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

Call me old style, however I’ve an aversion to ‘gimmicky’ dishes. You can prepare dinner them in an unconventional means, serve them with some spectacle à la Salt Bae or make them additional massive and, for me, the promoting issue ought to nonetheless be the style of the dish. When I heard that Epok Epok Nyé, situated at 120 Arab Street, is promoting XL curry puffs, I simply needed to strive 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 Street Food 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 technique of promoting big curry puffs stemmed from him viewing them extra as a staple meals than as snacks. To higher fill prospects’ stomachs, he made them larger as in the event that they’re pocket meals.

What I attempted at Epok Epok Nyé

It was proper on the peak of lunchtime once I arrived at Epok Epok Nyé and due to that, a number of the gadgets such because the Potato (S$2) and Rendang (S$3.50) had been nonetheless being ready. Apart from that, you possibly can select from a few different epok epok flavours equivalent to 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 obtainable.

My decisions had been Black Pepper, Potato and Rendang. The latter two choices required a 15 min prep time. Credit 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 enduring Asian calzone.

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

My first chew 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 obtained out of the preliminary chew was simply pastry or how items of flaky pores and skin adorned my moustache— it was that good. Before I knew it, I used to be onto my second chew, this time ensuring I obtained an excellent portion of the potatoes and egg. 

Then, actuality struck. There was one thing off with the filling because it had an disagreeable sourness to it. Whatever curry flavour it had couldn’t beat the overwhelming pungent style. I took one other chew and it solely confirmed my horror. Based on critiques on-line, I’m sure I used to be simply the unlucky one to get a nasty batch.

Unfortunately, the Beef Rendang puff didn’t do too nicely 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 tender mush to the chew. The little beef items nonetheless 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, one of the best out of the lot was the Black Pepper puffs. The black pepper sauce got here out roaring with an honest 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 chew.

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

Final ideas 

This wasn’t the definitive epok epok expertise that I had anticipated, particularly with these costs. Whilst not fairly hitting the mark, it’s nonetheless significantly early days for Epok Epok Nyé, with loads of possibilities to experiment with much more distinctive flavours in addition to rectify present ones. Though in the event you’re round Arab Street and are searching for a fast snack, I’d suggest the Black Pepper puff.

Rarely does this assertion maintain a lot fact however this time, dimension isn’t the whole lot. 

Expected injury: S$2 – S$9 per pax

Other articles you may like:

10 finest curry puffs in Singapore for lower than $2

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

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