[Singapore Restaurant] A Korean Style Chicken Restaurant : Chicken Up (한국 치킨 전문점)

As I walk along the stretch of Tanjong Pagar Road starting from Orchid Hotel toward Maxwell Market, I realise that many new Korean restaurants have joined in the wave of hallyu in Singapore.  Other than what we normally get ie.  BBQ, stews and rice, one shop stood out from the rest.  They serve mainly chicken dishes, and Korean Fried Chicken (KFC) is their specialty which is why they are also known as 한국 치킨 전문점, meaning Korean Chicken Specialty Shop.  This shop is Chicken Up.  This new KFC is totally different from the usual KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) and it is worth a try.  Best part of it is that you can opt for ala carte or chicken buffet!

The main entrance



The front façade

Chicken Up has been around for about 3 years.  The main restaurant can take up to about 40 guests indoor.  There are also some outdoor seats.  Chicken Up has recently taken over the space next door and expanded its seating capacity.  It is generally an ideal place for gatherings with friends and colleagues, especially if they are K-pop fans.  Immerse in an evening of continuous latest hits which savouring the chicken dishes.

On each table is a small thrash can and it is meant for the chicken bones.  Truly, that's how the Koreans eat fried chicken in Korea!!



There are also some secluded seats behind the main counter which has more privacy.

The newly acquired restaurant uses open concept although it is also air-conditioned.

All-You-Can-Eat Chicken Buffet costs $25 (before tax) per person.  Go for this option if variety is something that you like to have.  Comparing the cost of Korean Fried Chicken against other Korean restaurants, the price is reasonable.  To get into the real mood of eating Korean Fried Chicken, you can top it up with some beer.  치맥 (chicken & beer) is really really popular in Korea.  Note that on Fridays and eves of public holiday, there is a $5 surcharge for the buffet.

Chicken Up has several fried chicken options including Curry Up, Spicy Up, Mild Up, YangNyeom, Soya Chicken and Popcorn Chicken.  The other options include Andong Chicken Stew, truffle fries and salad.

Soya Chicken (간장치킨) comes in chicken wings and this is my favourite.  The savoury and slightly sweet crispy wings are really delicious.   The wings are quite big, tender and juicy.

The Yangnyeom chicken (양념치킨) is 2nd on my favourite list.  Chunky pieces of chicken were deep-fried before coated with a layer of sweet, sticky and slightly spicy sauce.  These are delicious but perhaps the pieces were way too chunky.

Other than the 2 fried chicken dishes, I personally like the Andong Stew Chicken which isn't commonly found in Singapore.  As the name implies, this dish originates from the city of Andong in the Gyeongsang province in Korea.  Other ingredients used in this dish include mainly glass noodle, potato, carrot and onion and together with spicy soy-based sauce and dried chilli.  In Chicken Up's version, rice cakes and lots of sesame are also added! 

Spicy Up is the signature dish at Chicken Up!  The pieces, a mix of breast and thigh pieces, are big as well and very crispy.  However, the taste is a tad ordinary which can be found in some other Korean fried chicken stalls/restaurants in Singapore.

The waiting time for the fried chicken generally takes about 15 to 20 mins.  The chicken dishes aren't pre-cooked and heated up upon order.  I guess that is a little price to pay for freshly cooked food.  In the meantime, salad is also available on the buffet list.  The fresh veggies mixed with thousand island salad offers a refreshing taste to the sinful fried dishes and provides some balance to the diet. =)



Chicken Up 

48 Tanjong Pagar Road #01-01, Singapore 088469

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/ChickenUp

Tel: 6327 1203

Opening Hours: 5.30pm to 2am daily. 

Getting there: Take the mrt to Tanjong Pagar Station.  At Exit A, walk towards Peck Seah Street, then Tras Street and finally Tanjong Pagar Rd in the direction towards Maxwell Market.  It is diagonally across Fairfield Methodist Church.



