chicken

I am blessed to have a friend who introduced me to the wonderful foods of Singapore. |I would always trust her food suggestions. A few months ago, I saw her posting some fried chicken and kimchi fries. I ask her where she went. It is this new Korean restaurant, Chicken Up, that replaced Wendy’s in Century Square in Tampines.

I love the modern interiors of the place: Wooden tables, dim lights, black steels, transparent glass containers with sliced fruits inside displaced in an entire wall.

In a course of one month, I went there with three-times with my hubby and sister! I guess, you would somewhat have an idea what I think of this restaurant. It is easy to pick choices in their menus because it has (sort-of) a Facebook Like icon if its highly-recommended. Three Like Icon for the most recommended. There are some dishes that have Two Like Icon and One Like Icon.

SPICY UP

$18

This got the three thumbs up from the menu. It says in the menu: A little less thrilling, then add a little spice to you life. Since I was never a fan of too spicy food, I don’t know if I would agree that it say “little” because it was too hot for me. I love the crispiness of this chicken but I couldn’t take the spiciness. So those who love spicy food would love this. I wish I just got the Crispy Up which I think is same as the Spicy Up but not spicy. But I didn’t see the thumbs up icon with the Crispy Up.

GANJANG CHICKEN WINGS

$12

This 4 pieces of wings also have three thumbs up from the menu. And I will add my two thumbs & my right toe to agree with that. This appealed to my sweet taste. This crispy chicken wings are coated with soya sauce. It is not oily not the sauce is not that messy.

YANGNYUM CHICKEN WINGS

$12

This dish has one thumbs up from the menu. It consists of four pieces of chicken wings with Korean-style sweet chilli sauce. This taste a little similar like the Ganging Chicken. It is not that spicy even if it says chilli sauce. Even if I like sweet, it has its limits. I find this chicken a bit too sweet. The sauce is a little liquid-y as compared to Bonchon Chicken and 4-Fingers.

KIMCHI FRIES

$18

This one is a three thumbs up in the menu. It is generous serving of fries with fermented kimchi flavouring, onions, jalapeños and shredded chicken. I am not a fan of kimchi but I like this one. This side dish can be the main dish because it can be very filling. Three or four persons can share this.

This is how it looks when it is mixed all together:

TRUFFLE FRIES

$ 8

These are sharable by two persons. These are basic french fries with aromatic truffle fries and salt. Fries are always a great addition to other foods. But I would prefer it if they cut it a bit slimmer.

TOPOKKI WITH CHEESE AND SEAFOOD

$20

We have misread the menu. We thought this was rice. Menu written it as stir-fried rice cake, vegetables and fish cakes in gochujang (red chilli paste) sauce. We didn’t know it would look like soup. This dish have two thumbs up in the menu. Scooping the red sauce from the metal steal bowl gives you that stringy sticky paste coming from the cheese. One taste of this soup/paste and I didn’t like it at all. It was too spicy for me and too red. I am not accustomed to the taste. My hubby didn’t like it too. We left the soup 3/4 full.

Chicken Up imported some Korean Cold Drinks. I got the one that has two thumbs up: The BONG BONG.

This juice is made of white grapes. This drink is refreshing and yummy. My sister loves it too. She ordered this the next time we went back.

MELON BINGSU

Time for dessert! This one looks so pretty, This one also have three thumbs up. Bingsu is a popular Korean shaved-ice dessert. The milky shaved-ice is beneath the melon balls topped with cookies&cream ice cream. You can share this with three or four your friends. It is yummy and perfect for a hot day.

I might be going back to Chicken Up very very soon….

CHICKEN UP

2 Tampines Central 5, #01-44 to 47,
Chicken Up Tampines, Singapore 529509
Tel No. 6588 0308

My husband would often carve for Mang Inasal. It would be nice to have a Mang Inasal franchise here in Singapore. (Mang Inasal, please come to Singapore). We been searching for a perfectly grilled chicken here in Singapore and it’s hard to pass my husband’s taste buds. (Believe me, my husband’s taste buds can’t easily be pleased, haha!) Until we found Nando’s.

Nando’s serves peri-peri flamed-grilled chicken. Peri-Peri means ‘hot sauce made of red-hot chilli pepper’. This type of sauce/marinade originated in Portugal but can also be found in South Africa. Actually Peri-peri is a Swahili word meaning ‘pepper pepper’. Nando’s is known for its spicy grilled chicken. That is just perfect for my husband who has been searching for some grilled chicken and he loves spicy too.

Nando’s has its Peri-ometer of hotness:

LEMON & HERB– for beginners or the who like lots of flavors but not too much heat

MILD PERI-PERI- a litte warmer- perfect for those looking for more adventure

HOT PERI-PERI- if you really want to spice things up

EXTRA HOT PERI-PERI– evoke tears of joy with our flavour for serious chili lovers!

Since I am a like bit chicken (no pun intended, haha), I decided for us to get the Mild Peri-Peri. We got the Full Platter to Share ($43.00) which consist of whole chicken, sliced and 2 large or 4 regular side dishes. As a typical Pinoy, a meal is never be complete without a rice. So we got 2 large rice. But I have to tell you, one serving of rice in Nando’s is way too small for a typical rice eater, really. We came with my brother-in-law so the platter was enough for sharing.

A Close Up

We love Nando’s chicken. It is succulent and flavourful. It was tender and not bloody or greasy. The whole chicken was enough to make us so full especially since we ordered bottomless iced teas too.

There are several sauces to choose from to go with our chicken. It is packaged nicely in long rectangular-shaped bottles.

I prefer these sauces with my chicken.

Garlic & Tomato Sauce

Let us talk about the interiors of Nando’s. I love the brown tone all over the restaurant and the contrast of the yellow lighting. I like the writings on the walls which tells the story about the origins of peri-peri chicken.

I must say, me, my hubby and my brother-in-law were peri-peri satisfied, hehe…..

Nando’s

Unit #01-46, Tampines Mall, 4,
Tampines Central 5,
529510
Singapore
6789 5052

FOOD DISCOVERIES: CHICKEN UP (SINGAPORE)

FOOD DISCOVERIES: NANDO’S