Ayam Gepok Anakmak: Singapore’s 1st ayam gepok with hand-ground sambal

To be the first of anything is a coveted title. The first man on the moon, the first to reach the summit of a mountain or, in this case, the first ayam gepok in Singapore. Ayam Gepok Anakmak has been around since 2020, when it began as a home-based business. In 2025, they finally settled at Ang Mo Kio, where they often serve hundreds of plates a day to a crowd of regulars, students and curious foodies.

Something I noticed right off the bat was their serving area. They had 2 gigantic mortar and pestle sets, one filled with their signature cashew sauce and another with their spicy chilli or sambal. It’s not often businesses have the time to hand-grind their sauces, so this immediately impressed me.

The thing is, ayam gepok is nothing new around Southeast Asia. Countries like Indonesia and Malaysia have so many spots that serve ayam gepok with even more variations, like cheesy ayam gepok and matcha ayam gepok. Luckily for us, Ayam Gepok Anakmak chose to stick to the classics. Now that they’ve found their home at Sinfoodie Kopitiam, it looks like their stall is here to stay.

What to order at Ayam Gepok Anakmak

For those of you who are familiar, ayam gepok is very similar to ayam penyet, a dish that is much more common in Singapore. The only difference is how violently you treat the chicken. Ayam penyet is crushed, giving the meat an almost flaky quality, and the skin is noticeably crisper, whereas ayam gepok is flattened, so the meat is tenderised without losing its juiciness.

My friend and I have wanted to try this dish for a long time. We never got around to it, what with life getting in the way. So believe me when I tell you, I literally jumped at the chance to eat there. To make the most of our experience, we ordered both the Ayam Gepok Original Supersized (S$12.40) and Ayam Gepok Berempah Supersized (S$13.90).

If you couldn’t tell, we were hungry. And the supersized option includes all the bonus sides that I feel are essential to ayam gepok. Though I will say they did run out of the fried kangkong, so that was a bit of a bummer.

Let’s start with the  Ayam Gepok Original Supersized (S$12.40). I can tell out of the gate that this is exactly how ayam gepok should be. The chicken was juicy and extra tender from the flattening. The marinade has seeped into every fibre of the chicken. The skin has that happy balance between chewy and crisp.

And then came the big brother, Ayam Gepok Berempah Supersized (S$13.90). The chicken is one big flavour bomb. The krisik (fried crispy seasoning), when mixed with the rice, changes the dish completely. The rice becomes so much more flavourful, filled with the taste of garlic, onion and a slightly bitter fragrance of lemongrass. The chicken was slightly drier due to how intensely it’s fried, but that made the skin extra crispy — definitely my preference of the 2.

Now come the real stars, the sides. The cashew and chilli combo was completely unexpected. Before trying ayam gepok, the only similar experience I can draw from is the sambal kacang, dipped with satay. Let me tell you, it was nothing like that. The sauce was almost buttery. Mixed with the chilli, it added a unique depth to the dish. It was the perfect balance of richness and spice. And boy, was it spicy. My spice tolerance is relatively high, and even I felt a pretty harsh kick, so I suggest ordering the Level 3 at most.

Lastly, the trio. Bergedil, fried cabbage and a fried egg. I would love to go into detail about each item, but this article would end up a novel. A romance novel, because the addition of these sides can only be described as romantic — the luscious runny egg, the fluffy and delicate bergedil and my personal favourite, the fried cabbage.

At first glance, the cabbage looked burnt, harsh and rough around the edges. But when I committed myself to a bite, it completely took me by surprise. It was soft, with a slight crunch. It had a lingering sweetness that made me come back to it over and over. Part of me even wondered if the entire dish would be better if it were just the chicken and the fried cabbage. After tasting all these sides along with the rice, I am even sadder that I couldn’t taste the fried kangkong.

Who is Ayam Gepok Anakmak best for?

Ayam Gepok Anakmak is perfect for someone who wants to explore popular Indonesian dishes made the authentic way. Sometimes you just want something more grounded and familiar, but unique in its own way without being gimmicky. You will find very similar flavours across Southeast Asia, but the way it is slightly different here makes every bite interesting.

This spot is perfect for those of you in need of something heavy and hearty. The food court is also just opposite a school, so you’d see students rushing and lining up for a huge plate of ayam gepok. I genuinely envy them. I wish I had something this good close by as a kid.

How to get to Ayam Gepok Anakmak

Ayam Gepok Anakmak is centrally located in the heart of Ang Mo Kio. You can get there by MRT if you alight at Ang Mo Kio MRT station (Red Line). From there, it’s only a 10-minute walk to the Sinfoodie Kopitiam. Alternatively, you can take a bus and alight at the stop named Block 207. From there, it’s only a 6-minute walk if you cut through the HDB void decks.

Do note that a lot of the items are sold out around 3pm, so I suggest visiting slightly earlier to experience the Full Monty.

Do we recommend Ayam Gepok Anakmak?

I would definitely recommend this place. Despite a few flaws, like the ayam berempah being slightly dry and the fact that we couldn’t try their fried kangkong, I still think this place has amazing food made by an amazing team of people. Also, fun fact: one of the owners, Noorazlina Ajis, was a former contestant on Singapore Idol! Just thought that was a cool detail, and to see her thriving with this stall is always lovely.

One thing I’d also recommend is to bring an appetite. It’s called supersized for a reason. With the generous amount of rice, many different sides and the big leg of chicken, you will definitely be full.

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