BHC Chicken @ Marina Square - Popular Korean Fried Chicken Chain Arrives In Singapore Serving Popular Signatures

BHC Chicken, one of South Korea’s most popular fried chicken chains, has arrived in Singapore with a range of its best-selling signatures!

Even though they have opened for over a couple of weeks, they still sport a long queue of diners. This is BHC Chicken's first outlet in Singapore and the fourth internationally. They are located on the second floor of Marina Square, right next to where Eccellente by HAO mart sits.

BHC Chicken Sides 3.8/5

We started with a variety of sides, namely the Cheese Balls ($5.90 for Original, $6.90 for Bburing), Bburing Cheese Stick ($6.90) and Bburing Corndog ($6.90).

The crowd favourite among them is the Cheese Balls of mochi-like spheres with molten cheese within. These are fried to a crunch on the outside while retaining the soft and stretchy chewiness inside. The Bburing Cheese Stick has sticks of breaded cheese, while the Bburing Corndog has sausages with a thicker breaded exterior. Both have a generous coating of the Bburing seasoning, a highlight at BHC Chicken.

Sotteok 3.5/5

The last of our appetisers was Sotteok, which is Korean sausage skewered with rice cake. It costs $5.90 for the spicy Red King or $6.90 for the Bburing option. The rice cakes were a little hard in texture for our liking.

Rabokki 3.8/5

Apart from the range of fried chicken, the menu has different kinds of mains. The Rabokki (from $12.90) has rice cakes, ramyeon, Korean fishcake and a hard-boiled egg in a spicy-sweet sauce. It is a bit pricey for what it has, but it was appetising and quite comforting.

Kimchi Fried Rice 3.8/5

The unassuming Kimchi Fried Rice ($9.90) was a surprising dish for us. We liked the sweet and tangy flavours from the fried red kimchi, which made me keep going back for more. That said, I would have loved the addition of Korean crispy seaweed as garnish and if the rice was not as wet.

Bburinkle 4.2/5

Bburinkle is BHC Chicken's signature chicken flavour. It has fried chicken coated in cheese and vegetable-flavoured seasoning, served with Bburing Bburing dip, a creamy and lighter dip version of the same seasoning. As a result, this has a unique garlicky, sweet and cheesy flavour, unlike the usual Korean fried chicken options you typically expect.

My dining companions and I thought the dip was optional as it was already very flavourful on its own. However, this is best to share as it can get quite heavy after a while. What we liked most was how succulent the chicken meat was, and not greasy even though it was deep fried. Prices of the chicken vary across flavours - a whole chicken is priced from $29.90, wings at $23.50 and boneless at $28.

Hot Retro 4.2/5

If you are a fan of no-frills classic fried chicken like me, check out BHC's Retro. Deep fried in sunflower oil, you will get to enjoy juicy chicken meat with a well-coated crunch in its original form. For that additional kick of appetising spice, opt for the Hot Retro. The spice is manageable and leans to the mild side.

Macho King 3.8/5

The last of the flavours we tried was the Macho King, which uses a coating of aged soy sauce and a sweet honey-based oriental sauce. This was my least favourite of the three as I found the sauce too overpowering for the batter and the chicken. If you are ordering this, dig into it immediately upon serving for the maximum crunch.

Photos and words by Jo. A girl who loves her Mala (麻辣) at Da La (大辣), discovering hidden food gems and a good cup of matcha latte. Note: This is an invited tasting.


BHC Chicken
Marina Square
6 Raffles Boulevard
#02-332A, #02-332F
Singapore 039594
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Nearest MRT: Esplanade (CC Line), Promenade (CC, DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 330pm, 530pm - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Esplanade MRT station. Take Exit B and D. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Promenade MRT station. Take Exit A. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 6 minutes. [Map]

Lucy Liu Kitchen & Bar @ Oliver Lane [Melbourne] - Skip The Long Queue At Chin Chin And Make A Detour For Some Pan Asian Flavours Sharing Plates

I frequent Melbourne at least 4 times a year but I seldom blog about the restaurants in Melbourne. As my trips were usually work related and I just want to grab something simple and go back to my hotel room to rest. During my latest visit to the city, since Maureen aka Miss Tam Chiak is in town, I decided to bring her to Lucy Liu Kitchen & Bar at Oliver Lane. I have enjoyed the food there when my colleague brought me there for dinner once.

