Review: Get your hands on Malaysia’s viral ayam gepuk at Gepuk Guys, by a former Masterchef Singapore winner

Ayam gepuk is having a viral moment in Malaysia thanks to TikTok, and it was only a matter of time before the trend spread across the Causeway to Singapore.

There were already spots such as Papa Ayam and Ayam Gepok Anakmak where you could get your smashed fried chicken fix, but the latest to join the ayam gepuk fray is Gepuk Guys.

The concept is created by Derek Cheong, winner of Masterchef Singapore’s season two, which gives an additional reason to check it out. 

I must admit that I’ve never tried ayam gepuk myself, so I suppose Derek’s latest endeavour is as good a time as any.

The backstory

Gepuk Guys is a spinoff of Derek’s hawker brand Berempah Bros, which itself has been expanding fast since opening at Beauty World Food Centre this January. In just seven months, Derek has opened six outlets around Singapore — or seven, if you count Gepuk Guys.

This new smashed fried chicken concept opened last month at the equally new 24-hour Jofa Coffee Shop in Bedok North, which also houses other concepts such as Old Street Scissors Cut Curry Rice, Eat Bar, and Jofa Mee Pok. 

Despite the different concept and name, the mains here aren’t actually cooked any differently from those at Berempah Bros. The proteins use the same berempah marinade, while familiar proteins such as duck confit and unagi also appear on the menu here.

However, given that this is a spin-off, there are still some differences: At Berempah Bros, the proteins come finished with a crispy topping of fried breadcrumbs, garlic, and a touch of chilli, but Gepuk Guys skips that for a healthy drizzle of kicap manis, or sweet soy sauce, instead.

But what really sets Gepuk Guys apart is its selection of new accompaniments — the gajus (cashew nut butter), bayam goreng (fried spinach), mushroom berempah, and the signature gepuk sambal — alongside the usual coconut rice, achar, and fried egg.

The menu is divided into two main sections: the “gepuk” series, and the “lemak” series, with the latter keeping things simpler with coconut rice, egg, achar, and a sweet nasi lemak chilli. 

If you’re feeling adventurous, you can even opt to swap out the rice for Indomie at an extra S$1.50. My take? Try both, if you can.

It’s worth noting that Gepuk Guys uses no pork and no lard and works with halal suppliers, with MUIS halal certification reportedly in progress.

Our verdict

Gepuk Guys’ prices sit above standard coffeeshop pricing, but I say the premium is justified by the quality of what you get. 

It’s also a solid entry point if you’ve never tried ayam gepuk or Berempah Bros’ fare before. 

The signature chicken is good but it’s the details around it — the cashew butter, the mushroom berempah, and bayam goreng — that really make me want to go back.

There are just two staff running the entire stall (Derek himself wasn’t there on either of my visits), cooking and manning the cashier at the same time, so don’t expect a quick in-and-out during peak hours.

That said, I waited just over 10 minutes on a Friday at 1pm, with a few orders ahead of me, and slightly less than 10 minutes when I returned the next day at around 11.40am) just before the lunch crowd hit. It’s not an unbearably long wait.

What it’s good for

If you’ve tried the ayam berempah at Berempah Bros, you’d be familiar with the juicy and tender chicken in Gepuk Guys’ signature ayam berempah gepuk (S$9.90). Here, the thin, spiced berempah coating shatters to reveal a flavourful chicken leg meat beneath.

The coconut rice holds its own against some of the better nasi lemak out there — fragrant, fluffy, soft, and not the slightest bit oily.

But what really makes this dish worth ordering are the accompaniments not previously at Berempah Bros, especially the gajus, or smooth cashew butter, that you might have seen on Malaysian FoodTok. Its oily, nutty richness helps temper the heat nicely.

The achar, made with pineapple, carrots, cucumber, peanuts,  is properly pickled and appetising without being too sharp or spicy. 

