South Korea's fried chicken chain has finally spread its wings (literally, in this case) to Malaysia.
K-pop meets K-poultry: Some folks have nicknamed this 'Super Junior Chicken' amid expectations that the Korean boy band, who double as poster boys for KyoChon, will personally meet & greet ecstatic fans next month at this 1 Utama restaurant's official launch.
Naturally, it's the meat, not the music, that matters for this entry: KyoChon delivers fresh fowl crisply double-fried in canola oil on order.
Our best bet: Honey-coated chicken, well-measured in sweetness, satisfying in succulence, convincing in crunch. RM9.90 before taxes for a three-piece mix of drumstick, drumette & wing.
KyoChon's 'original recipe' version proves a little less distinctive than expected, but it's still enjoyably slicked up in soy-garlic glaze & notably not as greasy or salty as most fried chicken.
The hottest wings here? The spicy ones smothered in a sauce made of Korean red chili peppers.
Fiery fare, perhaps best eaten with KyoChon's firm-grained buttered rice as an accompaniment.
Bone-free strips of chicken breast, dubbed 'sal sal,' blanketed in a unique rice-flaked batter, with jalapeno dipping sauce. More moist than flavorsome, for better or worse. RM10.90 for five pieces.
Side dishes include a simple salad with blueberry sauce, somewhat overpriced for RM16 ...
... & steaming-hot chicken soup with rice cakes, clocking in at a more reasonable RM6.90.
Main courses comprise the likes of dak galbi-style chicken with kimchi fried rice & egg.
Roasted barley or corn tea make up the beverage menu (no booze, boo!). Also worth adding: service is friendly & fairly fast; all in all, a solid entry to this mall (& more malls soon, we hope).
KyoChon 1991 (near Cold Storage)
Lot 311, Lower Ground, 1 Utama, Bandar Utama, Petaling Jaya
The Oct.-Dec. inaugural edition of Eat Drink KL: 100 Favorites is now available in an eBook for free, convenient reading on computers, tablets & smartphones. It comprises reviews & information for 100 pretty nice eateries that span various locations, cuisines & budgets. Please click here: http://eatdrinkkl.publ.com/Eat-Drink-KL-100-Favorites-Oct-Dec-2013 (This link expires Dec. 31, 2013; see blog entries after that date for new link).
