know that the braised duck stall is always there for them. As long as she can lighten the hardship on her mum, she takes it in stride.

Her story of resilience makes it hard to remember that and sometimes, she herself can scarcely believe it. Comparison is the thief of joy so she tells herself not to, and if anything, she knows she runs her own business. Nevertheless, she comforts her mum whenever the worry gets to her, and believes it’s just a matter of time.

Food at Wei Ji Braised Duck We ordered a Duck Rice Set ($4.30) which includes half a braised egg, tau kwa (braised tofu), and mei cai (preserved vegetables) on top of their regular Duck Rice ($3.30) . We as well ordered their Braised Pork Rice ($3.30) without the set, and I watched as a deliciously fatty chunk of pork belly was pulled up from the pot to be cut into chunks.

The rice in this meal tasted more delicious from the pork belly even if it was ladled with the same gravy as the duck rice.