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KrispyKreme : Opens at Tangs on 12 Oct 13!

Finally, the wait for Krispy Kreme's glazed donuts will soon be over!

 

[Jeollabuk-do, Korea] Autumn Series: Exploring In and Around the Jeonju Hanok Village

전주 한옥마을에 가자!  Jeonju is an ancient city located in the Jeolla province, south of Seoul.  It is the home to pansori, a genre of musical story-telling, and is famous for the hanok village (Korean traditional houses) and hanji (Korean traditional paper).  The city is famous for 2 cuisines, bibimbap (Warm rice topped with various coloured ingredients) and hanjeonsik (Korean's traditional full-course meal).

Jeonju has more than 800 traditional houses, the largest cluster of traditional houses in Korea.  These houses were built decades ago and have been preserved to date for its historical charms and traditions.

Staying in hanok (Korean traditional houses) brings travelling in Korea to a new dimension.  Over there, I learnt what it means to be "back to basics" and how "communal living" is like in a traditional manner.  The rooms were constructed in a way that faces a common area where communal activities can be carried out.

The interior and exterior of the houses were made of natural materials, mainly wood and paper.  Notice the stacks of logs at the side of the house?  These were used to maintain the traditional ondol floor-heating system since Koreans enjoy sitting, eating and sleeping on the floor.  Heat maintenance is particularly important especially during the colder seasons (late autumn until early spring).

The room facilities were really basic.  No TV, no attached bathrooms.  Common bathrooms are limited in number and queuing to use the toilet and bathroom took a while.  Fortunately, there was hot water for shower.  Even though, using common bathrooms did present some inconvenience especially since my room was furthest away from it.  Not only did I have to ensure that my shower bag was fully equipped with stuff that I did, I had to put on additional clothing when I visit the toilet to avoid catching a cold.  It would definitely be worse during winter, having to brave through the chilly weather just to get to the use the toilet!

In the room, there was just a simple dressing table, a fridge and mattresses for sleeping.  The furnishings included a double-layered window and a double-layer door made of wood and paper.  The paper isn't any ordinary paper but hanji, which is extremely durable.  To date, hanji is used for even modern home decorations. 

The walls surrounding the traditional houses were low and made using bricks and stones.  Some even had decorations on it, such as the word "喜喜" representing double happiness.  Take a stroll down the "Slow City" of Jeonju and experience a sense of tranquillity in this little town.

The Jeonju Hyanggyo (Confucian School) was around the vicinity of the hanok village.  It was a Confucian School established during the Joseon Period (1392-1910) and is currently a designated historial treasure no. 379.  The school was originally located in the Gyeonggijeon and was relocated to the present site in 1603.

In the center of Daeseongjeon are the 5 tablets of Confucius Philosopher, Kongzi, Yangzi, Tsengtzu, Zishi, and Mengzi. There are five big and old ginkgo trees in Confucian School, the one in front of West gate in Confucian school is 400 years old. It is said that the meaning of planting ginkgo trees in Confucian school is for students of Confucianism to become an upright person as the ginkgo trees do not get infested with insects.

As I walked along the clean and quiet alleys, I can't help noticing the beautiful cloudy sky since the buildings were low, mostly in single storey.

The little town is complete with services and facilities for shopping, eating and public services.  The above is a small post office by Korea Post.

There is also a little dessert shop that sold patbingsu, shaved ice which is a popular Korean summer dessert, complete with red bean and rice cakes.  In fact, the shop serves only 3 types of desserts.  That's how simple life was in the town.

Back in the hanok house, the backyard is filled with homemade gochujang, a savoury and pungent Korean condiment made from red chilli, glutinous rice and fermented soy beans and salt.  The traditional way of making gochujang was to let the ingredients ferment for years in the large earthen pots left outdoors.  I suppose with modernisation, such ways of making gochujang could only be found in the country side or at such traditional houses.  It was an eye opener to see so many large earthern pots lining in the backyard.

