Korean fried chicken is one of the most well-received foods worldwide, and Singapore just got another spot that offers authentic Korean fried chicken! Doran Chicken, which recently opened in Orchardgateway, offers up a taste of Daegu-style fried chicken.
If you’re unsure, Daegu is the mecca for fried chicken in Korea. It’s where the majority of Korea’s fried chicken franchise brands originate from. We even went all the way down to Daegu for the Daegu Chimaek festival!
Authentic Korean Fried Chicken in Singapore
Doran Chicken is located on the 4th floor of Orchardgateway, right in front of Anytime Fitness (good luck to all the gymbros getting tempted by fried chicken – but it’s still protein rightttt).
The restaurant can seat around 80 pax, with 2 private rooms available.
Doran Chicken Menu
Here, the menu focuses on fried chicken with items such as the Doran Wings & Drumette (10pcs for $23.80, 20pcs for $44.80) and Daegu Boneless Chicken (Half for $20.80, Whole for $37.80).
They also have sides such as the Sincheon Tteokbokki ($12.80), Seaweed Rolls (6pcs for $9.80), Garlic Cheese Sriracha Corn Fritters ($9.80), Garlic Cheese Sriracha Fries ($11.80) and more.
The fried chicken comes in 4 options:
- Original Fried
- 1978 Soy Sauce
- Dalcom Spicy
- Volcano Spicy
Apart from using fresh chicken instead of frozen chicken, Doran Chicken sets themselves apart with their sauces. Here, the sauces undergo at least 7 days of a low-temperature aging process in traditional pots known as Onggii. This results in a softer yet more flavorful sauce.
You’ll realise how the sauce is applied if you sit near the kitchen. Instead of tossing the fried chicken in the sauce, each piece of chicken is hand-brushed with sauce! Each piece is evenly coated, making for the best experience.
Doran Wings & Drumette
We got the Original Fried and Volcano Spicy flavours for this and one thing we noticed immediately was how tender the chicken was. There’s a nice batter-to-meat ratio since the batter isn’t too thick.
We loved how it retained a crispy exterior despite us taking some time to take photos.
Personally, the Volcano Spicy was quite spicy for me but do bear in mind that my spice tolerance is Buldak Rose Carbonara with half of the spice packet.
Daegu Boneless Chicken
We tried the 1978 Soy Sauce and Dalcom Spicy sauces for the Daegu Boneless Chicken.
Why the sauce is called 1978 Soy Sauce, it’s because the recipe has been around since 1978 and is one of the original soy sauce recipes when it comes to fried chicken.
We thought the soy sauce was well-balanced, with a nice blend of sweet and salty flavours. It’s not too sharp, nor was it too salty – it paired amazingly with the juicy boneless chicken pieces.
The Dalcom Spicy is their take on the Yangnyeom Chicken, which features both sweet and spicy notes.
Side Menu from Doran Chicken
Among the sides from Doran Chicken, the most unassuming Garlic Cheese Sriracha Corn Fritters was one of our favourites. It’s something Koreans would appreciate, since it was a combo of sweet and salty flavours.
There was also the Sincheon Tteokbokki, which is a waterier version of the usual tteokbokki. The owners decided on this version because it’s what you’d usually get in Daegu! There’s your usual fish cakes and rice cakes, but instead of the usual hard-boiled egg, quail eggs were used here.
If you’re someone who needs carbs, the Tuna Rice Balls ($9.80) are a great option!
The only item we didn’t quite appreciate was the Flat Dumplings with Sweet & Spicy Squid Salad ($17.80). The dumplings felt more like dumpling skins, with no trace of any filling, served together with a sweet & spicy squid salad. While it was a rather unique dish, we would top up a few dollars and order another serving of fried chicken instead.
Korean Fried Chicken in Orchard
Inspired by the Korean phrase ‘Doran Doran’, which is the sound of people talking happily in small sounds to each other, the space is indeed a great place to do just that. If you’re looking for a spot to have Korean fried chicken right in the heart of Orchard, Doran Chicken is a great option to consider.
Doran Chicken officially opens on the 25th of October 2024.
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Doran Chicken
277 Orchard Road, #04-19, Orchardgateway, Singapore 238858
Mon-Fri, 11am-3pm, 5-10:30pm, Sat-Sun, 11am-10:30pm
*This article is brought to you in partnership with Doran Chicken
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