Chicken Maru - Hurstville - Sydney, Australia

KOREAN FRIED CHICKEN IN HURSTVILLE!!! Did that grab your attention? Yes, you read right. Finally, a KFC (Korean fried chicken) joint in the south of Sydney. We no longer have to drive out to Strathfield to satisfy our cravings.

Chicken Maru is a fried chicken restaurant franchise originating from Korea. They opened their first restaurant in Australia a month ago, in the suburb of Hurstville and we couldn't be happier. Located on Forest Road and directly next to the main bus interchange, on the first level above a pub, is Chicken Maru.

Koreans love their fried chicken and so do I.

The interior is reminiscent of the cafes in Korea, with bright lights, lots of space and cheerful decor. It lets off that warm and fuzzy vibe.

There are an array of options to choose from. Fried chicken comes in an assortment of flavours and that's we we love about KFC. There isn't just fried chicken but you can also order from a range of traditional Korean dishes.

The waiter suggested we order the half chickens to be able to try more and so we did. He said the most popular fried chicken dishes were the original, soy sauce and cheese. While many do like the cheese version, I'm not too keen on cheese so we gave that a miss.

A mini bowl of 'Pumpkin Soup' was provided complimentary for every diner. The soup was smooth and creamy but an unusual sight at a Korean restaurant.

'Original Chicken (H:$17/W:$32)' was the first to arrive at our table. Huge pieces of plump chicken coated in a crunchy golden batter, layered on top of a wooden board. It was pure perfection. When they say half chicken, you get half a chicken and all the pieces that make up that. It was consistently fried and each piece was crispy, juicy and tender. The whole chicken next time please!

The most important element was the flour coating and that did not disappoint. A lightly seasoned batter with a hint of spiciness. The chicken was deep fried so well that there was barely any greasy residue left on the paper.

The 'Soy Chicken with Chilli (H:$18/W:$34)' is the original fried chicken nicely coated with a soy sauce that wasn't overpowering or salty. This was one of our favourites for the night.

'Spicy Chicken (H:$18/W:$34)' is glazed with a sweet and sticky chilli sauce. We found that it wasn't very spicy but was more on the sweeter spectrum. It still retained the crunch factor but we prefered the other two flavours over this.

The 'pickled radish' is an essential side with fried chicken and without it, it's just not the same. It adds the acidity to a fatty meal and cleanses the palate, making you want to eat more chicken.

With fried chicken you need the accompanying beer and at Chicken Maru they have Korean beer. We were, should I say lucky, to grab the last bottle of 'Hite Beer ($5.00)' for the night.

The 'Hot Stone Bimimbap ($15.00)' was loaded with an abundance of ingredients. A signature Korean dish that we tend to order at every Korean restaurant that's similar to a fried rice. While it was tasty, the hot stone wasn't hot enough and lacked the heat to give the rice that crispiness you would usually get.

The tofu in the 'Spicy Soft Tofu Soup with Seafood ($13.00)' melted in the mouth. The spicy hot broth packs a punch and on a cold winters day, it is indeed comforting.

And if that wasn't enough food, we also got the mandatory sides.

Bring yourself with an empty stomach and you'll be rewarded with great food. It brings back memories of the food I ate in Korea as it's truly authentic and oh so delicious. Since it's still it its early stages of opening, service can be a bit slow and messy at times but staff were friendly and helpful. Now, I wouldn't mind some Samgyetang right now.

Where?
Level 1, 330/332 Forest Rd
Hurstville NSW 2220
Australia

Phone no: 02 9570 2569

Opening Hours
Open 7 Days
Monday - Thursday: 11:00am - 10:00pm
Friday - Saturday: 11:00am - 2:00am
Sunday: 11:00am - 10:00pm

Website
www.chickenmaru.co.kr

Beschico - Epping - Sydney, Australia

Beschico

Can you believe the end of year 2014 is approaching? I can't believe so myself, and it sure doesn't feel like Christmas is just around corner. 2014 has been a fulfilling year and I'm thankful for the travel opportunities, having been to my favourite country Singapore twice, visiting a new country Korea and re-visiting a country which I haven't been to in more than 10 years, Vietnam. Most of all, I appreciate the chance to experience the different cultures and new foods. I've taken a new outlook on Korean food and as mentioned previously, this is the Korean year. Here is another Korean restaurant review.

With the opening of new stores at Macquarie Centre such as Uniqlo, Gap, Zara, H and M, and Forever 21 recently, it was an incentive to visit the shopping centre. Though, this post is rather delayed and when we went, Forever 21 wasn't open as of yet. After dropping by for some shopping, off we went to have some lunch. I recall reading blogs where people raved about the Korean fried chicken at a restaurant called Beschico in Epping. It's a popular fast food franchise from Korea. A friend I spoke to a few weeks back  who said the chicken was absolutely amazing. So fried chicken it was.

