Papa Ayam Review: Finish This Level 27 Sambal Fried Chicken Rice And Get It For Free At Somerset

The dish features pounded, boneless fried chicken, liberally slathered with a layer of fearsome sambal that has the potential to make your mouth combust. Much like Japanese curry or ma la , the original ayam geprek comes with customisable spice levels, from level one to 15.

The WTF Challenge ($13.70) absolutely eviscerates that scale – probably along with your digestive tract – by cranking the heat up to level 27 . The level 27 sambal is intensely concentrated, with a ludicrous number of chillies going in.

It’s at this point that I would like to thank my editor for not subjecting me to this challenge. My plate of the Ayam Geprek Original ($6.80) was considerably tamer, coming in at level eight. Despite the much lower level, our chicken was similarly menacing, and came covered with a slightly lighter coat of crimson sambal.

The sambal is simple in its composition, but that’s the point – it exudes a homely feel, the sort of condiment you’d imagine an Indonesian grandma making. If the OG ayam geprek scares you with its furious red hue, you might be more comfortable with the Ayam Geprek Sambal Matah ($6.80) .

Eager to relive my NS memories of wolfing down Indomie in the bunk, we stumped up an extra $0.30 to sub out jasmine rice for Indomie. While we were already fond of the chicken, this sambal matah had us full-on infatuated.

It was fresh and zesty, with dazzlingly bright flavours that enhanced rather than overpowered the chicken. The gentle flavour of mozzarella gave the chicken breast room to flex its muscles. It’s simple but not bland, with salt and lime the main players in the seasoning.

A dollop of the tongue-burning sambal comes along for the ride, in case you want to spice up your skewers. However, while our chicken wasn’t bursting with juices, it was tender and easy to chew.

Ambience at Papa Ayam With its sunny yellow facade, cute chicken logo and charming wall of fame, it’s easy to spot this Indonesian eatery as you explore 313@Somerset’s basement food hall. Primarily a takeaway joint, you’ll have to jostle for seats in the nearby common area if you want to enjoy your chicken fresh.

Perhaps Papa Ayam landing in Singapore signals that it’s time for the craze to take root on our shores. Take a look at our list of food challenges to prove you have an iron stomach. 8 Food Challenges To Test Your Stomach For A Free Meal Let us know where you get your favourite fried chicken in the comments below!