Kyochon, one of South Korea's largest and most popular fried chicken chains with some of the largest names in the K-POP industry as endorsers, has finally opened their first store in the Philippines in late April.
The restaurant chain was brought in to the country by the same company that franchised several other chains including The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, BreadTalk, and Chops Chicago Steakhouse. Kyochon, with over 1,000 stores in South Korea alone, is fast expanding abroad as well, with the Philippines as one of the target countries.
One of Kyochon's main selling points is the fact that they only use natural ingredients, thus making their fried chicken healthier. They also offer more varieties, (four vs. the two of that other major Korean chicken chain whose name starts with a "B" and rhymes with Kyochon), to suit different tastes.
If you want to avoid queuing, it's best to arrive early (11-11:30 for lunch, perhaps). Prepare to wait in line if you come during peak hours!
The walls of the restaurant are decorated with posters of their fried chicken's primary ingredients, such as rice and honey. One side of the walls also has this large projector screen showing some Korean music videos. They also have Korean music playing in the restaurant as well. Overall, I particularly like how the restaurant looks and feels, although it is a bit cramped.
Kyochon, by the way, is not a fast food restaurant. Like all other sit-down restaurants, you will be led to a table by a waitress and you will be given menus.
To start off, we got this Green Salad with Grilled Chicken and Orange Dressing. I absolutely LOVED the bits of chicken! The meat was very flavorful (a bit smoky, too) and tender.
The main agenda for the day: 8 pieces Chicken Drum Stick (original series). While I love the initial burst of flavor once you bite into the chicken skin (comparable if not even better than the "B" Korean chicken chain), I was hoping that the flavor would somehow last a bit longer.
Thankfully, their Kimchi Fried Rice is quite tasty and helps further enhance the flavor of the chicken.
Unlike the more commercialized teas out there that are loaded with sugar, their Green Tea is very natural. When you first take a sip, it feels like drinking water through a straw, but the flavor then kicks in not too long after. The flavor may take some getting used to though, but this drink is really refreshing.
Kyochon
Ground floor, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City
10:00 AM-10:00 PM daily
Website (under construction): www.kyochon.ph
Facebook Page: Kyochon
Instagram: kyochonph
Twitter: @KyoChonPH
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