The awesome South Korean fried chicken restaurant Bonchon Chicken 본촌치킨 has finally reached Singapore, right at Bugis+ (the former Illuma). Not to be confused with 4 Fingers Bonchon Crispy Chicken at Ion Orchard, this is the original franchise from Korea which is popular even in New York and Los Angeles.
For those who have yet to try the Korean style fried chicken, it is deep fried twice – so the skin becomes crunchier and the meat less greasy when compared to the usual American fast food fried chicken. And according to its menu, the chicken contains ZERO trans fat! Really?
The ordering can get quite confusing, so here’s how it works.
Step 1: Pick a part (wings, drumstick or combo)
Step 2: Pick a size (small, medium or large)
Step 3: Pick a flavour (soy garlic, hot sauce or mix)
Step 4: Pick a side if you wish (steam rice, pickled radish, kimchi, coleslaw, edamame)
It feels kind of pricy to me. A medium combo of 6 wings, 2 drumsticks with one side is $15.90, and I am only saying it because the pieces are quite small. Also, be prepared to wait due to its double-fried preparation time needed.
Wow, the chicken is indeed quite different from the usual. The skin is certainly crunchy and comes off in pieces, with the sauces nicely enveloping it. The meat not quite the usual, is tasty and not too oily. Plus point, it doesn’t leave much of a stain on your fingers even if you use your hands. Flipside is this can be considered too dry. And they don’t serve tap water.
There are obviously some problems with its service. Even though I was first in the queue, they let the person behind me go in and order first, as though I was transparent. And for once, I saw service staff who was visibly nervous and shaking – didn’t help when they forget my coleslaw order. Look at them also I feel stressed already.
Strangely, there is a pathway in the middle of the restaurant, for those who needed to go the next restaurant Kungfu Paradise. Well, you may just want to give this Korean fried chicken a chance if you are a chicken addict.
Bonchon Chicken 본촌치킨
201 Victoria Street, #01-11 Bugis+ (former Illuma, opposite Bugis MRT), Singapore 188067, Tel: +65 6884 4768
Opening Hours: 11:00am – 11:0pm
Other Chicken Entries
Wingadees (Junction 10)
Popeyes Chicken and Biscuits (Airport T3)
ChicKing (Marina Square)
Wong Solo (Far East Plaza)
Charly T’s (Nomu Building)
