Ever since I’ve heard that one of Korea’s most popular fried chicken restaurant chain, Kyo Chon, had arrived in the Philippines, I’ve always wanted to try it and like any new foreign franchises arriving in the country, the queue is just long.  Fortunately, luck was on my side and I was able to avoid the crowd and finally get in.

I really wasn’t planning on eating much because I was just before my run, but since I was already in SM Megamall, I thought of trying out one of the recently opened restaurants there.  On top of my list was Kyo Chon as I’ve never been able to get in during my past attempts due to long queues (and my tummy is an impatient customer) so it was the first one I visited.  And this time I succeeded.

Dining Tip: You can actually make a reservation prior to visiting to avoid the queue 🙂

At first I thought Kyo Chon was like other fried chicken franchises—just come in, place your order, and wait—it’s not.  It is a real restaurant where you wait to be seated and you’re assigned a server that takes your orders.  I guess that isn’t obvious from the outside due to Kyo Chon’s simple interiors.

I admit I was hungry and I really wanted to try a lot of food on their menu, but I held back and picked just one item: their Chili Chicken Steak.  I also tried their Barley tea as something to drink.

Let’s start with the cold Barley tea.  Unlike most teas served in restaurants and fast foods, Kyo Chon serves their tea unsweetened.  This is good news for those cutting back on their sugar, but you can always ask your server for some sugar so you can adjust the sweetness to your preferences.  Personally, I find one sachet of sugar enough as it sweetens the tea subtly and still let you taste the flavor of the tea.  They also don’t fill your glass with so much ice so even if it all melts the flavor is still there.  Thumbs up for the Barley tea!

For the main course, Chili Chicken Steak.  I was pleasantly surprised when it first arrived—it was so pretty!  The plating was just a feast for the eyes and the serving size was pretty good too.  And just when I thought that was it, a bowl of rice with a sunny side up egg on top of it was served!

Dining Tip: Menu prices do not include the 5% service charge (which is pretty small if you ask me)

Food is food, so no matter how good it looks, it would always be judged by its taste.  And what can I say, it’s as delicious as it looks!  It was love at first bite!  I love that the chicken was already sliced into strips so you won’t have to struggle to cut it into bite size.  The meat is cooked real well evenly with no dry or undercooked parts.  And true to its name, it is indeed spicy, but not that crazy spicy I was prepping myself for.  Note that it still is spicier than the typical level so if you have low tolerance, you should keep that glass of water close.  The meat, the skin, the sauce—everything was just so good!

The salad that came with the Chili Chicken Steak complements the taste of the chicken perfectly.  The sweetness of the honey mustard dressing blends real well with the spiciness of the chicken so if you find the chicken too spicy, following it up with some salad may be more effective in lessening the “burn.”  The chicken and salad alone are a meal in themselves, but the additional rice and egg ensures that you don’t feel a bit “short.”  Filipinos love rice so I’m sure this is a much appreciated part of the meal.  The quality of rice is excellent and the egg is cooked real well without being too oily.

Overall, my first dining experience with Kyo Chon had been very pleasant.  I was only expecting the usual fast food, but everything that I had, from the food to the service (which was equally excellent), exceeded my expectations.  I will definitely return in the future to try out more of their specialties.  Keep it up Kyo Chon and good job!  Two thumbs up! 😀