Monday, March 5, 2012

Korean Crispy Chicken Wings

One of the best thing about my trip to New York last year, was that I chanced upon the best fried chicken wings I've ever had.

I came across this shop not too far away from Korean Town in New York, and brought back some spicy fried chicken wings back to my hotel for dinner.

The wings were so crispy and so spicy, I was addicted. I wasted no time to take photos but wolfed down the piping hot, freshly fried, spicy wings, licking my fingers long after the last wing. It was so good I made sure I had some again a couple of days later. They were more memorable than my visit to Brasserie Les Halles, the home base of Chef-at-large Anthony Bourdain.

I later found out that those Korean chicken wings - double fried and crispy with savoury or spicy sauce painted on them - were all the rage these days in New York. Read this article from The NY Times for more details.

Those were really really great fried wings. I don't think I miss anything else from New York as much.

So when I saw "4 Fingers Crispy Chicken" in Ion, touting to be Korean chicken wings from New York, I knew I had to try the place out.

I haven't been having a great appetite lately, so I was really glad I was in town the other day with a reasonable appetite to boot.

I ordered a set of mixed wings - soy & garlic and spicy flavoured wings. It came with some seaweed fries and soda.

The wings looked very good and resembled the ones I had in New York, although much smaller in size but hey, that was America and these are Asian chickens, right? I couldn't wait to eat them but had to really restrain myself to take a couple of pictures before digging in.

When I touched the wings though, I was so disappointed I thought I might just burst out in tears. It would be a first, in a fast food restaurant, for sure.

The wings weren't piping hot! OK, I don't need piping hot but they were just plain cold!

Surely, it is a sin to serve fried chicken wings to a customer cold. And I was one of the 2 customers they had in their store at 3pm on a weekday!

I was so overwhelmed by disappointment I couldn't finish those wings, as much as I wanted too. And the seaweed fries, whilst quite unique, were cold too.

It's really a pity because those wings did pass the taste test - the spicy ones were especially good.. and they were indeed very crispy.

But they were C.O.L.D.

It'd be some time before I get over my disappointment and dare visit this place again.


4 Fingers Crispy Chicken
#B4-06A ION Orchard
Tel: +65 1800-4274-779

8 comments:

Blur Ting said...

What a shame! I would have gone to the counter and told them to give me fresh ones. It is a sin to serve cold, hard and dried up chicken and stale fries.

Malay-Kadazan girl said...

I thought fast food usually don't serve cold food as they usually throw them out after a certain time lapse. Oh yum wish those are available here too.

Open Kitchen Concept said...

I should have done that, Ting. :(

Open Kitchen Concept said...

YAH, MK girl! Yes! I thought a fast food chain would always serve fresh, hot food! Sigh. I am so deeply disappointed... SIGH

My Sinfonia said...

i am a sucker for fried chicken wings too...NY - a bit far to go for it..

Open Kitchen Concept said...

Sinfonia - agreed. It's a LOOOONG way to NY. If I ever go back though, I'm having those wings again. LOL

Petunia Lee said...

OK... I won't go there ever.

Open Kitchen Concept said...

Oh dear, I do hope more Korean Fried Chicken places will open up in SG soon! :)