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Those who patronise Hong Lim Market & Food Centre will probably know the little family drama between 2 curry puff brands along the same row. One of them, Tanglin Crispy Curry Puff, has recently rebranded to Heritage Tanglin Puff Since 1952 to better distinguish itself and avoid confusion. Interestingly, their outlet at The Poiz Centre stood out as the top performer on Google Reviews, boasting an impressive 4.8 stars out of 5 rating from around 251 reviews (at time of writing).
Do they really deserve to be Singapore’s best-rated curry puffs? I guess it’s time to find out!
The space is mainly for take-out, with just 3 bar stools to stop by for a quick snack.
A quick price comparison reveals a modest S$0.20 premium across the menu here compared to their Hong Lim Market stall. There are a total of 5 varieties on offer — Chicken Potato (S$2.20), Sardine (S$2.20), Otah (S$2.20), Yam (S$2.20), and Rendang Chicken (S$2.40).
What to order at Heritage Tanglin Puff Since 1952
I got the ball rolling with the Otah, indicated by 2 red dots on the puff. Though the brown paper bag had specks of translucent oil stains, the curry puff didn’t feel overly greasy in hand.
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As I bit through the crispy exterior, I noticed that the otah wasn’t made up of smaller, chopped pieces, but instead came as a single, solid slab neatly stuffed inside. When it comes to otah, I’ve always leaned towards the Muar-style — softer and packed with flavour. Thankfully, the version at Heritage Tanglin Puff came impressively close to those I’ve had in Muar. Instant plus points from me.
The Sardine puff had no colour indication on the crust, which could easily be confused with the Chicken Potato if the staff hadn’t kindly indicated the flavour on the paper bag. After biting in, I noticed the filling was a little less when compared to the others. Potatoes dominated more than sardine, taking the spotlight in flavour, though the sardine itself remained moist and reasonably tasty. In my opinion, the quality of the Sardine puff has dropped since I last patronised them at Hong Lim Market.
To reset my palate after two savoury-spiced flavours, I decided it was the perfect moment to try the Yam (S$2.20), indicated by 2 green smears across the skin. The yam was substantially ‘gao‘, robustly earthy, and wasn’t overly filled with sugar. It felt almost like tucking into a luxurious bowl of orh nee.
I was excited to see Rendang Chicken. During the recent Hari Raya holidays, I had tried the rendang flavour from a popular curry puff chain, which left me disappointed with its unbalanced flavours that were a little too intense for my liking. I was afraid that history would repeat itself, but as soon as I took the first bite, I heaved a sigh of relief.
The stuffing of egg, chicken, and potatoes had a better flavour concoction — mildly spiced with a subtle sweetness. Palatable and well-balanced, the filling’s chicken-to-potato ratio was also far more proportionate than the Chicken Potato I had tasted earlier.
How to get there?
Heritage Tanglin Puff Since 1952 is located within The Poiz Centre at 51 Upper Serangoon Road. The nearest MRT station is Potong Pasir (NE10) which is right below. Or, you can take a number of bus services to these 2 bus stops: Potong Pasir and Potong Pasir Stn Exit B.
Do we recommend Heritage Tanglin Puff Since 1952?
Despite some shortfalls during my feature, I do feel that their curry puffs continue to be one of the better ones you can get your hands on in Singapore. The Sardine and Chicken Potato do need some improvements, but other than that, the rest of the flavours were great. Unfortunately, because of those little details, I feel that the rating of 4.8 is a little high, and a 4 to 4.5 rating would be a fairer rating.
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