Driving from Macquarie Centre to Epping is a fairly short drive, approximately 10 minutes. It's located on Beecroft road so you might miss it if you're not too familiar with the roads there. I had to do two loops around the area as we couldn't find the place. It's situated across from Epping train station. On a midday weekend, the shops along the road are mostly closed for lunch service with an exception of a few. Luckily, Beschico was open.

Beschico occupies the space in conjunction with a bar downstairs and karaoke lounge upstairs.  The customer base on that particular day looked to be mainly be families with kids. It wasn't overly busy but there were a steady stream of customers coming in and out.

They have a decent selection on their menu. They have the classic fried chicken which also comes in hot sauce or garlic soy sauce. Do not fret as they also cater for those who don't like fried things. How could you not like fried chicken? Then there is the BBQ chicken which sounded interesting but we were here for the fried goodies. They also offer traditional Korean dishes such as bulgogi.

One special thing about this restaurant that differentiates it from other Korean fried chicken restaurants is they offer drumettes! Now, if you've been reading my blog, I don't like the dry part of the chicken and if possible, I tend to stick to the thighs and drumsticks. For experimentation purposes, we decide to not order the drumettes.

The 'Classic Crispy Whole Chicken ($26.00)' looked spectacular on a plate. The chicken is double fried leaving a super ultra-crispy outer coating. Its texture bares a high resemblance to the KFC 'hot and spicy' chicken.

 On first bite, it's hot as in steaming hot and packs a whole lot of flavour from the spices. It's seasoned well and the technique of double frying makes it less oily and more pleasing to eat. The meat is tender and juicy, just like how the perfect fried chicken should be.

The mandatory 'pickled radish'. They also provide mustard and sweet chilli sauce.

A great place for Korean fried chicken but for us, it was a bit out of the way. I must say the service here is extremely efficient. There was one waitress working who took the orders, brought out drinks and the food, and even cleaned the tables. Do give it a try if you're in the area and you won't be disappointed.

Where?
41 Beecroft Rd
Epping NSW 2121
Australia

Phone no: 02 9869 8188

Opening Hours
Monday - Friday: 5:00 pm - 12:00 am
Saturday:11:00am - 12:00am
Sunday11:00am - 12:00am

Website
www.beschico.com.au

Dae Jang Kum BBQ Buffet - Campsie - Sydney, Australia

Dae Jang Kum BBQ Buffet

Looking at the pictures and advertisements in those free Chinese magazines distributed monthly can actually prove to be useful even though I can't read many Chinese words. There were a section advertising Dae Jang Kum Korean BBQ in Chinatown and I noticed in small print that there were the words 'opening soon' in Campsie. Yay to another Korean BBQ in proximity of the Shire!

Not knowing whether the establishment was open or not, I did a quick search on Google and on its main website it said it was open but since year 2008! Now that didn't make sense. I then called to see whether they were open yet and they were. I made a booking and they said it was a fully booked for dinner, but if we went earlier then there would be tables available. Without a booking in tow, we were on our way to Campsie to try our luck.

Arriving just after 6pm on a Saturday night, we were told it was full and the only remaining table left was at the back in the open air.  Fortunately, we got a table and there was a slight breeze which made sitting outdoors pleasant though not preferable. Unfortunately, this meant that we faced the backyard, and there was no proper ventilation set up.

After speaking to the waiter at the restaurant, he said the restaurant seats 100 patrons but they only take bookings for 40 patrons. Do book ahead or arrive early to avoid not getting a table or having to queue for a long time.

The interior is clean, spacious and well decorated. I like the Korean vibe and loud chatter as we step into the restaurant, just like how a Korean BBQ restaurant should be.

I was expecting them to adopt the exact same menu as its sister restaurant in the city, which offers an al la carte menu but they opted for the buffet style instead. Possibly due to the success of the Korean BBQ restaurant a few blocks down at a restaurant called Se Jong Korean BBQ which I previously blogged about. At $32 a head, this is affordable considering you can eat to your hearts content.

The buffet spread is exceptional. It's lined at the center and there is plenty to go around. There are a lot of pre-cooked dishes and the BBQ spread is generous too. However, we find that throughout the night, some items aren't replenished such as the watermelon slices due to the lack of staff. One thing that they didn't have was ice-cream. It would have been nice to cool down with a cold dessert after the BBQ but then again we can't demand too much.

There a is nice selection of pre-cooked foods and if you eat these then you would probably be too full for the BBQ. You must get the kimchi as I saw one lady actually making it from scratch which shocked me as these can easily be bought outside.

I especially like their marinated meats and seafood here. It's marinated well in that it's not too salty and the flavours are well balanced.

