Broken Rice is a new restaurant bringing Vietnamese cuisine to Toronto's Church Wellesley Village.

Opened in September of 2025, Broken Rice is the latest venture from the team behind Yin Ji Chang Fen, a thriving chain of congee restaurants.

Store owner Sam Wong tells us that he developed the concept alongside Will Chan, Yin Ji Chang Fen's North American franchise owner, and Andy Tam, an experienced restaurateur.

The three partners explain that their goal was to fill a niche in the fast casual market.

"Asian cuisine is underrepresented in this area," says Sam, "so we thought it would be the perfect place to start our business."
The restaurant takes its name from com tam, a popular Vietnamese dish made with damaged rice grains. Though the dish was historically eaten by poor farmers, it has since become a staple of Vietnamese cooking.

As such, many of Broken Rice's bowls make use of com tam, pairing it with pork, beef, chicken and a variety of vegetables.

Rolls, skewers and noodle dishes round out the menu. Sam tells us that they wanted to keep their menu simple so that customers wouldn't be overwhelmed by options.

"If we wanted to put something on [the menu], we would take something else off," he explains. "We don't want it to get too crowded."

With this in mind, there is still a wide array of options to choose from.

The butter beef broken rice bowl ($14.75) is one of Broken Rice's most popular dishes.

Shredded striploin beef is cooked in butter, then tossed onto a bed of broken rice. Radishes, red and green cabbage, cucumber, coriander and pickled onions are served on the side.The juicy grilled lemongrass chicken broken rice bowl ($13.45) is another popular item, topped with grilled chicken thighs and seasoned with lemongrass.Shrimp fresh rolls ($4.50 / one piece, $8.95 / two pieces) are a classic Vietnamese appetizer, and Broken Rice's take on the dish does not disappoint.

Each piece is filled with fresh lettuce, red carrots, cucumbers, vermicelli
noodles and, of course, shrimp. A side of peanut sauce helps to highlight the rolls' refreshing flavour, while also providing a touch of sweetness.Crispy spring rolls ($3.50 / one piece, $6.95 / two pieces) offer a similar flavour profile. The main difference is the crispy wrapper, which stands in stark contrast to the fresh roll's chewy rice paper.Savoury house recipe pork sausage skewers ($4.00 / one piece, $7.95 / two pieces) are the perfect addition to any meal, thanks to their rich flavour and tender texture.Smoothies come in three different flavours: coconut, mango ($5.25) and avocado ($6.75). Though the thick, creamy coconut smoothie was by far my favourite, all three types offer a refreshing counterpoint to the savoury entrees.In the short time since Broken Rice has opened, the restaurant has gained a devoted following, particularly among students.

Though nothing is set in stone just yet, Sam and Andy tell us that they are eager to expand the franchise so that their food can reach an even wider audience.

"Depending on how everything goes, we could have another location within the next few years," says Sam.

Until then, the team is content with their current setup.

Broken Rice is located at 613 Yonge St.