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Header image courtesy of Uncle Padak (via Deliveroo)
Let’s talk about KFC—Korean fried chicken, of course, a favourite comfort food amongst many! Contrary to American fried chicken, the Korean take is less greasy and much crunchier as it is fried twice. After the first fry in the pan, the chicken is strained to remove excess fat. Seasoned twice (before and after frying), it is then hand-brushed with sauce for a finishing touch before being served alongside pickled radishes and beer. Varieties of Korean fried chicken dishes include the popular huraideu-chikin (후라이드 치킨) and the spicy yangnyeom-tongdak (양념 치킨).
Never falling behind on trends, Hong Kong has plenty of restaurants where you can devour the best Korean fried chicken (whilst sipping some soju!). Here’s a list of our favourite go-to places for Korean fried chicken.
What if we told you that the entire first page of the menu at Chicken Hof & Soju offers a wide range of fried chicken dishes? From the original Korean fried chicken to sweet & spicy chicken to—wait for it—cheese seasoning chicken (very much loved by customers), there are all sorts of flavours on offer to cater to diverse palates and taste buds. Prices for half a chicken start from $78 and you can also upgrade to a whole chicken for $70 extra. Family-operated and wallet-friendly, Chicken Hof & Soju also offers budget-friendly lunch sets; one can opt for a bowl of instant noodles, a set of grilled meat, or bibimbap.
Chicken Hof & Soju, locations across Hong Kong Island and Kowloon
Located in the heart of Causeway Bay, you can expect this place to be filled with chicken lovers during peak hours and for good reason—Dodam Chicken takes cheese chicken to a whole new level! Let’s start with magma chicken ($198)—hot and spicy chicken and noodles covered by a layer of soft tortilla with melted cheese spread all over the plate. Following that comes the double cheese fondue chicken ($198), a combination of both mozzarella cheese and homemade cream cheese. And let’s not forget the chef’s recommendation: dodam maekom cheese chicken($198), presenting a spice level that is not for the faint of heart! Other dishes we recommend trying are yami yami sweet & spicy chicken ($195) and budae jjigae ($185), also known as “army stew,” a Korean sausage fusion stew and all things good.
Dodam Chicken, Shop 18A, Lee Theatre Plaza, 99 Percival Street, Causeway Bay | (+852) 2333 8365
Established in 2005, Goobne Chicken is a South Korean export that has been rapidly expanding across Asia since its opening, winning hearts and taste buds with their delicious chicken. And here’s the catch—not a single drop of oil is used in the process of cooking the chicken as they are oven-baked and extra soft! At Goobne Chicken, their chicken is baked after being marinated for over 24 hours. One of their highly recommended dishes is the C-U UFO fondue ($268), where you dip two tastes of roast chicken in a fondue of mozzarella cheese, cheddar cheese, and Grana Padano cheese. Other fried chicken dishes include spicy curry-based ones—basasak chicken ($188) and even volcano chicken ($215)—to test your limits! Don’t forget to compliment your dish with Korean-flavoured cocktails (starting from $58).
Goobne Chicken, The Hart, 2/F, 4 Hart Avenue, Tsim Sha Tsui | (+852) 2311 0001
Yes, this restaurant is located next to PMQ and yes, it is sleek and trendy (and the perfect place to head to after a long week at work)! Moyo translates from Korean to “gather together” and the Cantonese logo also means “together” and it is shaped like a home (so wholesome!). Founded by three Korean friends who grew up in Italy, their heritage and background are visible through their fusion Korean-Italian dishes. The tender, boneless Korean fried chicken (starting from $118) comes with four dipping sauces. You can also opt for Korean fried chicken balls ($168) marinated in spicy gochujang sauce. Spicy rice cakes ($168), spicy Moyo ramen ($128), or Kimchi disco fries ($108) also pair well with the main event.
Moyo, G/F, 36 Aberdeen Street, Central | (+852) 2858 2777
Came for “The Padak,” stayed for the vibes (and affordable prices). At Uncle Padak, the signature dish is known simply as “The Padak” ($138) and consists of deep-fried boneless chicken with rice cakes and dumplings piled on top, all covered in sauce (you get to pick from BBQ sauce, mustard, barbecue, and ranch) and topped with green onion. They also have a mix & match combo ($208), which lets you pick your own variety of sauces and chicken (the portion is rather large so come prepared with pals). Also, one cannot miss the Korean rice balls ($68) infused with crab roe and served with crunchy seaweed, nor the grilled corn with cheese ($58)—I mean, how can melted cheese not be your weakness?
Uncle Padak, Shop D, G/F, 53–65 High Street, Sai Ying Pun | (+852) 2117 9792
Sodam Chicken is so-damn good (sorry, it had to be done). But really, the deals here are excellent—in particular, the buy-one-get-one package ($218) has us hooked, where you get one plate of mixed fried chicken and either another plate of fried chicken, baked chicken, or pizza for free (yes, you read that right). Sodam Chicken does not shy away from experimenting with flavours, either; take your pick from lime & herbs fried chicken ($198), Sichuan spicy fried chicken ($198), and lemon & yuzu fried chicken ($198), all delectable to the palate. If you’re a fan of unusual flavours, sink your teeth into this: the salted seaweed baked chicken ($198). You can also order fries on the side, ranging from regular ones to flavoured with either seaweed or cheese!
Sodam Chicken, 7/F, 3 Yiu Wa Street, Bartlock Centre, Causeway Bay | (+852) 2728 0200
Looking for a truly authentic Korean fried chicken experience? All the chicken at Yadllie Plate is directly imported from South Korea! While it is said that aged wine tastes better, here we have (aged) chicken that is marinated for 48 hours and served alongside a savoury sauce made with 20 different organic ingredients to enhance its natural aromas. Yadllie Plate then freeze-dries its chicken for 10 hours before it is fried in a pressure cooker. When here, go for the novel Daegu spicy chicken ($198), Welsh onion chicken ($198), honey cheese chicken ($198), and the signature Yadllie chicken for the full experience. Other savouries to indulge on include grilled pork belly skewers ($158), Korean seafood pancake ($95), and carbonara tteokbokki ($82).
Yadllie Plate, 11/F, Mega Centre, 1 Sai Yeung Choi Street, Mong Kok | (+852) 2360 0233
Given the recent surge in COVID-19 cases in Hong Kong, dining in the comfort of your home would be the safer option. Thankfully for us, all of the above restaurants offer takeaway option and most of them have home delivery except for Moyo and Yadllie Plate. All in all, there is nothing standing between you and your KFC of the east!
Fashila was born in India but raised in Hong Kong and shares a strong bond with both her home and birth land. She loves hunting for hidden gems and finding the road less travelled. When she’s not breaking her back from educating and shaping little earthlings, you can find her loading up on succulents at the Flower Market, buying yet another book to rest on the shelf, or making calories come to life by baking.
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