The new kids on the block

Note: The Chicken King has since closed down.

Situated in one of Singapore’s oldest heartlands, you’ll find The Chicken King in Food Alley, just off the main pedestrian street down @ Toa Payoh Central. Helmed by the group behind Orchid Live Seafood, the restaurant is making a name for itself by serving up a variety of fried chicken dishes with a local twist. We’re talking salted egg sauce, har jeong kai (prawn paste chicken) and even an orh nee (yam paste) dip for french fries.

Created for the ultimate fried food fan, The Chicken King’s menu has just seven specialised items, with each one containing elements of our favourite zi char dishes. Here are our top picks!

The Food

Signature Steven Chicken (4 pcs for $5)

Named after master chef and founder, Steven Chua; the Steven Chicken is marinated in Orchid Live Seafood group’s special sauce and is no ordinary chicken wing. Made to resemble a boxing glove, the meat on each individual wing is carefully pushed to one end, creating the perfect handle to hold onto as you sink your teeth into it.

Each wing was tender to the bite and had a good balance of sweet and savoury, packing quite a punch.

Rating: 7/10

Steven Popcorn Chicken ($5)

To whoever invented popcorn chicken – we will always be infinitely grateful. Even though the Steven Popcorn Chicken is a spin-off from The Chicken King’s signature dish above, we preferred the latter as it had a lot more crunch and was more substantial.

Rating: 7.5/10

Salted Egg Popcorn Chicken ($5.40)

We will never tire of salted egg food combinations. The great thing about The Chicken King’s salted egg sauce was that it had a rich grainy texture and wasn’t excessively salty. Though we were satisfied with this combination, they could’ve been more generous with their sauce. The good thing is, that you can request for an extra serving of sauce – free of charge!

Rating: 8/10

Buttermilk Chicken Waffles with Salted Egg Sauce ($13)

Of all the fried chicken and waffle combinations we’ve ever tried, this one was one of our favourites. Topped with sauteed onions, melted cheese and salted egg sauce, every bite had us craving for more.

Though the waffle was a bit too dense for our liking, we particularly loved how well the onions complemented the salted egg sauce, making the chicken the real star of this dish.

Rating: 8.5/10

The Verdict

If you’re still searching for the holy grail of fried chicken, give The Chicken King a go. The Buttermilk Chicken Waffles with Salted Egg Sauce definitely has our vote. And if you’re all about pushing the boundaries of sweet and savoury, then you might find the Signature Steven Chicken or the Shoestring Fries with Signature Orh Nee (Yam Paste) Sauce to be up your alley.

For just an additional $2.50, The Chicken King gives you the option of upgrading your meal to a set which includes a side and drink. We recommend the egg fried rice over the coleslaw. It’s something we’ve not seen before and it goes well with the chicken too.

Overall Rating: 7.5/10

Getting There

Address: Blk 190 Toa Payoh Central #01-530 S(310190)
Opening Hours: 11.30 am – 9pm (Last order at 8.45 pm)
Contact: 9191 8268

This post was brought to you by The Chicken King.