Restaurant Review - Pio Pio

Pio Pio is probably the cheapest place to have Peruvian. The restaurant specializes in all Peruvian goodies for a low cost and extremely filling belly. Their trademark rotisserie chicken is a must order, along with the rice and beans, avocado salad, and plantains. A whole baby chicken is roasted and served whole, maintaining all its juices. Simply pull apart and enjoy the tender meat that easily slices from the bones. 

In addition to the signature chicken, the avocado salad is to die for. Topped with their homemade dressing, it is the perfect way to start and pair with every meal. No Peruvian meal is without rice and beans, but dont fill up on this yum dish. There's just too much more in stored to enjoy, even if the menu is simple. 

Pair your meal with a glass of sangria or even a can of Peruvian soda. Its definitely a different kick that will have your taste buds going. Many order the sangria for an evening buzz, but anything will have your tastebuds going.

Their dishes can be ordered and shared between two, with more to spare. With a few locations across town, the menu is maintained in taste and price which is great for those looking for a delicious cheap eat. It is definitely one place that you'll find a lot of the locals going for because it is a great place for the wallet. The amount of food for the price that it is listed is definitely a no brainer for anyone who is looking for a filling meal. In fact, the meal can be shared a few ways and you probably still won't be able to eat it all!

Korean Twist - 누나홀닭 NOO NA HOL DAK

With so many Korean infusion restaurants around the world, it had to make their way to Korea. Hongdae, a popular young crowd in Seoul caters to a new take on the Korean infusion menu with a  restaurant, NOO NA HOL DAK, that focuses on all things chicken to come up with a chicken fajita wrap. Marinated chicken and a bed of vegetables made of onions and green peppers are served on a sizzling hot plate with a serving of flat tortillas. The concept is simple, take a piece of chicken, some vegetables and wrap it all up for consumption. 

The chicken is marinated to perfection with a glaze of honey and teriyaki taste. Shared between two, this dish will only set you back about $15 which is definitely worth it for the budgeted price. NOO NA HOL DAK is located from exit 8 of the Hongik University train station on the green line 2. Take a right at the exit and go straight to the second intersection. Make a right and NOO NA HOL DAK will be on your right with open seating up a semi-flight of stairs.

Address: Mapo-gu, Donggyo Dong 164-8
마포구 동교동 164-8

Restaurant Review - Kyochon

Kyochon is one famous Korean chicken joint back in America because it is practically the one branch that made its way to the States. Ironic enough that I have never had Kyochon back in America, but my first time was actually in Seoul, Korea. Catering to both the American and Korean taste buds, Kyonchon is actually one of the better Korean fried chicken chain restaurants in town. The fried chicken served at Kyochon differs from the other restaurants, being mostly there are a limited number of choices. 

Kyochon offers a few more flavors and different types of chicken which makes it that much more amazing of a chain restaurant. For starters, Kyochon is the one of the very few fried chicken restaurants that actually serves chicken strips. Best part is they actually have three different dipping sauces for you which include a honey mustard, sweet and sour and a more traditional BBQ sauce. In addition to this, you can find deep fried chicken that is not too heavily battered embedded in sauce. With a handful of different sauces to choose from, eating at Kyochon is difficult with a few people only because there is so much to choose from. Nonetheless, it is a spot that I will visit back home. Unfortunately for me, the prices just won't be the same because everything is cheaper in Korea.

Hidden Treasures - Tu CAN

Tu CAN is a small restaurant in Noksapyeong known for their chicken and chips combo. With a limited menu of jerk chicken and orange chicken, the main entrée is sided with salads, rice, and other delicious goodies. With a small menu, the must order is the chicken where you can share half a chicken between two. The more popular order is the jerk chicken that is served with a barbecue sauce and a ton of herbs spiced into the chicken. The orange chicken is served with an orange sauce and the chicken topped with fried garlic slices.

The two differ in taste and varies on customer’s taste. Personally, the jerk chicken at Tu CAN is more favorable because of the sauce that is served with. Nonetheless, both chicken are baked up the same way, slowly oven roasted and not dry at all. Because the chicken is small in size, it is able to obtain its juices and bring in the crowd. Served with a bed of freshly deep fried potato chips and its own sauce that is recommended to be dipped with the chicken, Tu CAN is a must visit.

Aside from good taste, the price of this chicken is extremely affordable and welcoming. Chickens are priced at just $12 for half and $22 for two halves of both the jerk and the orange. In addition to the chicken, they serve Mango Salad for just $10, a side of rice and beans for $3 and a handful of drinks that range in price. The recommended is the naranja con leche, fresh orange juice and milk which is a great combo for the meal. They also have caipirinhas, mojitos, pina coladas and more!