Kingfish Sashimi 4.5/5

The cuisine at Lucy Liu Kitchen & Bar is inspired from Pan Asian flavours in the form of sharing plates. We started with the Kingfish Sashimi. The sashimi are topped with thai basil and toasted coconut. What makes the fish jump out of live is the green chilli sauce that is packed with depth and robust flavours. It hits the spot with the characteristic sweet, sour and spicy flavours in Thai cuisine.

Pan Fried Spinach & Water Chestnut Dumpling 3.8/5

Maureen and I have mixed opinion on the Pan Fried Spinach & Water Chestnut Dumpling. She likes the modern take with the Sichuan chilli oil which gives you a slight numbing mala kick. I like the interpretation bu I thought the dough was a bit too thick. A worthy note is that the dumplings are made freshly on order. We were seated at the bar counter and we can see the chef making batches after batches of dumplings right in our eyes.

Korean Fried Chicken Bun 4/5

Using the Chinese steamed bun, we tried both the Korean Fried Chicken Bun and Crispy Pork Bun. The korean fried chicken bun is sandwiched with tender chicken dressed in a spicy gochujang sauce while the crispy pork bun is paired with spicy kimchi & kewpie mayo. The bun is really soft and fluffy and it goes really well with the different fillings, elevated by the delicious sauces.

Crispy Pork Bun 3.5/5

If I am to pick a favourite I would probably go for the Korean Fried Chicken Bun over the Crispy Pork Bun. I find the crispy pork is too dry. It lacked that fatty texture underneath the crackling skin I was looking for.

Roasted Short Rib with Rendang Curry 4/5

For the big plate, we had the Roasted Short Rib with Rendang Curry. It comes with rice, achar and chilli sauce. The short rib is huge. It is cooked to a beautiful fork tender, which falls off the bone with ease.The rendang curry was creamy with a coconuty base. It is a well executed dish. However, I felt that the rempah lacks the fragrant that we get in Malaysia and Singapore. Maybe that is the acceptable standard in Melbourne.

Lucy Liu may ring a bell but the restaurant is not opened by the famous American actress that acted in Charle's Angle. If you are interested to know how the restaurant gets its name, you can find it on their website. If you are new to the restaurant, it offers set course menu as well as a la carte. Recommendation would be to go for about 3 to 4 small plates and a big plates to share.


Lucy Liu Kitchen & Bar
23 Oliver Lane
Melbourne VIC 3000
Australia
Tel: +613 96395777
Facebook
Website
[Map]

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 11pm

Two Hana @ Century Square - Bringing Two Cultures, Korean And Western Together

There are quite a number of restaurants and eateries to check out at the newly re-opened Century Square mall. One of these restaurants and eateries is Two Hana which is located near the mall's taxi stand. It is a Korea meets West cafe concept offering a eclectic menu featuring all-day dining, light bites, hearty mains, alluring dessert, refreshing drinks and specialty coffee from All Press.

Two Hana Drumlets 3.5/5

Since it is a Korean inspired cafe, then we can do without the Korean fried chicken. The Two Hana Drumlets ($9) comes in 2 flavours - Honey Butter and Spicy Yangnyeom. It is a sweet and spicy combination with deep fried crispy skin. The honey butter sauce drumlets are topped with popcorn and almond while the spicy yangnyeom comes with sesame seeds.

Korean Cauliflower Fritters 4/5

Kimchi Mac & Cheese Bites 3.5/5

For some light bites on the menu, there are the Korean Cauliflower Fritters ($8) and Kimchi Mac & Cheese Bites ($9). The cauliflower is coated in a light crispy tempura batter and glazed in a sweet and spicy sauce. Up a notch with the kimchi mac & cheese whereby the cheesy filling is spiced up with kimchi chucks enveloped by crispy breadcrumbs.

