7,028 Servings of Fried Rice Later—Here's What We Learned

Have you noticed how restaurant fried rice tastes completely different from homemade?

Sometimes it's the texture. Sometimes it's that smoky flavor you can't place. Or the fried rice you made at home just too mushy. Most likely, you are probably doing it wrong.

After making 7,028 servings over three years, we figured out why.

It's not secret ingredients. It's three techniques that home kitchens simply can't replicate.

Since the day we opened we made countless number of customers satisfied and countless coming back for more.

Don't just take our word for it. Reviews left by customers who had our fried rice simply can't stop talking about it!

Many of our core methods in making fried rice are science-based, inspired by J. Kenji López-Alt. The award winning author of James Beard Award known as the “oscars of the food world”.

After years of trial and error in our kitchen, we’re confident we’ve mastered the art of fried rice with a repeatable method.

What We Do Differently

Technique 1: Wok Heat You Can't Get at Home

Ever tried making fried rice at home and something just felt... off?

Here's why.

Your home stove: 150°C maximum.

Our commercial wok: 200°C+.

That 50-degree gap is everything.

High heat sears rice instantly. Crispy edges outside, fluffy inside. The wok's curve keeps rice moving between hot and cool zones constantly.

Result: Separate grains. Slight char. That smoky wok hei flavor home stoves can't make.

Not about skill. About equipment.

Technique 2: Sauce at the End

Most people add sauce while cooking.

Rice absorbs it, gets heavy, grains stick.

We add 5-7ml at the very end. Just enough to coat, not drown.

Premium jasmine rice for natural fragrance. Minimal oyster and fish sauce for umami, never overpowering.

Result: Light finish. Coated, not sticky.

Technique 3: Heat Never Drops

Between every single order, we reheat the wok for 20-30 seconds.

During lunch rush, this feels like wasted time. But if we skip it, the tenth batch turns out soggy while the first was perfect.

Consistent heat equals consistent result.

First serving of the day tastes identical to the hundredth.

Finishing up

You're now educated on what separates good fried rice from mediocre: wok temperature, batch size, sauce timing, heat consistency.

Test this knowledge.

Order from other places. Notice which ones have crispy edges (proper wok heat), which ones have separated grains (sauce timing), which ones taste consistent from first bite to last (temperature control).

📍 Pho Heaven

Shop L11,

Westgate Shopping Centre19 Maki Street, Auckland

First-time customers:

Pickup or Dine-in: Use code FIRST15 for 15% off your fried rice

Delivery (Uber Eats): Free lemongrass BBQ chicken or pork with your fried rice order.

Leave a 5-star review after, get $6 off your next delivery.

Order Pickup | Order Delivery