XL epok-epok with black pepper & rendang fillings at Arab Avenue

Name me old school, however I’ve an aversion to ‘gimmicky’ dishes. You’ll be able to cook dinner them in an unconventional means, serve them with some spectacle à la Salt Bae or make them further giant and, for me, the promoting issue ought to nonetheless be the style of the dish. After I heard that Epok Epok Nyé, positioned at 120 Arab Avenue, is promoting XL curry puffs, I simply needed to attempt them.

Opened 3 months in the past on 23 Oct 2022, Epok Epok Nyé is owned by Radin Amir who’s unsurprisingly additionally within the dough-making enterprise. This isn’t Radin’s first foray into promoting the ever-popular curry puffs, as additionally he ran Khalsom Avenue Meals at Sembawang practically a decade in the past, the place it grew to become in style for his or her big epok epok.

Radin’s thought means of promoting big curry puffs stemmed from him viewing them extra as a staple meals than as snacks. To raised fill clients’ stomachs, he made them greater as in the event that they’re pocket meals.

What I attempted at Epok Epok Nyé

It was proper on the peak of lunchtime after I arrived at Epok Epok Nyé and due to that, among the gadgets such because the Potato (S$2) and Rendang (S$3.50) had been nonetheless being ready. Aside from that, you may select from a few different epok epok flavours reminiscent of Sardine (S$2), Black Pepper (S$3.50) and Carbonara (S$4). There was additionally a Salted Egg (S$3.50) flavoured one however it wasn’t accessible.

My selections had been Black Pepper, Potato and Rendang. The latter two choices required a 15 min prep time. Credit score the place credit score’s due, the curry puffs had been truly ready on the spot which incorporates stuffing them with fillings and moulding the dough into the long-lasting Asian calzone.

First down the hatch was the OG Potato-flavoured curry puffs. As promised, it was as huge, if not barely greater than my palm. The truth is, I wanted all of my fingers for help when holding it from the tip. 

My first chunk lulled me right into a buttery and crispy melody of each flour and butter. My favorite a part of an epok epok, the highest bit that seemed like knots, was a crumbly delight, simply how I like them.

I couldn’t care much less if all I acquired out of the preliminary chunk was simply pastry or how items of flaky pores and skin embellished my moustache— it was that good. Earlier than I knew it, I used to be onto my second chunk, this time ensuring I acquired a very good portion of the potatoes and egg. 

10 finest curry puffs in Singapore for lower than $2

Then, actuality struck. There was one thing off with the filling because it had an disagreeable sourness to it. No matter curry flavour it had couldn’t beat the overwhelming pungent style. I took one other chunk and it solely confirmed my horror. Primarily based on critiques on-line, I’m sure I used to be simply the unlucky one to get a nasty batch.

Sadly, the Beef Rendang puff didn’t do too properly both. There was nothing off about it, however not a lot proper both. The rendang flavours tasted actually flat, which was baffling as I assumed it’d be so simple as stuffing precise rendang in pastry. 

It was weirdly watery and tasted extra like coconut milk with a touch of rendang spices. The potatoes had been at the very least cooked into a pleasant mushy mush to the chunk. The little beef items nevertheless had been overly chewy. It wasn’t seasoned however took up the meagre flavours of the rendang. It actually felt like chewing gum.

Lastly and fortunately, the perfect out of the lot was the Black Pepper puffs. The black pepper sauce got here out roaring with a good quantity of warmth and only a contact of sweetness while sustaining a transparent black pepper style. That, coupled with the right pastry, made for a extremely satisfying chunk.

My solely gripe with it was that the potatoes had been nonetheless crunchy and undercooked. 

Ultimate ideas 

This wasn’t the definitive epok epok expertise that I had anticipated, particularly with these costs. While not fairly hitting the mark, it’s nonetheless significantly early days for Epok Epok Nyé, with loads of probabilities to experiment with much more distinctive flavours in addition to rectify present ones. Although if you happen to’re round Arab Avenue and are in search of a fast snack, I’d advocate the Black Pepper puff.

Not often does this assertion maintain a lot reality however this time, measurement isn’t all the things. 

Anticipated injury: S$2 – S$9 per pax

Epok Epok Central: Nasi lemak & home-made curry puffs from S$0.50 at Eunos