Bulgogi Sidewinders 3.5/5

If you find having fries alone is rather boring, then the Bulgogi Sidewinders ($9) will be a nice change with its abundance of toppings such as beef bulgogi, creamy bulgogi sauce, kimchi bits, onions and parmeson cheese. It may sounds and looks messy but the combination actually comes together quite well.

Korean Slaw & Rocket Salad 3/5

If you want something light and healthy, there is the Korean Slaw & Rocket Salad ($9). The green consists of an assortment of rockets, cabbage and red cabbage. It is topped with pear, parmesan, mandarin orange, citron jam, yogurt and raisins. I enjoyed how the fruits and jam lend a citrus touch to the earthy greens.

Kimchi Bibimwrap 3/5

A staple Korean dish is the bibimap which is usually served in a bowl. How about the Kimchi Bibimwarp ($12), bibimap in a wrap? The wrap is stuffed with kimgaru rice, spinach, namul, shiitake mushrooms, fried garlic, egg, lettuce, cabbage, toasted sesame dressing and fried garlic. This is a meal on its own. You can also opt not to have rice in the wrap.

Striploin Bap 4/5

Rice bowl has been one the latest food trends in Singapore. Jumping on the bandwagon is the Striploin Bap ($13), its Korean interpretation of the rice bowl. Beautifully seared striploin slices, together with servings of kimchi, spinach, beansprout namul, caramelised onions and poached egg rest on top of the kimgarou rice. In fact, I find the bowl a bit small for the generous servings.

Crisp-Battered Pacific Cod 3/5

The Crisp-Battered Pacific Cod ($14) is served on a bed of doenjang mashed potatoes and comes with a choice of kimchi veloute or honey soy mayonnaise sauce. Unfortunately the highlight of the dish is the doenjang mashed potatoes, made from 60% potatoes, 40% butter and doenjang sauce. The bland tasting pacific cod is overshadowed by the creamy mashed potatoes with chunky bites.

Korean Seafood Cioppino 4.5/5

The dining group's favourite has to be the Korean Seafood Cioppino ($12), brimming with a medley of mussels, clams, prawns, mushroom and carrots stewed in tomatoes cream base. Diners can have a choice of tofu or soft rolls to go with the rich and creamy soup. It's like have a bowl of lobster bisque.

Gochujang Braised Lamb Shank 3.8/5

I thought the Gochujang Braised Lamb Shank ($24) is rather special. Unlike the usual, it is braised in a gochujang tomato sauce. While the braised sauce was delish, I was lacked down by the texture of the lamb shank. I was expecting it to be more tender. It seems that the lamb shank needs more hours in the pot.

Apple Caramel Waffles with Doenjang Caramel Ice Cream 3.5/5

As for dessert, I tried both the Apple Caramel Waffles with Doenjang Caramel Ice Cream ($9) and Strawberry Waffles with Honey Citron Ice Cream ($9). The waffles are crispy and dense. The addition of fruits help to cut those density with the yummy ice cream providing the home run.

Strawberry Waffles with Honey Citron Ice Cream 3.5/5

Overall, I feel that Two Hana serves some interesting Korean meets Western dishes but some are not at that level yet. There is potential in the dishes but probably needed more refinement to reach to excellent. Putting the food aside, the cafe serves great coffee using beans from All Press. So don't forget to get your caffeine fix whenever you drop by the cafe.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Two Hana
Century Square
2 Tampines Central 5
#01-21
Singapore 529509
Tel: +65 62604339
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Tampines (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 10am - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Tampines MRT station. Take Exit C. Turn left and walk to traffic light junction. Cross the road and walk down Tampines Central 5. Walk to Century Square. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Pizza Maru @ Northpoint City – Korea’s Largest Pizza Chain Makes Debut With Their Popular Pizzas And Korean Fried Chicken

The world's largest Korean pizza chain, Pizza Maru arrives at our shores, offering an impressive selection of their popular Korean pizzas, fried chicken and more. With 530 franchises sprouting around the country, as well as existing branches in the United States, Hong Kong and China, Pizza Maru launches its first Singapore outlet at Northpoint City, the latest shopping-residential development in Yishun where crowds have been steadily thronging the area.