With the relaxing pace of life and closeness to nature in the hanok village, it is an experience which is difficult or almost impossible to find in our present city life.


Getting to Jeonju Hanok Village

Seoul → JeonjuSeoul Central Terminal → Jeonju Express Bus Terminal
(First bus - 05:30 / Last bus - 24:00 / Runs every 10 minutes / Travel time - 2 hours, 45 minutes)
Jeonju Express Bus Terminal → Jeonju Hanok Village
* Take Bus 5-1 from the bus stop located 150m away from the taxi stand on the opposite side of the street (towards Inter-city bus terminal direction).
(Bus runs every 15 minutes / Travel time: around 15 minutes).

* Take Bus 79 from the bus stop in front of the terminal main gate.
(Runs every 25 minutes / Travel time: around 15 minutes).

* Take a taxi: approximately 10 minutes.

Alternatively, take the KTX at Yongsan Station (Station) via the Jeolla line.  (~ 2hr 14 mins, 6 stops).  At Jeonju station, transfer to bus 513 in the direction of Jeonju Hyanggyo. (~17mins, 13 stops)


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Food Hunt at Hong Kong International Airport

What do you do while you are waiting to transit to the next flight?  Foodie like me likes to explore the airport for food places.  Really, how often do you get to rest and relax in a foreign airport?  Here's my food adventure at Hong Kong International Airport Terminal 1, Departure Check-in Hall, Level 7.

Everyone loves Tsui Wah!  That's quite true.  Hong Kongers and foreigners all love this Hong Kong-style tea house (known as 'Cha Chaan Teng') that started from the 1960s and it is still growing very strong!  They have their own fast food cafés and restaurants all over Hong Kong.

Even if it is just a simple set of crispy toast bun and milk tea, it is enough to keep me very happy!

Another well-known Hong Kong café that was founded in the 1960s and still growing from strength to strength.  Cafe de Coral operates mainly as food courts in Hong Kong.

Pan-fried carrot cake and milk tea to keep up with the mood of being in Hong Kong!

Catering to the cosmopolitan passenger profile, there are many types of food available at the airport.  Saboten is a renowned Japanese Tonkatsu (deep fried breaded pork cutlet) restaurant internationally (Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and California).  It started in the 1960s in Shinjuku, Tokyo.

Singaporeans missing local food can check out Chen Fu Ji restaurant at the airport!

And if you feel like getting some Hong Kong confectionery, check out the local food product shops such as Kee Wah Bakery!

Even though the HKIA Terminal 1 is an interesting place to explore.  I was a little disappointed that most shops are closed by 10pm.  =(

[Singapore Foodcourt] Kim Dae Mun Korean Food



It has been 5 years since I last blogged about Kim Dae Mun Korean Food.  This food court stall has grown contained to receive rave reviews from Korean food lovers in Singapore and it is often being referred to as the "Best Korean Food" in town.  Their customer base are mostly locals as well as a good number of Koreans who are on vacation in Singapore.  With it's accessible location in downtown Orchard, it is without doubt that the waiting time will be slightly longer during lunch and dinner. 

Consistency in food quality has always been their strength.  All their dishes are consistently good and they managed to keep the prices very affordable.  All set meals are below $8, which include rice, soup and side dishe (choice of kimchi, anchovy or cucumber).  There is option not to take the rice and/or side dishes and they are happy not to include those charges ie. 50c off for the rice / side dishes.

I have introduced many friends to this stall.  Other than the standard bulgogi and kimchi stew, I would usually ask them to try the fried glass noodles and potato pancake.  Most of them found the glass noodles to be delicious =)

The portion for the glass noodles is generous.  Main ingredients are cabbage, green vegetables, pork and egg.  There is option to have chilli or not.  There is also option to exclude the meat if you prefer not to have it.

