PUBLISHED February 10th, 2022 06:00 am | UPDATED February 22nd, 2022 11:42 am
The COVID-19 crisis has catapulted many on unexpected paths, and DJ Zig Zach is one of them. The founder of music consultancy Blackout Agency, he was a leading light in Singapore’s electronic music scene – organizing top-notch parties like Escape 56 and bringing in globally renowned acts. Almost overnight, that came to a screeching halt when COVID-19 struck, shutting down Singapore’s nightlife scene. With nightlife showing no signs of revival many months on, he turned to another recent passion: making falafels.
The first spark for What The Falafel came on a trip to Paris in 2018. Zach and his girlfriend Jade Amar had just feasted at the famous L’As du Fallafel, whose massive falafel sandwiches still draw snaking queues each day. As longtime lovers of Middle Eastern cuisine, the couple liked the idea of creating fast yet healthy meals that were vegetarian to boot.
In the throes of pandemic woes, this inspiration resurfaced. Zach spent his free time researching falafel recipes and eating his way around Singapore’s falafel spots, in order to perfect his own recipes. After test runs with friends and family, the couple kicked off their home-based business in end-2020, cheekily dubbed What The Falafel (WTF).
More than a year on, it’s clear that their falafels and artisanal dips have been a hit. Spotlighting plant-based eating, the pair say that they “hope to help others on their journey to eating healthier, cleaner food”. That means fresh, made-to-order fare minus nasties like preservatives or artificial flavourings.
Bite into one of their falafels and a bright emerald green peeks through, thanks to the use of Italian parsley, coriander, and other herbs in the mix. The couple lavished time on perfecting the texture of their falafels, and it’s clearly paid off – these babies are moist and not too dense on the inside, fried to a crisp on the outside. We had to stop ourselves from scarfing too many in one sitting.
The star item of their small delivery menu is the Falafel Set (S$58), which packs 20 pieces of falafel along with a trio of dips and pita bread. There’s a smooth and velvety hummus, taken up a peppery notch with Papa’s Grove extra virgin olive oil. It’s easy to love the bright, refreshing tzatziki too, but it’s the seriously punchy zhug – made with green chilies, garlic, and coriander – that we can’t stop scooping up. Throw in four pieces of fluffy pita bread, and it’s enough to fill four hungry stomachs.
Add-ons are available, including a fabulous Beet Salad (S$14). This cold salad balances sweet beetroot slices with tangy Greek yoghurt, alongside candied almonds and drizzles of olive oil and maple syrup. For dessert, there’re indulgences like the gooey, gluten-free Choc Tahini Sea Salt Brownie (S$45).
With delivery orders increasing swiftly within months, Zach and Jade have since taken on a central kitchen to help fulfil demand. They’ve also regularly whipped up falafel wraps in a food truck at Sunday Social Market, a monthly lifestyle market co-founded by the couple – though they tell us that they’re currently taking a break from the food truck. For now, we’ll settle for delivered-to-doorstep indulgence.
Order What The Falafel online here, or catch them monthly at the Sunday Social Market, Sing See Soon, 5 Simei Lane, Singapore 528710.