Bearing in mind that I still prefer to eat in moderation and not overstuff myself with one too many Korean Fried Chicken at a go. I made a truthful effort to visit every single Korean restaurant mentioned in this write-up, some popular ones by name; some popular ones by trend; some popular ones by word of mouth. Though to be very honest here, I really didn't mind the repetitiveness, I L.O.V.E Korean Fried Chicken.
And of all the places I went to, 3 still came tops : 4Fingers, The Chicken House, Chir Chir.
If there are other Korean Fried Chicken that you'd like to me try, do let me know in the comment section below, or drop me an email. Hope the list below help with your finger-licking quest!
1. 4Fingers @ KLCC
Revisited the newly opened 4Fingers, at the Signature's Food Court, inside of KLCC. This is not my first time eating 4Fingers, though it has been awhile since I've last had a taste of Korean fried chicken here. Two flavors : Soy Garlic, or Hot, or Mixed. In terms of 4 Fingers menu and price options : Wingettes & Drumettes (6pcs - RM15.00 / 12pcs - RM35.40 / 18pcs - RM51.60, a la carte) and Chicken Drumsticks (3pcs - RM15.00 / 6pcs - RM28.20 / 9pcs - RM41.40, a la carte), with an option of having either Kimchi fries / Seaweed fries, and a Drink as combo. I really liked what I had, the meat was tender and flavorsome ; the skin had just the right amount of sweetness and thickness. Still one of my favorites to date.
Overall Rating : 9/10
2. Chicken House @ Solaris Mont Kiara KL
The veteran of the scene - Chicken House, have always been my go to restaurant for Korean fried chicken. Tucked in a tiny shop lot at Solaris Mont Kiara, there was nothing really fancy-pancy about the place, just fantastic servings of Korean fried chicken. Two words: On Point. Order the Soy Sauce with Garlic Chicken (Half for RM35.00 or Full RM55.00) - this is the half chicken portion.
Overall Rating : 8.5/10
3. Chir Chir Fusion Chicken Factory @ Pavilion Elite KL
Slightly over a year ago, I flew to Chir Chir Singapore for a taste of their Korean fried chicken - life was good back then. A few weeks back, I visited their Malaysian outlet, in Pavilion Elite, for a taste of their Curry Fried Chicken (RM30.90 for a single portion / RM56.90 for a double portion), the newest addition to their menu, and have fallen in love ever since.
Overall Rating : 8/10
4. DOMA Korean Restaurant @ Mont Kiara KL
I don't like the menu. Enjoyed the quiet ambience however. Here, I had DOMA's Signature Korean Fried Chicken (Wings 7pcs at RM19.00 / Half at RM29.00 - the portion below / Full at RM53.00), in a combination of Honey Soy and Sweet Chili sauce. Both flavors were equally enjoyable - sweet but not too sweet. The chicken too, were flavorsome and had toothsome textures. I also had Japchee Glass Noodles (RM23.00), which was just decent at most.
Overall Rating: 7.5/10
Just a stone's throw away, Nanda Chicken is also very popular in the Korean fried chicken scene, notably for it's Snow Cheese Chicken, where I had Half Cheese and Half Fire Cheese (RM62), which was just alright for me. The Seasoned Chicken (Half for RM24.00 or Full RM44.00) on the other hand, was sticky and sweet, though not as fabulous as the former, mainly because of my preference against thick batter.
Overall Rating : 7.5/10
6. Wing Wing @ Pavilion KL
No plastic gloves here! Wing Wing is the newest addition to Korean Fried Chicken scene, hailing strangely from..... London! My friend had the Wings & Drumettes option (RM15.90 ala carte or RM20.90 combo, with fries and drink), in Mix sauce, which came in a combination of Soy Garlic, Hot and Licorice sauce (what is this?). According to her, there were no drastic difference in terms of taste however. And as for me, I had 3 Drumsticks (RM15.90 ala carte or RM20.90 combo, with fries and drink), in Soy Garlic sauce. I thought that the overall texture was good - the skin weren't too battered and thick, and the meat was juicy and nicely marinated. The soy garlic flavor too, was delicious, though not as sweet as I thought it would be, and ended slightly on the charred note. The place reminded me of 4Fingers, but not quite there yet. I'd still recommend trying.
Overall Rating : 7/10
7. K Fry @ 1 Utama PJ
There's always a queue at K Fry. I really have to note one thing too, the customer service at the 1 Utama outlet deserves triple thumbs up - fast, attentive and very well trained, in fact one of the best overall teamwork I've seen in quite some time. Now, in terms of food, the K'Fry Garlic Soya Chicks (RM27.90) for half a serving, was quite alright, though lacking a little in stickiness. The Anchovies & Tuna Rice Balls (RM20.90) was equally good, but perhaps I'm a little bias because I love anchovies. Having said that, do not order the K'Fry Chicken Bumbuk Original Cheese (RM48.90), the original boneless thigh meat was tasteless and bland, that even the pulled mozarella cheese gave it no additional flavor. Opt for the spicier version instead. K Fry will be opening in KLCC soon.
Overall Rating : 6.5/10
8. NeNe Chicken @ The Starling Mall PJ
Just recently, I dropped by the newly opened Nene Chicken, at The Starling Mall (second outlet after Sky Avenue). I ordered the 6 pieces of Swicy and Bulgogi flavored drumsticks (RM32.90 + RM3.00 for flavor mix). The Swicy flavored chicken was sticky and confusing. What was it again? Tomato? The Bulgogi flavored chicken tasted nothing like bulgogi. The Sweet Potato Fries (RM5.90) may very well be the only dish that was on point in terms of flavors.
Overall Rating : 6/10
9. Chicken Plus @ 3 Damansara PJ
Trying my luck at one of the lesser known Korean Fried Chicken outlets at 3 Damansara, formerly known as Tropicana City Mall. The outlet was very quiet on that lovely Sunday afternoon, that even the staff was dozing off (no joke). Nevertheless, in terms of food, I sampled the Regular Boneless Chicken in Sweet & Spicy Sauce (RM16 + RM9 for the cheese fall add-on) and the Regular Boneless Chicken in Soy Garlic (RM16). Though the skin lack crisp, I'd highly recommend the Chicken in Sweet & Spicy Sauce - but not the latter, my friend agreed likewise.
Overall Rating : 6/10
10. KyoChon @ 1 Utama PJ
KyoChon is possibly the first Korean Fried Chicken restaurant that I have ever visited, numerous times in the past couple of years, but have since dropped off my top-to-eat list. Read my review of KyoChon Here. since the inception of similar restaurants of late. My go-to order would be the Honey flavored Drumstick (2pcs for RM12.50 / 4pcs for RM24.50 / 8pcs for RM46.00). The alternative flavors would be the Original Soy Garlic and Red. Was it really because of it's inconsistent quality? Or was it because of my change in preference? Or perhaps my flair for Korean Fried Chicken have gotten better over time?
Overall Rating : 6/10