The potato pancake on its own is quite ordinary.  What makes a great difference is the dipping sauce, that adds a little sourish appetising taste.  The kimchi fried rice is also not bad.  Rice was fried with generous serving of kimchi.

Although the rice cakes is sold as a side dish, the portion is big enough to be a full meal.  From the colour of the sauce, doesn't it already tell how good it taste?  Yes, and it comes with a full egg for every portion of ddeokbokki.

This is the most economical Korean food option in Orchard.  And it easily beats some of the more expensive restaurants in Orchard hands-down. =)

Kim Dae Mun Korean Food

100 Orchard Road Singapore 238840

Concorde Hotel Basement Foodcourt

Opens daily except for Mondays

Nearest MRT: Somerset Station

Getting there:  Exit MRT station and walk along Somerset Road towards the direction of Plaza Singapura.  At the Killiney Road junction, turn left.  At the traffic junction, continue in the same direction cross over to OG Orchard.  At the same junctions, turn right and cross over to Concorde Hotel.



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[Korean Fried Chicken] Nene Chicken @ *SCAPE

The success fried chicken store from Star Vista has come to town, right here at *SCAPE!  It is occupies the place where Gong Cha used to be, facing the entrance of *SCAPE building.

The opening promotion meal comes with rice instead of Buffalo fries and pickled radish.

 

For those of us who had bought take-out fried chicken in Korea, you would be familiar with the compartmentalised box that they use.  The food is neatly placed in the allocation position.

 



What I took-out was the SWICY Chicken, which stands for Sweet & Spicy Chicken.... YangNyeom (양념) style for those who are familiar with the Korean term for chicken coated with sweet & spicy sauce.  The meal set comes with Buffalo fries as well as the very delicious pickled radish! 

Enjoy the tender, tasty and juicy chicken!


Nene Chicken *SCAPE
#02-39
Operation Hours: 1100 to 2230 daily

Nearest MRT: Somerset Station



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Related Posts:
- Bibigo at Suntec City (Click here)
- Chicken Up (Click here)
- Bear Bites @ *Scape (Click here)


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[Korean Air] Asian On-Air Program

A chance to share your travel experience and win a trip to Korea!  Details are on Korean Air Southeast Asia FB page (https://www.facebook.com/events/565967620119680/)

[Singapore Restaurant] Togi Korean BBQ & Salad Bar

Something is amiss - Chuseok without songpyeon, traditional Korean snacks made of glutinous rice.  This rice cake is typically eaten during the mid-autumn harvest festival.  Made into half-moon shape, it is filled with sweet or semi-sweet filling such as peanut, red bean or sesame seeds.  During ancestral rites or celebration, this is a dish that can't be missed.

I decided to drop by the Korean restaurant in the vicinity to check out the complimentary Chuseok platter that is available during lunch from today until 20 Sep 2013 as part of the festive celebration!  The platter comprises 2 pieces of tteok (rice cake), Korean moon cake, pork meat ball and japchae (fried glass noodles).

Togi is pretty generous with the banchan (side dishes).  Even if it is for 1 diner, 6 side dishes will be served plus a small bowl of porridge.  My favourite is the odeng (fish cake), followed by the mash potato, steamed broccoli.  If you are not aware yet, most restaurant do not charge extra even if you request for additional servings of the side dishes.

In addition to the already sumptuous side dishes and the Chuseok platter, I had a big bowl of Tteok Mandu Ramyeon (Rice Cake Dumpling Noodles).  While the serving portion was huge, somehow, the side dishes seems more appetizing which I finished most of it but not the noodles.

Nonetheless, it was a good start to a good Chuseok to be able to taste songpyeon which is really not that common in Singapore.

Togi BBQ & Salad Bar
111 Somerset Road, #02-16, TripleOne Somerset, Singapore 238164
Operation Hours: 1130 to 0000
Tel: 67377397

Nearest MRT: Somerset Station