This extremely small restaurant seats roughly 20 guests at one time, but it is constantly packed with people who are peeping in to get a seat. This spot is famous among the Koreans as well as foreigners which goes to rave about the food at Tu CAN. That and it’s pretty impossible to find jerk chicken, a Caribbean and Brazilian cuisine in Korea. Their bright colored décor is extremely welcoming for a group of friends to enjoy a great meal. Just keep in mind the wait time for a chicken to cook up if they run out!

Address: 658 Itaewon 2-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

용산구 이태원2동 658

Phone: 02-749-9966

Directions: Take exit 2 from Noksapyeong station and go straight until you see a green underpass that takes you across the street on the right. Take the underpass and exit on the left when reaching the exit. Cross the street to the other side and take a right. Tu CAN will be on your left with a few steps going up.

Restaurant Review - Chir Chir Chicken 치르치르치킨

Chir Chir Chicken 치르치르치킨 is a Korean fusion chicken spot that is dispersed across Seoul. The restaurant offers something new to chicken lovers that break from the traditional Korean norm of chicken and beer. Chir Chir Chicken not only has amazing boneless chicken, but they top it with sliced almonds, Korean rice cakes and an amazing sauce of course. There are also chunks of fried sweet potato which is a Korean staple and nonetheless, a good combo as well. This Korean fusion breaks away from using potatoes and fries, but it is still nom-alicious. 

In addition to their popular saucy boneless chickens, they also offer fried chicken that is paired with a simple salad. Basic, but over the top for someone who loves chicken, but can't splurge on the extra calories. A bed of fresh salad always does the trick! It may make you feel less guilty about the extra calories from the amazing sauce, but be careful of the dressing. Because it is so delicious, you may consume a lot more than you plan to. 

Touching on the topic of chicken and beer. Chir Chir chicken definitely offers beer with their menu options because it is the most popular thing, but they offer something that many chicken places do not and that is American alcoholic beverages. Served in pitcher sizes, their refreshing drinks makes any chicken explosive. 

Being that Chir Chir Chicken 치르치르치킨 is extremely popular for those who are drinkers, there are a few locations across Seoul, including two in the Hongdae area down the alley of fun. 

Restaurant Review - 한추 (Hanchu Fried Chicken)

한추 is one of the most famous restaurants, not for it's amazing interior or service, but for their fried chicken. Labeled as the best fried chicken in Seoul, there have been quite the number of foreign and local bloggers that praise the fried chicken at 한추 in Apgujeong between the Sinsa and Apgujeong station. The reason why 한추's chicken is so special is because they use a particular marinate before actually throwing the chicken down to cook.

With a simple breading that is a full blast of flavor, the chicken is then deep fried and served as is or with a special sweet and spicy 양념 sauce. With a plate of chicken for roughly $17, it is enough to feed two or three, depending on the stomach. Although the chicken is praised to be the best thing on the menu, and the best in Seoul, this is dubious. It's gone both ways, but it is worth making a trip to try the "best" and judge it yourself. 

One thing on the menu that is a definite must order is their stuffed chilly peppers. Stuffed with meat, battered, and deep fried. It is a hit and a no brainer with many. For the most part, many visitors praise the stuffed green peppers more than their famous chicken which does go to say a lot. 

한추 has been around for a while and is a well-established restaurant in Korea.

One weird eat if you're courageous enough to try is the chicken butt. Yes, chicken butt. It may sound to be horrible, but it really isn't as bad as you think it is. It is just a different part of the chicken's body, a delicacy in Korea and many Asian countries.

For that reason, the interior caters to the loud and young generation that is looking for good food and beer of course. Chicken in Korea is almost always paired with beer. Because of this, you can find a young crowd consuming the goods at 한추 and enjoying a good time. This dinky-looking place is probably not the best place to go to for a date, but it is the best place to go with a group of friends. 

The top three items on the menu, one of the most basic menus of restaurants is the Original fried chicken, fried chicken with spicy sauce, and the green peppers. They have a very basic English translation which is enough to interpret the menu. Because it is a young, drinking place, a side of chips and radish is served with your order. 

