Korean Fried Chicken in London [Closed]

My dad was a cook during the Korean War.

Something very bad happened, ever since you can't get him near a kitchen 

George Costanza (Seinfeld episode “The Fatigues”) 

I have been looking for a nice KFC in London. No! I’m not talking about the chain but Korean Fried Chicken. I tried this in Melbourne and loved them immediately. But I finally found one place in London. Jubo is a Korean canteen in Shoreditch. Residence on the Bedroom Bar, classic menu with fried chicken, steak sub, steamed buns, and of course kimchi. I hadn't seen a menu like this since my incursions in Melbourne. 

The place

Menu

We went straight to business wings and strips, half soy garlic and half hot & sweet. Great flavours, perfectly cooked crispy and tender, the garlic was the favourite. 

KFC

Then some slow cooked pork belly buns, traditional approach, pickle cucumber, hoisin, and sriracha sauce. Really nice, good flavours again. 

Buns

Hirata style

Finally the Bulgogi Sub. Bulgogi skirt beef, caramelised onions, peppers, and cheese. Nice, good flavour, served in a soft bun style. 

Sub

Jubo is my finger food kind of place, good flavours, nice beer selection, and great fried chicken. I love this new addition to our restaurant circuit. The chicken was so good we kept ordering more and more.

More Chicken

Jubo

T: 020 7033 0198

Korean Cuisine

Approx Damage: £30pp

Area: Shoreditch

Borough: Hackney

Twitter: jubolondon

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Lion City [On The Road: Singapore]

That's like putting your whole mouth right in the dip!

From now on, when you take a chip just take one dip and end it 

Timmy (Seinfeld episode “The Implant”) 

Singapore is an island country formed by 63 islands. I had the chance to visit the country thanks to my job. Once a fishing village today Singapore is a cosmopolitan city, with an amazing skyline, vibrant nightlife, and diverse cultures. 

Merlion

Sadly I didn’t have enough time to do a proper sightseeing, so I only can comment on shopping in the Orchard, the huge Singapore Flyer, walk the three quays (Robertson, Clark, and Boat) along the Singapore River to look for a bite or maybe some drinks, wander around Merlion Park and enjoy the lights and skyline of Marina Bay at night. On the other hand I got a better glimpse of their culinary scene. 

Seafood time

So let’s talk about food, as I got the chance to try a couple of the local specialities. 

The Japanese Ramen chain 

I visited Ippudo in one of my first stays, the chain originated in Hakata Japan and now with restaurants in 9 countries. The place is a noisy, I sat in the bar in front of the open kitchen and the chefs screamed every move they made. Plates and spoons as décor. I opened with a Shrimp bun, nice the bun was fluffy, shrimp nicely battered, lettuce gave texture and crunchiness, and the mayo hold it together. Finally, I had to try the Ramen pork belly, broth was pretty nice, noodles gave depth, pork belly finely sliced, overall great flavours. 

Ipuddo

Ramen

Shrimp bun

Ippudo

T: +65 6235 2797

Ramen Bar

Area: Orchard

Singapore
Twitter: ippudosg

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The Hainanese at the Hawker Centre 

Hawker Centres are opened air food courts originated in the 50s nearby housing areas or transport hubs selling inexpensive food. I ended in Maxwell Food Centre thanks to Anthony Bourdain, specifically looking for Tian Tian stall to get their Hainanese Chicken Rise. Bad news for me the stall was closed, but as I was over there I had to try it, so I look around and ended a couple stalls away in Tong Fong Fatt.

Tong Fong Fatt

Maxwell Hawker Centre

The Chicken Rise is a quite simple dish but laborious one, boneless pieces of chicken, white rice pre-fried in chicken fat and cooked with chicken broth, soy sauce, chilli and ginger. As a side a bowl of the chicken broth. The technique to create the dish is explained in Bourdain’s episode, but basically first you boil the chicken until it is cooked, then immediately soak it into cold water to stop the cooking process and ensure the chicken is tender, and you easily can separate the meat from the skin, keeping a layer of fat. 

Chicken

Hainanese Chicken Rice

Chicken rice was really tasty, I don’t have any other to compare but it’s a nice and cheap meal I would recommend to try if you’re in Singapore. 

Chicken time

Tong Fong Fatt
Chinese cuisine
Area: Redhill
Singapore

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The Chilli Crab 

One thing I was obsessed was with the Chilli Crab, yes the highlight of Singapore culinary creations. I checked where were the best places to have it, and what type of crab I had to order. Wandering around you can see the many options you have Alaskan, Australian, Sri Lankan, King Crab, Snow Crab, and so on. I ended in Long Beach and got the traditional chilli crab and the restaurant specialty the black pepper crab. Both with Sri Lankan crabs following Bourdain’s recommendation. It was by far the best thing I ate, the chilli crab with the tomato and chilli notes, a mix between mild spicy notes and sweetness. Toasted buns were at hand so you can dip and double dip the amazing sauce. The black pepper one, a bit bolder on the spiciness, but overall lighter as there is no sauce. Great food, crab and beer a combination from heaven.

