Korean NeNe Chicken @Star Vista

It has been sometime since I have spotted NeNe Chicken and wanting to try it out.  At last, found a chance to lunch there on a Sunday noon.  NeNe Chicken is indeed authentic Korean fried chicken, originated from South Korea, Seoul since 1999.  You might find it awkward to pronounce its shop name, but don't think in that direction!  Ne Ne means "yes yes" in Korean!  YES!!
For what I know, Star Vista outlet is the only outlet in Singapore at the moment.

NeNe Chicken
(opp. Gong Cha & toilet entrance)
1 Vista Exchange Green
#01-24 Star Vista
Singapore 138617
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/nenechickensingapore

 

Patronising for the first time, we asked the service staff direct for its more popular choices by customers.  So he recommended the Top 3 Popular choices are (in random ranking) :-

1. Freaking Hot
2. Bulgogi
3. Green Onion

 

Our set meal cost $9.90 each.  Quite worthwhile for money given that the chicken serving were substantial and filling.  Each set comes with a small packet of fries, a soft drink, and either coleslaw/pickled radish. 
(Was playing around with my camera settings for special effect, so the colour tone is different than usual.)

 

Green Onion Tenders (boneless) - Real crispy chicken tenders drizzled with their subtle concoction of a sweet-savoury sauce and tinge of lemon juice, and finished the look with alot of shredded green onions on top.  *1 thumb up!*
I am not a fan of having green onions in my food (be it cooked or as garnish), thus did not order this item and I am sorry!  For those of you who are like me, can simply brush those green onions shreds aside and indulge in this super crispy tenders.  Rest assure there wasn't prominent stink of raw onions or whatsoever. 

 

Black Sesame Tenders (boneless) - VERY different from any sauced/fried chicken I have ever tried.  The special-blended sesame sauce coated every inch of the chicken tenders.  Not exactly soggy, at the same time you can still taste the crispy portions in the fried tenders while eating it hot.  The black sesame sauce was more on the sweeter side and a little marshy in texture, which I believe this is how the sauce can cling onto the tenders. 
A little con here, the tenders were too big in size with only a mini fork given, it wasn't that easy to just bite through it (of cos' not to mention your teeth will be stuck with the black sesame remains after the meal!).  Would have been better if it comes in bite-size.

 

I exceptionally like their fries and pickled radish!  The fries were very similar to the A&W type of curly fries, except it is in the straight shape and form of normal fries.  While the pickled radish were fresh, crunchy and carried slight sourness that appetite you more.

 

Took away 8-pc Bulgogi Chicken Wings ($8.90) for our parents to try out.  The wings were flavourful with its marinated sauce and sesame sprinkled over it, but pity not meaty enough.  I can't use this to compare with 4Fingers for it would not be a fair comparison.  This wings are marinated with soy sauce gravy, instead of deep-fried, thus I can't compare apple to apple.

As I have yet to try out the Freaking Hot and other fried wings..Got to go back for more and not forgetting the new experience of eating wings using disposable glove!

Jollibee @Lucky Plaza

I did not get to try out Jollibee when I was in Manila, for the one night's stay was too brief.  Therefore, when my Filipino ex-colleagues asked me to catch up and go Jollibee @Lucky Plaza, I said "Yes" right away.

When I first arrived at the outlet, the entire place was not that crowded, except that many people are queuing in the main door and it was blocked.  It was bizarre to me that the main entrance was blocked, so I went in from the side door wanting to seek for my friends who have arrived before me.  After failure to find them, I called then realised that they are all queuing in an empty shop space, next to Jollibee.  Well-hidden from the walkway!  So glad I came with my Filipino friends, otherwise I will be so lost!

Jollibee
@Lucky Plaza
304 Orchard Road
#06-048A
Singapore 238863
Tel: 90543892 / 67355119 / 67355117

Menu clearly shown.  Offers mainly 4 variations - fried chicken, spaghetti, hamburger (known as 'Yum!'); and burger steak with rice.


After nearly 1 hour of queuing and waiting, our food finally came! 
[Interesting side information:  My friends shared with me that Filipinos' staple food is rice, they can have rice for all 3 meals!  Even for fast food, they will eat with rice!]