Located in Apgujeong parallel to the Garosu-gil shopping area, there are a few ways (and quite a walk) to get to 한추. Keep in mind the restaurant opens late hours from 5PM to 3AM, catering to the young crowd of drinking. 
Address: Seoul, Gangnam-gu, Sinsa-dong 549-9

서울 강남구 신사동 649-9

Phone Number 02-3446-5778

Korean Traditional Eat - Kalguksu Noodle Soup 갈국수

Kalguksu is a traditional Korean eat that is usually enjoyed as a seasonal dish. There are many different takes on this traditional eat. It basically consists of wheat floor noodles that are made in a chicken broth usually. Additional ingredients of cucumbers and a handful of other vegetables are added in and the soup is topped with a meat of your choice. The popular consists of seafood, beef, and chicken. 

Depending on how are you consuming this dish, it can be served as a single serving per person or it can also be served with a bowl of soup over an open fire shared between a table. Ingredients are then added as you consume, to your liking. This is rather important for those who are eating beef because leaving the beef in for too long can result in an overcooked and extra chewy slice of meat. Many people strain away from this by cooking their beef slices as they eat. If consuming beef, it is recommended to go with the beef base broth which provides a better enhancement to your taste buds than the common chicken broth. 

Korean Traditional Eat - Jjim Dalk 찜닭

찜닭 is a spicy dish that originated in Andong. It is composed of chicken chopped into pieces, boiled in a simmering sauce made of whole garlic, onions, ginger and a green chili pepper (not the original red in Korea) called Cheongyang gochu 청양고추.  It is then served with glass noodles and vegetables like potato, carrots, and cucumbers. The spicy level of this Korean traditional eat can be altered to the taste buds of guests. If tolerable, going for the spicy kick leaves you with a more traditional taste of this dish. This family style dish is commonly served in a big plate with scissors allowing for you to cut the long glass noodles and bigger chunks of vegetables. 

Restaurant Review - Hotsun

One of the popular chicken and beer chains in Korea is Hotsun. On average, a chicken dish is the price of $17, which can be split between two. Although the chicken is filling, the only carbs in Hotsun is their porridge and bologna pasta. Be ready to fill off of chicken because there is no rice, this is a place strictly for drinking and chicken. 

It is best to go with a gang of friends to Hotsun and enjoy chicken and beer over chatting. Go for the double layer pitcher of beer, just $13 for a 3000 cc of draft. In addition to chicken and beer, Hotsun serves the sides of pickles, sour radish, and finger chips. It is extremely popular in Korea to have chips when drinking beer, but the pickles and sour radish compliment the chicken. Eating sour things before your meal makes it more appetizing and delicious, not that it isn't already.

Fried boneless chicken drowned in a sweet and sour sauce is a must when it comes to Korean fried chicken. Hotsun has one of the best boneless chicken that I had since I've been to Korea. Be sure to stop by and try out this dish along with some beer, it is a spot for conversation and friend bonding so do not expect a fancy place to have dinner. 

Restaurant Review - Thunder Chicken

Thunder Chicken, one of the local spots in Guui Dong has one of the lowest priced chicken that I have had in Korea. The best part about it is the chicken is freshly fried when ordered and dunked in a bucket of sauce. My ultimate favorite that I order almost everywhere is 양념 치킨 (Yang Nyum Chicken). Prices for a plate of chicken average at $9, definitely beats any chain that serves it for $15 a plate. The best part is being able to enjoy it with friends over a 3000 cc pitcher of beer, the Korean way. 

Be sure to stop by the next time you're in town on this street. Straight from exit 2 on Guui Station (line 2). Make a left at the second light which is the first big intersection and go straight for about four blocks. Thunder Chicken will be on your right.

Restaurant Review - Twoot

Twoot, a bonchon chain in Korea, is a place that cooks up a whole chicken and serves it on the plate. Because the chicken is a smaller size, the meat is juicier and still tender after being deep fried. Many restaurants who use a big chicken are negligent of the final product they are cooking up. Having dry deep fried chicken is probably one of the worse things that can happen, but gratefully Twoot does not do do and they are still able to marinade a delicious plate of chicken. Hence, my current obsession with the restaurant!

Depending on the chicken you normally eat, there are a variety of sauces that can satisfy your taste buds. My ultimate favorite and a must order is the chicken terryacki which is deep fried sweet deliciousness! In addition to this another popular dish is the garlic chicken which differs from the American soy garlic. This chicken is deep fried and drowned in garlic which is then grilled over a bed of raw onions. Regardless of which dish, a plate of chicken can fill a stomach of two.

Pricing on chicken averages at $16 a plate, but it does include the service of chips, grilled egg, a soup and other dishes depending on the chain restaurant you visit. Be sure to throw out your scraps of bone in the mini trash can that is provided and follow the Korean dining etiquette. This includes using two forks to eat fried chicken where one of it acts as a finger to hold down the chicken and the other slides the meat off of the bone.