At only 30, Lim Kah Chuan, the titular “xiao di” (‘little brother’ in Chinese) and owner of two-month-old Jalan Berseh kopitiam stall Xiao Di Charcoal Roasted Delights, already boasts over a decade of experience as a roast master. 

The boyish-looking Ipoh native, who’s affectionately known as Ah Jun, has been working in Singapore since he was 17, learning to roast meats at various joints including New Hong Kong Roast, a brand owned by local coffee shop chain Broadway, and most recently, Tian Cheng Charcoal Roasted, a kopitiam stall at Whampoa Drive. 

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Hired as the head roast master, Ah Jun managed Tian Cheng on his own for five years. For the first three years, the stall sold charcoal-roasted meats – his preferred method. “About two years ago, my employer (the owner of Tian Cheng) wanted me to switch to a gas grill instead as it has a shorter cooking time and less smoke,” he says in Mandarin. 

Perceiving a compromise in taste due to the new directive, the disheartened hawker left the stall in May. According to Ah Jun, Tian Cheng ceased operations shortly after as the owner could not find a suitable replacement roast master. A month later, the millennial hawker opened Xiao Di Charcoal Roasted Delights, offering charcoal-roasted meats like char siew, siew yoke and roast duck, as well as soy sauce chicken.

Turned down “Sentosa hotel chef job” to set up hawker stall 

Even though he has been trained in roasting meats with both charcoal and gas grills, Ah Jun is clearly an advocate of the former. “The taste is unbeatable,” he explains. “The charcoal roast method is actually not that complicated, you just have to work harder because you have to personally monitor the [longer] process.”

After leaving Tian Cheng, Ah Jun was offered a “Sentosa hotel chef job” as a roast master. “They offered me a good salary, but I was concerned about not being able to adapt to a new environment. I’m used to running a stall on my own and I wasn’t sure if I’d be as hands-on or be able to do things my way at a hotel restaurant,” he says. 

Reluctant to compromise his methods and autonomy, Ah Jun turned down the offer. Instead, the work pass holder decided to open a stall with the support of his cousin and her Singaporean husband. “They knew why I was unhappy at my previous job and suggested that I open my own stall instead,” he shares. Ah Jun invested about $10K to set up the stall, while his partners contributed an additional $10K.

He’s running the joint on his own 

To ensure consistency in the cooking, Ah Jun helms the stall on his own – he starts work at 7am to roast the meats, most of which have been marinated overnight. His cousin-in-law, Alex, who has a day job, helps with marketing as well as taking orders at the stall occasionally.

As a secondary school dropout who’s been in the hawker trade since he was a teen, Ah Jun is accustomed to hard work. “There’s no shortcut to good taste,” he insists. “I’m motivated to make a name for myself. I have no plans to hire help for now.”

Hopes to build his own fan base 

“Right now, a lot of customers come here for the laksa,” he says, referring to the Jalan Berseh coffee shop’s anchor tenant, the iconic Sungei Road Laksa. “I’m hoping that in the future, they will come to this kopitiam for my roast meat.” 

Understandably, sales have yet to stabilise at the two-month-old stall. “Sometimes we’re sold out by noon, and if I prepare more the next day, we’d still have a lot left by 4pm,” shares the candid hawker. That said, Ah Jun is optimistic about the stall’s future. “It’s growing. We’re hopeful that it will get better.”

The hawker, who’s married and has two kids, also aims to expand his brand someday. “We’re taking it step by step for now and if business is good, I hope to set up a central kitchen to cater to more branches,” he shares.

The menu

House charcoal-roasted char siew and siew yoke (roast pork) are priced at $40 per kg, while roast duck is $20 for half and $38 for a whole bird. There’s also soy sauce chicken ($13 for half; $24 whole), as well as rice sets from $4, which come with a bowl of house-made soup of the day.

Char Siew Rice, $4 (8 DAYS Pick!)

The signature char siew, marinated overnight and charcoal-roasted in the morning, is made using frozen Brazilian pork belly to keep costs down. We tried both leaner and fattier versions (you can specify your preference when ordering) and found the former too dry and tough – definitely go for the higher fat ratio here. 

Cut into reasonably thick slices, the char siew remains juicy beneath its rich and sticky glaze – less sweet than usual, which we liked – and a robust, smoky aroma that accompanies the crispy char. The tasty meal is rounded off with comforting lotus root soup made by Ah Jun.

Roasted Duck Rice, from $4.50 (8 DAYS Pick!)

In addition to its crisp skin and flavourful, soft meat, the roast duck has an alluring, subtly woody fragrance from dang gui (angelica root) used to brine the fresh Malaysian birds. Served with a thin herbal jus, you can taste the smoky flavour of the meat from the charcoal. If you want something stronger, stir in the sweet, gloopy braised gravy on the side and super spicy hae bee-heavy sambal, which is prepared in-house.

Roasted Pork & Soy Sauce Chicken Platter, from $10

While the siew yoke’s crackling provides a good crunch, the meat was not as moist and succulent as we’d like. The flavour of the marinade was also less impressive than the char siew.

Although charcoal-roasted meats are the highlight here, the braised soya sauce chicken is surprisingly well done, with well-glazed skin and tender meat.

Bottom line

The char siew (ask for only the fattier cut) has a robust smoky flavour and fragrant glaze, with satisfyingly tender meat – even though it’s made from frozen pork to keep prices affordable. Just don’t expect the same melt-in-your-mouth quality as fresh pork. The roast duck, with subtle herbal notes, is tasty as well. What makes the stall worth visiting are the little touches, like free house-made soup, which reminds us of mum’s version, and fiery hae bee-laden sambal that elevates the roast meats. Drop by before noon in case the signature items are sold out during lunch.

The details

Xiao Di Charcoal Roasted Delights is at Gourmet Street Coffee Shop, 27 Jln Berseh, S200027. Open daily 10am - 6pm. More info via Facebook and Instagram.

Photos: Dillon Tan

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