Beer in one fist, Korean Fried Chicken in the other at Kyo Chon

By Pang Ketumarn

Oct 6, 2014 | 1:37pm Bangkok time

COCONUT’S HOT SPOT — Crispy fried chicken and beer. Beer and crispy fried chicken. Beer, crispy fried chicken, then beer.

No matter how you take it, THIS sounds to me like an inspired duo, an inseparable pair, a simple-yet-ingenious twosome every bar should have on their menu.

But of course, the sad truth is not everyone can make amazing, crispy, fried chicken like those bars in the streets of Seoul. Lucky for ‘em people in South Korea, this “Chicken-Beer” combo is everywhere to be found. Loved by locals and foreigners alike, the very dish has its own little secret.

So what’s the secret?!

Well, well, well, wonder no more for I have found just the right place for you to unravel this mystery of the universe. Follow me to Sukhumvit Plaza (Bangkok’s Korean Town) and see (taste) it for yourself at Kyo Chon.

The restaurant serves only a handful of dishes – a sign of its focused specialization. There are three kinds of Kyo Chon’s crispy fried chicken: the original Soy Garlic Sauce chicken (by far my No. 1 choice), the Hot Sauce chicken (a bit too spicy without plenty of beer), and the Honey Sauce chicken (Yummm!) – the former two of which come in different sizes – 10 wings (THB210), 20 wings (THB395), a half chicken (THB260), and a whole chicken (THB480). Don’t stop there: Also order Kyo Chon’s frosty cold beer and give their original Sal Sal chicken strips a try. You won’t find this anywhere else, I promise.

Aside from just how great this whole thing tastes, there is also how you get to enjoy it all, which I found absolutely genius!

Instead of using a pair of fork and knife, you are encouraged to eat with your five fingers, and that is made possible (and hygienic) with a handy disposable plastic glove, handed out to every customer at Kyo Chon. Trust me, the chicken tastes better this way.

As for the secret to this Korean crispy fried chicken recipe? Rumor has it that every piece is fried twice, and that makes the skin crunchier and much less greasy.

Oh, did I mention Kyo Chon delivers? Yup! Awesome fried chicken to your doorstep.