Chilli Crab time

Chilli Crab

Black Pepper Crab

Long Beach
T: +65 5323 2222
Seafood
Area: Dempsey Hill
Singapore
Twitter: longbeachseafd

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Hirata Buns and Rock n’ Roll

Aaah! Aaagh! Aah-aah. Oh, oh the humanity! Aaagh! 

Newman (Seinfeld episode “The Pothole”) 

This is definitely the year of Taiwanese buns. The Taiwanese street food, kind of a burger, popularised in NYC by David Chang’s Momofuku it’s surely but slowly coming their way into London. So when I heard that chef Ross Shonhan opened a spin off of it’s successful ramen bar Bone Daddies I Couldn't resist to visit as soon as I could.

The place in Covent Garden

The menu of Flesh & Buns is focus on the Hirata buns, basically the New York City version of the Taiwanese street food. The place is in a Basement nearby the Seven Dials. Noisy as his big brother Bone Daddies, but not as dark playing with white bright colours, and industrial lamps. 

F&B

Bar

Long Live the Communal Table

Not all in the menu are buns they also have nice starters going from rolls to prawn tempura. We went for three different small plates, first oysters, they were nice and fresh, little spicy kick thanks to the jalapeño dressing, and lovely touch of coriander. 

Oysters

Moving on we got the soft shell crab, it was amazing, perfectly executed, the jalapeño mayo to dip was at the right spicy level and not too rich which was perfect, I definitely loved soft shell crab. 

Crab time

The last starter was fried squid, beautiful, it was crispy and perfectly executed, good spicy level, touch of pepper and lime. 

Squid

Then to the main show, we got the braised pork belly, buns are DIY, it was amazing and fun creating your own bun. The pork belly was cooked perfectly, nice touch of the mustard miso, messy and yummy. 

DIY

Extra buns just in case

Making my Hirata

Ready to eat

To wash down the buns there is a selection of sake. We got the sparkling specialty, Mio sweet and cold sake with hints of vanilla. They should call it Spake the Sparkling Sake.

Sparkling Sake

To end the lunch we decided to have our own bonfire. S'more includes a small Asian kind of cute bonfire to melt marshmallow and prepare a biscuit with the green tea chocolate they provide. The marshmallow, green tea, and chocolate sandwich/biscuit is amazing, I have to say it was the highlight of the day, and remember I’m not a sweet tooth, again fun and tasty. 

Fogata

Campfire

Getting Ready

Burning the marshmallow

S'More

The place is perfect, excellent food, great service, nice music, I would recommend stop reading and head to Covent Garden for some Hirata Buns.

Flesh & Buns

T: 020 7287 8581

Asian Cuisine

Approx Damage: £37pp

Area: Covent Garden

Borough: Camden

Twitter: FleshandBuns

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Bun Mobile [On The Road: Brisbane]

During my stay in Brisvegas I read about this van that serves steamed buns during lunch and changed their location every day. So to find The Bun Mobile you need to follow them on Facebook, twitter, or at the Where the Truck At website that locates different food trucks across Australia. 

The Bun Mobile

The kitchen is under directions of chef Harold Fleming. The vision gourmet style affordable street food made with local ingredients. The buns are Momofuku style, and you know how much I love David Chang’s restaurants in NYC. The menu is simple only three different steamed buns, a twice-cooked pork, a char grilled teriyaki chicken, and slow cooked Wagyu beef. Also there is a daily special to give a bit of a twist. 

The Menu

The Bun

I found the van in the water front park of Fortitude Valley. Got the special lamb with Haloumi and the Wagyu beef. Both were superb great flavour, street food at its best. The Wagyu one was exceptional, tender, perfectly cooked, shitake mushroom, butter lettuce, red dragon sauce, perfection. The special, nice as well, the grilled haloumi, slow cooked lamb, an olive tapenade that was to die for, and a touch of rosemary infused jus.

Lamb Special

Wagyu Bun

Highly recommended, I love them so much I was tempted to try the other two.

The van reminds me the Seinfeld episode ”The Junk Mail” 

Jerry: I don't want a van

Elaine: Well, just tell him you want the SAAB

Jerry: You don't understand. This is Fragile Frankie Merman. When we were in
camp, if you upset him, he'd run out to the woods, dig a hole, and sit in it

Elaine: Well, I have an idea. Keep the van, and get a bumper sticker that
says, if this vans a-rocking, don't come a-knocking

Jerry: Always helpful

The Bun Mobile

T: +61 4 0142 0922

Street Food / Steamed Buns

Approx Damage: AU$10pp

Brisbane

Twitter: TheBunMobile

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