I always pass by Bonchon at SM Megamall but never had the chance to try it before. One reason why? It's always full and I somehow lack the patience to wait especially when I'm really hungry. Good thing your Happyfoodies were invited for a taste test at one of their newer branches at Bonifacio High Street. This time I got the chance to get to know what makes people go crazy about this Korean Chicken. As it turned out, Happyfoodies will discover there's more to Bonchon than its popular crunchy chicken.
Ironwulf says: The chicken looks yummy with its shiny glazed skin. On ordering, there are choices of wings, chops, drums and thigh. We tried the wings first. Initially, I was looking for a sauce, which is the usual accompaniment but found out we can do without one. I tried the Spicy Glaze first. The skin was incredibly crispy and the spicy flavor really seeped into the meat. It was surprisingly good.
Lagal[og] says: I've always seen the adverts of Bonchon but never got to try it until our taste test at another branch, this time at Ayala Triangle. I'm not surprised why it's such a hit -- the coating is very crunchy without being overly greasy. There are some popular fastfood outlets which try to duplicate this style of cooking but I think Bonchon's version wins by a mile. The price is reasonable, too. The Spicy Glaze is really good though it's also nice to mix and match it with the Soy Garlic variant.
Ironwulf says: Bonchon also has a couple of Salads. One that piqued my curiosity was the Ginger Tofu Salad. It had fried crisp tofu, juliened carrots and sweet potato strips. I poured on the dressing, closed the container and shook it to make sure the dressing was evenly spread out. I like the lightness off the dressing and its distinct gingery Asian flavor.
Lagalog: I'm not much into heavy/creamy salad dressings but the Bonchon Caesar Salad won me over as its sauce isn't too thick and heavy. It's one of Bonchon's healthier fare but it's not short on flavor and texture.
Ironwulf: For those who crave rice, they have the Korean Bulgogi Rice. I thought the sweet beef strips were tender and flavorful. Above average compared to the usual bulgogis I tried. The serving size was just about right, too.
Lagalog: Now I'm a fan of Chapchae and Bonchon's version doesn't disappoint. The noodles are cooked just right, the flavor is spot-on -- savory and not too salty. At P75, it can make a filling meal all by itself though it also go well with the chicken.
Lagalog: The batter of the Fish and Chips follow the prep and cooking style of Bonchon's chicken -- very, very crunchy and not too oily. If you're not into chicken, consider this as a worthy substitute. For the fish component, Dory is used while for the chips side, the potatoes come with their skins intact, very lightly salted and fried to a crisp.
Ironwulf: Some branches of Bonchon have Ko-yo (Korean Yogurt) desserts. There's the sweet Banoffee Pie with slices of banana, drizzled with caramel. The other one was the Blueberry Torte with a pleasing fruity sourness that I really liked. Both Ko-yo have layers of baked graham crumbs adding a rich texture to the yogurt.
For branch information and menu check out www.bonchon.com.ph
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