Their immense popularity is due to the patented well-being pizza doughs, healthy ingredients and special flavours. Their green-tea wellbeing pizza dough, which is fermented for more than 48 hours with micro-algae chlorella, as well as 12 kinds of natural grains including rye, black rice, barley and oats, making each slice of their pizza a delightfully nutrient-packed one. The quality over at the Singapore franchise is maintained as authentic and consistent as possible with flour and most of the ingredients directly imported from Korea as well.

Real BBQ Chicago 4.5/5

Under the Chicago Pizza category, we had the Real BBQ Chicago ($26.80/regular 9”) which features a special thick puffy pizza crust made using fibre-rich, antioxidant-packed black rice dough and stuffed with cream cheese mousse. The pizza is further layered with double mozzarella cheese, string cheese before topping with chicken chunks, roasted onion, mushrooms, tomato, potato, honey, and sprinkled with almond flakes, icing sugar and BBQ sauce. The black rice dough boasts a pillowy soft texture with an addictive chewy bite to it and a cream cheese surprise within. The copious amounts of different cheeses present in the pizza resulted in a pizza slice with so much cheese stretch when a piece is pulled out. While the generous amount of tender and juicy chicken chunks, together with the multiple complements added to the pizza contributed a great medley of rich flavours and textures that elevated the dish to a sublime calibre. Their Black Rice dough pizzas are definitely something not be missed if you’re dining at Pizza Maru.

Mango Ocean 4.2/5

The Mango Ocean ($19.80/regular 9”; $23.80/large 12”) is under the Premium Pizza category which features a pizza crust made using green tea dough. The pizza is layered with mozzarella cheese, before being topped with fresh seafood including the juicy shrimps, scallops, squids, and other complements of mushrooms, mango, broccoli, black olive, pilaf and spicy buldak sauce. The green tea dough boasts a soft chewy texture with very subtle hints of the green tea flavour which was overwhelmed by the generous blanket of mozzarella cheese and spicy buldak sauce. We were told that the green tea dough used focuses more on the well-being benefits it provides rather than the prominence of the green tea taste itself. Although mango is not a usual choice for pizzas, the freshness and juiciness of the sweet mango cubes added complement the assortment of savoury seafood well, rendering an execution excellence with a perfect sweet-savoury balance and additional spicy notes from the spicy buldak sauce.

Supa Hot Dak Ganjeong 4/5

The highlight of Pizza Maru does not just end with their selection of pizzas. They are also lauded for their Korean fried chicken as well. The Supa Hot Dak Gangjeong ($16.80/6pcs; $29.80/12pcs) features juicy chicken and an extremely crispy skin with a robust spicy flavour from the coating of the hot sauce. It comes with a choice of level 1 or 2 spiciness. So if you’re up for a heat challenge, go for the level 2. (Note: Picture is not representative and only displays a sampling portion of the dish.)

Honey Butter Coat 4.2/5

For the non-spicy version, go for their Honey Butter Coat ($16.80/6pcs; $29.80/12pcs) which features the consistently well-executed crunchy juicy chicken with generous amounts of fragrant honey butter powder, constituting a sweet-savoury combination that works perfectly. (Note: Picture is not representative and only displays a sampling portion of the dish.)

Onion Tartar 4.2/5

The Onion Tartar ($16.80/6pcs; $29.80/12pcs) features its undeniably crispy juicy chicken. It comes with dollops of aromatic onion tartar sauce and onion strips on top which provides an additional crunch. (Note: Picture is not representative and only displays a sampling portion of the dish.)

