Ever since Ming Chun launched his own Ayam Gepuk brand, Gepuklah, it’s been popping up all over social media.
So of course, we had to see for ourselves if it’s actually worth the hype.
Instead of his usual spot at SS23’s 2046 Cafe, this time he was operating at a food festival at Factory 19, PJ.
Crazy queue
We arrived around noon and were immediately greeted by a very long queue.
Speaking to WeirdKaya, some people who are still in line at around 1.30pm shared that they had already been waiting since as early as 10.30am.
Still, we decided to commit and ended up queueing for a few hours before finally getting our food.
We went with Ming Chun’s go-to order, essentially the Boneless Ayam Gepuk with crispy boneless chicken thigh, sunny side up, nasi lemak rice, fried bayam, and tempeh, topped with fried oyster mushrooms.
Here’s what we think:
Flavour breakdown
First thing to note, the sambal is legit spicy.
On its own, it really packs a punch. But the kajos (cashew sauce) is creamy, nutty, and has a strong bean-like flavour.
They give both separately, but you’re actually supposed to mix them together. Once combined, the heat gets toned down and the flavour becomes more balanced and shiok.
This combo is probably one of the more unique parts of the dish.
Texture & execution
The fried chicken is hands down the star.
Crispy on the outside, juicy inside, and nicely seasoned. Even with the long wait and crowd, ours was still served warm, which we didn’t expect.
The fried bayam was a nice switch from the usual cabbage or kangkung. It added crunch, though slightly oily, probably because of the high volume.
As for the strongly recommended fried oyster mushrooms, it was okay. You can still taste the natural juiciness, but overall a bit oily and didn’t really stand out compared to the chicken.
Small touches that quietly elevate the plate
The sunny-side-up egg was a standout detail. Rich and orangy yolk shows that it’s made of quality ingredients.
It was cooked just right with runny yolk and nicely seared bottom, and definitely made the rice more enjoyable when you dig in with the sweet soy sauce.
Tempeh was fresh and nicely fried, simple but satisfying.
The rice itself had a good texture, but in terms of aroma, not super fragrant.
So… worth the hype?
Overall, we’d give Gepuklah a 7/10.
Food-wise, it’s solid. Especially the fried chicken and sambal + kajos combo. Portions are decent, and service was friendly despite the crowd.
But if you’re planning to queue for hours just for this… it might not fully justify the wait.
We’d say it’s a better idea to come back when the hype cools down a little.
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