Wrap some cooked meat in lettuce and then nom.

Cook meat, cook! The power level of the grill was rather weak and it took a long time for the food to cook. That gave us time to digest and eat more.

We really liked the Korean BBQ here at Dae Jang Kum as the selection was diverse and the food was fresh. If we had a seat inside it would have been perfect. Service could be better but then again they are relatively new so do give them time to adjust. A great place to catch up with friends and be prepared to scream or talk over each other.

Where?
115-117 Clissold Pde
Campsie NSW 2194
Australia

Phone no: 02 8033 3436

Opening Hours
Lunch
11:30am - 3:00pm
Dinner
5:30pm - 10:00pm

Website
http://www.daejangkum.com.au

The Sparrow's Mill - Sydney CBD - Sydney, Australia.

The Sparrow's Mill 

From the same owners as its sister restaurant 'Red Pepper' in Strathfield, The Sparrow's Mill is a fairly new Korean fried chicken restaurant. It is located in the Sydney CBD near World Square, the Korea town of Sydney.

We arrive just a bit after 6pm on a Friday night and there are already groups queueing up for a table. We put our name down on the sheet of paper and take a ticket, expecting to get a table within 15 minutes or so. However, time ticks away and by the time we get a table it approaches one hour. A very long wait considering we were a group of 4 and there were 5 groups of varying sizes before us. If we would have known it would have taken that long we might have given up waiting.

The inside is casual, modern and somewhat new as it hasn't been open for very long, less than half a year. Tables are squashed together and I find that the space between our table and the next table is narrow. I'm rather petite and find myself having to slide side ways to get in and out of the bench seats without hitting the table.

The waiter brings out the menus, cutlery and bowls. Shortly, she takes our orders. It has a similar menu to the restaurant in Strathfield, near exact to be precise. There are an adequate number of Korean dishes available but people come here for the fried chicken cooked in varying forms and sauces. All at very affordable prices if you are sharing with others.

Sides dishes also known as 'Banchan' are first to arrive to satisfy our starving stomachs. A good selection including fish cake slices, beansprouts, potato, kim chi and long beans. I find that these lack flavour in comparison to what I've had at the Strathfield branch.

The 'Seafood Pancake ($15.00)' is huge. It's thick and loaded with an abundance of toppings. Though, you might find yourself devouring loads of onions and leeks in stark comparison to the amount of seafood in there. It has been cooked to a perfect crisp exterior and the additional sauce on the side gives it that extra zest.

Ordering fried chicken is imperative here. What I like about these Korean restaurants is the option of choosing half or full portion sizes, and choosing half gives you more choice as you're able to try out different combinations.

The 'Original Fried Chicken ($17.00)' is freshly fried and it's steaming hot. Just magic. The original fried chicken has a similar taste to the branch in Strathfield but the coating is crispier and the texture is amazing. It retains the heat while and even though we take our time eating, it is still hot inside. There is just something that is different, possibly the oil that is used to fry the chicken.

'Sweet and Spicy Fried Chicken ($18.00)' appears to be a new item as I don't recall seeing this in Strathfield. It is coated with a sticky and sweet chilli sauce, yet there is also a hint of spiciness. It is nowhere near as spicy as the normal chilli one. This is good for those who aren't very tolerant to spicy foods. It has to be eaten fast as the sauce softens the crispy chicken.

'Ginseng Chicken Soup ($23.00)' is surprisingly really similar to the one I had in Korea. The rice is stuffed in a whole chicken with pieces of ginseng, jujubes and goji berries. The soup has been lightly seasoned and is still slightly bland, but the accompanying salt and pepper can be used to give it that kick.  It's refreshing and perfect to cleanse the palate from the fried chicken.

'Bimimbap ($15.00)' is topped with a plethora of ingredients. Steamed rice with beef and mixed vegetables on top of a sizzling stone bowl. Mix the ingredients together, allow the ingredients to be combined and let it rest for a half a minute which then leaves a crusty rice base. Delicious. You need to mix in the chilli sauce for seasoning.

Once again we over order and struggle to finish everything. The foodie inside of me thinks we didn't order enough but luckily my friend stopped me. A great meal with excellent company but whether we're willing to wait for an hour next time is questionable. The Sparrow's Mill is convenient and readily accessible to the masses given its central location so there's no excuse not to give their fried chicken a shot. The prices are affordable when shared among a group and the quantities are decent, but be prepared to wait on Friday and Saturday nights.

Where?
Shop 3, 116-120 Liverpool St
Sydney NSW 2000
Australia

Phone no: 02 9264 7109

Opening Hours
Monday - Saturday
11:00am - 12:00am
Closed Sunday

Website
https://www.facebook.com/sparrowsmill