Spam Tower 4/5

A deconstructed approach to the usual bibimbap rice bowls, the Spam Tower ($12.80) comes in a bibimbap tower of chicken spam slice, generous amounts of fried kimchi, bell pepper, onion, cabbage, mushroom, egg and seaweed on a bed of fragrant rice, before being sprinkled with heaps of potato crisps, parmesan cheese and drizzled with siracha sauce. The crispy potato crisps complement the tenderness of the chicken spam, softness of the well-seasoned fried kimchi and crunchiness of the other complements perfectly, as sharp spicy accents of the siracha sauce kick in between the medley of ingredients. The Spam Tower embodies the korean style with finesse, blending the well-thought interplay of flavour and textural variations within the dish immaculately.

Nok Cha Latte 4.2/5

The Nok Cha Latte ($6.90) comes in a glass of milky matcha latte perfumed with a rich matcha taste which has a good bitter-sweet balance that I really enjoyed. The two dango balls on a stick sitting atop the drink has a soft chewy mochi-like texture, albeit rather tasteless.

Nok Cha Waffle Ice Cream 4/5

The Nok Cha Waffle Ice Cream ($11.90) features matcha flavoured waffles with a fluffy interior and slightly crispy exterior. A distinct matcha taste with a bitter undertone, the waffles also came with azuki beans and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. However, a choice of the matcha flavoured ice cream would be a better option to further accentuate the green tea flavour of the dessert.

The latest entrant from Korea, Pizza Maru is set to take Singapore by storm with their award-winning pizzas and fried chicken. With the first outlet already seeing long lines of diners at meal times, there are plans going well under way to launch more outlets somewhere with a more central location this year. Note: Pizza Maru is pork-free, lard-free and is currently applying for Halal certification.

Words and photos by Crystal. A girl who likes to eat, photograph, and write about food, and dreams about travelling around the world one day. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Pizza Maru
Northpoint City (South Wing)
1 Northpoint Drive
#B1-192/193
Singapore 768019
Tel: +65 62544307
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Yishun (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 930pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Yishun MRT station. Take Exit C. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Chicken Up @ Jurong East - Voted The Best Korean Fried Chicken

I actually did not know that Chicken Up has been around since 2010. What surprises me more is that there is a Chicken Up outlet at Jurong East MRT station itself. It is actually located on the ground floor of the station.

Watermelon Soju 4.5/5

Something that I have always wanted to try at Chicken Up after seeing numerous photo of it on social media platforms is their Watermelon Soju. The cocktail blend of soju and watermelon juice makes it a very easy and happy drink to enjoy with friends and families.

Ganjang (Soya) Chicken Wings 4.5/5

One of Chicken Up's bestseller is their Ganjang Chicken Wings ($12). It was even declared as the best korean fried chicken conducted in a blind taste with 8 different brands. This is my first time having it and I can understand why. The freshly deep fried chicken wings which are dipped in Chicken Up's special soya sauce blend, is very crispy on the outside, tender and juicy inside.

Bulgogi Fries 3.5/5

I was told that the Bulgogi Fries ($18) is very popular with the diners. The shoestring fries is topped with thin slices of beef marinated in soy sauce and drizzled over with white garlic sauce and garnished with springs of coriander.

UFO Toppoki 4.2/5

New on the menu is the UFO Toppoki ($35.10) which comprises of rice cake, fish cake and deep fried breaded squid in a spicy chilli paste sauce (gochujang). I have tried many gochujang before but this version is really spicy, it sets my tongue burning. The dish got its name because it is served in an UFO pan. On the side includes other stuff such as caramelized kimchi, cheese, corn cheese, kimchi fried rice, steamed egg and some grinded padano cheese as garnish.