My friends told me the portion are rather small, so I ordered a 1-pc chicken with spaghetti set + single patty Yum.  To my surprise, the tomato spaghetti tasted very good, even better than many Italian restaurants (for the tomato sauce has such rich delicious taste, they must have used plentiful of tomatoes in the process)!  By default, you will be given chicken breast (b'cos 3 of us who ordered the 1-pc chicken set, all got the same part!).  So if you don't like breast meat, you have to let the counter staff know beforehand.  The fried breast meat is much better than KFC, more juicier for sure but without that much of fats, with its outer skin fried to slight crisp --> I like!!  As for the Yum, I would say you can definitely get better burgers elsewhere.

[ My verdict ]: Is it worth the queue?  Hmm..not enough to shout out.  No harm trying out and queue if you have the time to spare, but perhaps better to wait till the next outlet is opened to dilute the crowd.

4Fingers Crispy Chicken @ION

When I first heard about how tasty and popular the Korean-styled 4Fingers Crispy Chicken is - my first response was that: "How can anyone miss out this store especially when it is located at the most prominent shopping mall in Singapore?!"  Plus this store has been opened for more than a year!!  Still today, many of my friends have yet to hear about this fast food outlet, not to mention tasting it!  Thus, I will be reviewing about "wings" lately.  (Don't be mistaken for this is not Korean crispy chicken.  It is inspired by eateries in New York city that sell Korean fried chicken.)

I have ate at the ION Orchard outlet and ordered takeaway for several times (*Ideal supper snack for our elderly, if you want to display your act of filial piety!. B'cos the wings surprisingly still crispy even when it is takeaway, not consumed on the spot!).  The crowd just keep coming in even after 9pm, but the peak period should be around 7-8pm, after that it is easier to get seats.  The tricky thing to dine at the outlet itself, is to find and secure seats first, before you can join the queue and order your food.  Cos' the food is prepared and served pretty quickly.  Unless, you get many people who had finished their food but hogging the seats to chitchat.  (Seriously, that little shopfront is NOT MEANT for group gatherings or after-meal chitchat!  Go somewhere else for chitchat pls!!)  Hence, normally I will go find seats, while my Hubby queue in the line --> Teamwork folks! haa

4Fingers Crispy Chicken
@ION Orchard #B4-06A
2 Orchard Turn
Singapore 238801

How to order?

There are 10 value meal sets to choose from (#Reference menu taken from their website).

Set A - 6pcs option in mix of Soy Garlic + Hot & Spicy wings & drummettes; and Set C - Chicken Burger.

Do not expect to have meaty wings, cos' they are using small wings and drumlets.  The selling point of their wings is "crispiness" with immersed sauce that clings tightly onto the wings' skin.  The 2 different sauces used - "Soy Garlic" and "Hot & Spicy" are simply good match (I like to have both sauced-wings alternately consumed)!  You will be caught finger-licking for sure!  While you are savouring the wings, don't forget the fries!  Their fries are also crispy on the outside and warm & soft on the inside.  Also, the "seaweed" slightly-spicy powder (also can opt for "kimchi" powder) sprinkled over it just enhanced the taste more.  So eat it while it is still hot (the 5-minute "live fries" rule still applies!)!

I have tried Set B - Katsu Chicken Sandwich on a separate visit, and I still liked it over the Chicken Burger.  It is a little oily as the 2 layers of bread (somewhat similar to Chinese bun, not 'bao') are deep-fried to its maximum crisp.  Oh come on, forget about feeling guilty since you are here to eat fast food!  Get rid of those extra calories after the meal! ;) 

Honestly, I would consider 4Fingers as one of the more expensive fast food chains, as you are expected to pay ~S$10 per set meal on average.  If you have not try their wings till today, I strongly URGE you to try it (despite the pending long queue)!  There will be a 2nd outlet to be opened at Plaza Singapura soon, so yeah we can eat it more often!!

Keep a lookout on my upcoming review on more Korean-inspired wings, Nene Chicken, recently opened at Star Vista.