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Given the number of standout chicken dishes that emerged in the past 12 months, perhaps it can be safely said that 2014 is the year of the chicken.
There’s the buttermilk fried chicken from The Girl + The Bull (346 A Aguirre Avenue, BF Homes, Parañaque; +63 905 5722556), Taiwan’s Hot Star Large Fried Chicken (Banawe cor Alcaraz St, Quezon City; +63 2 256-2257), Chicken and Waffles at Wildflour Cake + Bakery (4th Ave cor 26th St, BGC, Taguig; +63 2 8567600), Double Fried Chicken at Kyochon (G/F SM Megamall B, Mandaluyong; +63 2 9973333), and Señor Pollo (G/F F7 Bldg, 49 Sct Rallos, Quezon City; +63 917 8331033) which serves it not just fried but also roasted.
Even fast food restaurants joined the bandwagon and banked on their product’s crispiness to steal a piece of the market share. Indeed, fried chicken became a hot-selling on this year’s menus.
Just as 2014 is about to come to a close, two more players have entered the arena, giving us more options to appease our fried chicken craving.
1. Tom Sawyer’s Old Fashioned Krispy Chicken
After more than a decade of absence (it used to be located in Greenhills Shopping Center), Tom Sawyer’s is back to give the millenial generation a taste of what the older breed once enjoyed. The chicken is crispy, but the oil smudges on my take-out container shows was a tad greasy. The meat itself was juicy and succulent, the type that would really make you eat more than your fair share of rice. With regards to crispiness, it sure delivered its promise. And while its gravy was comparably thin next to KFC’s, it’s the type you’d want to bathe both your chicken and rice in.
COST: PHP88/piece, PHP138/two pieces. Both come with rice and gravy
GRAB A DRUMSTICK AT: Tiendesitas (Bldg A, Stall F&B-1A), Ortigas cor E Rodriguez Sr Ave, Pasig; +63 2 9662291, +63 917 8110338.
2. Hoolala Korean Chicken House
Escriva Street in Ortigas is lined with many Korean restaurants, but this newly opened K-joint foregoes the bibimbap and barbecue and focuses mainly on what Korea is becoming quite known for: its fried chicken. It is served in a variety of ways, from the original recipe to Yang-Nyum (tossed in a homemade sauce), Pa Dak (boneless and tossed in mom’s zesty dressing) and, the bestseller, Boneless Cheesy Melt. There’s even Korean and Andong Chicken Stews, in case you’ve gotten tired of fried.
COST: PHP89/piece, PHP139/two pieces. Both served with rice, drink and your choice of condiment among sweet chili, classic soy or chili sili.
GRAB A DRUMSTICK AT: 7 Amber Square, Escriva Drive, Ortigas, Pasig; +63 2 6386465, +63 939 5378000.
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