Its signature gepuk sambal tastes fresh and somewhat tangy, loaded with chilli seeds but has a manageable level of heat, and pairs well with both the rice and chicken.

The bayam goreng (crispy fried spinach, also available a la carte for S$3) eats more like an addictive snack than a vegetable — think roasted Korean seaweed, but with a light, sweet-savoury seasoning.

It’s nicely fried and not oily, though I wouldn’t call it particularly healthy despite it being made from vegetables. A simple fried egg rounds off the plate. 

The gepuk series usually comes with a side of mushroom berempah, but it had run out on my first visit, so the staff replaced it with a begedil (usually S$1.50 a la carte). 

The potato patty comes freshly fried, which is always a good sign, and has a gorgeous texture: firm and crispy outside and pillowy, almost creamy, mashed potato within. The filling balances savoury umami with a gentle warmth from the aromatics — I picked up notes of white pepper, nutmeg, and coriander.

It’s well worth the S$1.50, if you do decide to add it to your plate.

I made a second trip back just for the mushroom berempah (available S$3.50 a la carte) side dish and ordered a full-sized one. 

It comes with a generous portion of oyster mushrooms in a fairly thick, tasty, well-seasoned batter. With how good it tastes and how hearty the portion was, it’s fair to say I didn’t mind the return trip.

If you’re considering other mains, the pricier duck confit berempah gepuk (S$16.50) is a good one to consider. 

Derek has shared the preparation process for his duck confit berempah on his Instagram — the duck leg is marinated overnight, sous vide for four hours until the fat turns gelatinous, before being dunked in berempah batter and quickly fried. 

This is clearly a labour intensive dish, which might explain its higher-than-average price tag.

The pay-off is evident in the savoury and deeply meaty flesh that falls off the bone quite easily. It’s also lightly seasoned allowing the natural flavour of the duck to come through without any gaminess. 

I swapped the usual rice for Indomie (an extra S$1.50), and familiar noodle flavour gave the whole plate the same satisfaction of an indulgent late-night supper dish.

If berempah isn’t quite your thing, there are also grilled chicken or grilled squid protein options that weren’t previously on Berempah Bros’s menu. 

I got the grilled squid nasi lemak (S$8.50), which comes with a generous portion of grilled squid with just a hint of smokiness, covered in a mild spicy-sweet shallot sauce. There’s no hint of chewiness here — just tender and flavourful squid. 

The rice and achar is the same as before, but the dishes in the “lemak” series also come with a sweet nasi lemak sambal that has a more pronounced shallot and anchovy notes. Like the other gepuk sambal, the chilli itself tastes properly fresh rather than one-note.

Adding on the otah berempah (S$2) is a good idea, too. 

It’s not particularly crisp, but there’s an extra spiced batter coating that holds in a rich and smoky otah that’s slightly spicy and mildly sweet, with light notes of galangal and lemongrass. 

The texture is firm outside and soft and custardy inside — this is definitely an underrated dish that I see myself ordering again when I return.

What it could improve on

A few cleaner, non-fried sides — perhaps a plain vegetable dish or even a nasi ulam salad — would go a long way. Everything here is well-fried and not oily, but the mains and sides can still add up to a rich meal after a few bites. 

But the beauty of dining in a coffeeshop with multiple stalls also means you can get non-fried sides from elsewhere if that’s what you’re looking for.

If the mushroom berempah is high on your list, go early: It had already sold out by 1pm on the Friday I visited.

Our quick takes

Is it conducive to conversation? Yes, it’s a relatively comfortable, new coffeeshop with enough space and a casual meal and chat.

Is a reservation necessary? Walk-ins only.

How to get there? Jofa Coffee Shop is a 12-minute walk from Bedok Reservoir MRT Exit A.

HungryGoWhere paid for its meal at this restaurant for this review.

For more eats, check out Masterchef Singapore’s season 4 winner’s latest endeavour, a three-course lunch at sea, and our round-up of the newest menus around town.