Chicken Up Little

My enthusiasm for Korean Fried Chicken is contagious, and has spread to all my friends. I told myself that I would take a break from all the Korean fried chickens that I have been gnawing on in Melbourne, but my stomach had other plans. When I got to Singapore and took a bite of Popeye's chicken, I knew I could never go back to the American way. And if I'm going to eat something that's deep-fried, I'm going to choose the one that gives me the most flavour-per-calorie.

A number of Korean Fried Chicken stores have sprung up in Singapore in my absence, especially around in the Bugis area. There's Bonchon Chicken smack-dab in Bugis+, Choo Choo Chicken at Bali Lane a few minutes walk away from Bugis MRT, and Chicken Up Little right at the back of Bugis Village. 

When I finally got to meet up with my friend who was also a big Korean FC fan, I suggested buying a box of chicken from each of the three stores and comparing notes by the roadside, but she wisely put her foot down. Our wandering ways brought us to Chicken Up Little just before the lunch crowd, and we grabbed a good table in the shade by the sidewalk.

We ordered the Yangnyum Chicken (4pcs/$16), which I guessed was the sweet-and-spicy sauce in Korea. I promise I didn't saturate the colours. This may have been the most photogenic chicken I ever met. I took half a dozen pictures with my phone, and any one of them looked as good as the next. People stared at the chicken as they walk by. Really. 

The chicken thighs were delicious, but the chicken breasts were too dry for our tastes. Can we just order chicken thighs when we come again? Or maybe, get the Soy Garlic version, which, from what my friend tells me, tastes even better.

There's a drink stall conveniently located right beside Chicken Up Little. Between the two of us, we had four cups of water chestnut. I'm going out on a limb here to say that The Best Drink for Korean fried chicken is water chestnut. (Well, beer not included...) Strange bedfellows, yes. But I'm surprised how well they complement each other. 

The Verdict: I was a little surprised by the price, because $30 would get me an entire chicken at my favourite Korean Fried Chicken restaurant. But that restaurant sits across an ocean, and I'll take my fixes where I can get them.