Along Onan Road in Katong, eager customers lined up outside the Indian Muslim Bakery & Confectionary last Saturday, wanting a bite of its offerings on its final day of operation.
The smell of freshly baked pastry, mingling with the aroma of curry spices, filled the air as customers streamed out of the shop with boxes.
“It’s fluffy and good, you have to eat it to know,” said a customer who declined to be named.
Established in 1942, the shop forms a part of the well-known “curry puff rectangle” in Joo Chiat, which includes other Malay-Indian shops such as Sha Zah Confectionery and Imran’s Confectionery.
On Sept 7, Indian Muslim Bakery announced its closure on Facebook and Instagram.
“It is with great regret and sadness that IMBC, or more lovingly known within the community as Karipap Onan Road, will cease operations by this Sunday, 10 September. Our shop has been open since 1942, with the sweat and tears of many of our family members and workers of past and present, and it is heartbreaking to announce its closure.”
The bakery added that the public should not enquire about the reasons for the closure. The shop owners also declined to answer queries from tabla!.
According to a report by food website Makansutra, the shop was started by the late Shaik Jan Bux, who was from Bangladesh.
The article stated that Mr Shaik created the curry puff by tweaking the recipes for meat puffs and pies taught to him by colonial British customers.
Former Member of Parliament Amrin Amin posted on his Facebook page on Sunday that he has fond memories of the bakery.
“My late grandad used to buy Onan Road karipaps for us, especially during Ramadan fasting,” he recalled.
Former banker Clement, who is in his 40s, told tabla! that in his younger days, he and his friends would frequent the shop as well as other curry puff shops in the area after watching football matches at the National Stadium.
He said his favourite curry puff is the shop’s “chilli beef”.
But there were also others like Ms Ayisha, 30, who heard of the shop only after its closure announcement on Facebook.
It is not known if Indian Muslim Bakery will reopen but if it does, it will be a lauded by many who are hoping that the shop continues its business.