For those that has a big appetite, Chicken Up has a All Day Ala Carte Buffet for both lunch and dinner. It comes with unlimited serving of mega half chicken (spicy, crispy, yangnyum, spicy yangnyum, ganjang), wings/popcorn (ganjang, yangnyum, spicy yangnyum) and side dishes such as fries (kimchi, bulgogi, truffle), topoki, jabchae and fried dumpling.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Chicken Up
Jurong East MRT Station
10 Jurong East Street 12
#01-01
Singaopore 609690
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Jurong East (EW Line, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Thu: 11am - 10pm
Fri-Sun: 11am - 1030pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Jurong East MRT station. Take Exit A. Take the escalator to level 1. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

K-Tower @ Amoy Street - 9-Tier Of Fresh Seafood Straight From The Tank

K-Tower is a new seafood tower restaurant has opened at Amoy Street offering 3, 5, 7 and 9 tier tower using fresh seafood directly from the tank. While the restaurant's name may seems familiar to another similar concept at Prinsep Street, there is no association between the two restaurants.

9-Tier Seafood Tower 4.2/5

We tried the 9-Tier Seafood Tower ($298) which consists of Prawn, Scallop, Oyster, Shellfish, Fish, Sea Cucumber, Crab, Lobster, Abalone (addition of $90) with kimchi soup base (addition of $10). Other soup base available are seafood, army stew and ginseng chicken. Among the different tiers of seafood, I like the prawn, crab, clam, abalone and sea cucumber.

After finishing all 9 tier of seafood, you can choose to add on a la carte ingredients to enjoy the pot of gold at the bottom of the seafood tower which has collected all the seafood essences that have dripped down from above. For ease, we opted for the K-Tower Platter ($9.90).

The K-Tower Platter consists of Sea Urchin Ball, Fish Tofu with Cheese, Salmon Ball with Cheese, Squid Ink Ball, Fish Ball with Roe, Beancurd Skin, Golden Mushrooms, Maggie Mee. After all the seafood, it is a good chance for something spicy, soupy and comforting.

K-Tower Fried Chicken Wings 4/5

Besides the seafood tower, K-Tower has an eclectic menu offering popular Korean dishes. While waiting for the seafood tower to be served why not ordered the K-Tower Fried Chicken Wings ($7.90) to start with to layer the stomach first. The crispy chicken wings with the coat of sweet and spicy sauce is pretty enjoyable.

Seafood Pancake 3/5

Good for sharing is the Seafood Pancake ($14.90). I personally do not like the version at K-Tower. It is not the authentic type which has too much flour for my liking. It reminded me of the texture of prawn fritter or oyster fritter.

Ginseng Chicken Soup 3/5

Not into the seafood tower or you just want to grab simple meal, there is the Ginseng Chicken Soup ($17.90). While I could taste the bittersweet flavour of the ginseng in the soup, it was unfortunately on the salty side. The chicken was perfect cooked to a moist texture but I was disappointed that it was not stuffed with glutinous rice.

Shake Shake Rice Box 4/5

Served in a rectangular tin is the Shake Shake Rice Box ($9.90) which is a twist to the Korean bibimbap. Give the nostalgic childhood lunch box in South Korea a good shake to mix all the ingredients up for consumption. I thought the sauce was a bit on the sweet side but this is really enjoyable. The only let down for me is its missing the crispy burnt rice, unlike bibimbap served in hot stone.

Trilogy Rice Cake with Honey 4.2/5

For a sweet ending, a must try is the Trilogy Rice Cake with Honey ($5.90 per stick). The different colours are cheese, pumpkin and sweet potato. The chewy texture with a slight coat of crispiness on the exterior, glazed with honey for a sweet finishing.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


[CLOSED]
K-Tower
74 Amoy Street
Singapore 069893
Tel: +65 62219928
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar (EW Line), Telok Ayer (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 230pm, 530pm - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Tanjong Pagar MRT station. Take Exit G. Follow the covered walkway to the junction of Mccallum Street, Telok Ayer and Amoy Street. Turn left at the junction onto Amoy Street. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Telok Ayer MRT station. Take Exit A. Turn left and walk down Cross Street towards Amoy Street. Turn left onto Amoy Street. Walk to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]