His job in the Singapore Army was stable. But Major Lau Wei Yong decided to quit in June.
It was not a decision taken in a flash. The 40-year-old, who was a Guards officer, had decided some time ago that he would become a hawker.
“I can retire at 50,” he told tabla! “But I chose not to. I served the army for 18 years, and I felt it was enough. I just wanted to start my own little business.”
The hawker business was not new to him – he helped his parents at their Amoy Street Food Centre fruit juice stall from the age of 10.
But what surprised his friends and well-wishers was that he decided to set up an Indian briyani stall, Spicelios, a few rows from his parents’ set-up, which is now run by his wife Low Siew Hui, 40. Mr Lau’s parents have retired.
“To get into the F&B business, you have to get your fundamentals right,” said Mr Lau, who was not much of a cook before starting Spicelios. “And I thought the hawker venture is ideal because the capital is not high.
“Why I started an Indian food stall is because a Chinese selling chicken rice is very common. There is huge competition in that area. So, I wanted to do something unique.”
Mr Lau researched Indian cuisine online, especially the preparation of briyani.
“An Indian army colleague’s family taught me how to prepare it,” he said. “Then I did more research and found my own style.”
He makes the curry and fried chicken ($6.50) and mutton ($8) versions of the briyani, and also serves naan, which is provided by a supplier. It goes well with the onion salad and pappadum that he makes.
Then there are also the Giant Fusion Wraps ($6.90) – which are stuffed with lettuce, cabbage, onion, tomato, grilled chicken and other ingredients – and chicken wings ($4 for three).
“I basically have only two main dishes because I am just starting out and have to do everything by myself, even though my wife and grandma help out,” said Mr Lau.
“But my briyani is special because I cook the rice and gravy separately.”
“In future, if I can employ people, I will expand my menu.”
People of all ethnicities have been visiting Spicelios.
Accounts executive Kalpana Kalki sang praises of the food: “I consider his briyani one of the best I have had. He should keep up the good work and continue adding dishes to his menu.”
Civil servant Alex Goh, who was at the stall with his friends Cheer Ho and Fredrik Wong, said he loved the briyani “because the chicken is so tender”. He added: “The curry is also nice as it is not overly spicy, the portion is generous, and we get a lot of pappadums.”
For Mr Lau, it has been challenging to find the right spices and get the mix right.
“It involves a lot of spices, and you simply cannot add them in,” he said. “You have to be precise to get the correct taste. I went online to research spices and got help from my friend’s family. I go to Mustafa Centre once a week to buy the spices.”
Spicelios is open from 8am to 7pm on weekdays. Mr Lau and his wife spend their weekends with their children, aged 10, five and four.
“In this business, you need to spend a lot of time preparing, cooking, washing and closing,” he said. “I have a very supportive wife who helps to take care of the family and, when her time permits, peels potatoes and cuts the vegetables.
“When I feel confident and can add more dishes, I will open for more days. I still have a lot of fine-tuning and adding to do, like mee goreng, prata and masala dosa.”
Mr Lau does not regret his career move despite a 90 per cent pay cut.
“It’s important that I don’t stay in the comfort zone,” he said. “I am only 40 and I want to try out new things, so that I have no regrets in my old age. I try my best, even if it is sometimes very tough.”
Spicelios is at Amoy Street Food Centre, 7 Maxwell Road, #01-69.
