Thursday, February 22, 2007
CHICKEN LOVER
I love chicken — broiled, barbequed, grilled, fried, stewed, or adobo — unlike some friends, especially, some fellow Pinoys who live abroad and now detest even the slightest thought of eating chicken. A prime example is a cousin from Los Angeles who claims that she probably could fly off the ground with just one more bite of chicken.
Andok’s has juicy broiled chicken. Country Chicken is another, though more expensive by fifty pesos. Max’s fried chicken is delicious as always, but if given a choice between its fried chicken and Aristocrat’s barbequed chicken, I’d go for the latter. The broiled chicken at San Miguel Food Shop is the least expensive; only one hundred fifty-five pesos for a whole chicken, though smaller. They offer two flavors: honey and lemon with herbs.
In Binondo and Sta. Cruz areas, besides the fried chicken at Savory’s in Escolta, I also enjoy the breading-free fried chicken at Ramon Lee on Ronquillo Street right off Avenida Rizal. Supposedly, Ramon Lee Fried Chicken was established in Manila dating back to the 1930s. However, its sales declined when the LRT was built along Avenida Rizal. To retain some of its loyal customers and battle the increasing competition from Jolibee’s across the street, it introduced combo meals — such as a piece of its famous chicken served with rice and soda. The interior was also repainted with pink as its main color scheme; a videoke machine was installed on the second floor. Despite its present vintage ambience and rundown condition, the tasty food they offer continues to attract customers.
There are times I miss the breaded fried chicken served with rice and beans at this tiny Puerto Rican eatery on Eight Avenue at Manhattan’s West Side, but Chow King’s is just as good, though without the black beans. The other I miss is Ceasar salad with grilled chicken from a deli near where I used to work in New York, but T.G.I. Friday’s here in Manila offers an incredible plate of it.
By the way, chicken gizzards and hearts I love, especially as adobo, but I am yet to acquire a fondness for chicken feet dimsun. Go figure.
Labels: chicken, fried chicken
posted by Señor Enrique at 10:32 AM
42 Comments:
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carlotta1924 said... wow ang sarap naman ng chicken na yan.
have you tasted JT's chicken? it's owned by joel torre. sarap din yun! =)-
carlotta1924 said...
... chicken gizzards and hearts? wow i don't think i can develop a fondness for them. i'm all for legs and wings. ^^
oh yeah, there's JT's chicken along granada ave. in qc. there are others but i'm not exactly sure where. =)-
said... My children never tire of chicken, I am the one getting tired of cooking chicken. I have run out of ways to cook them, but they still crave. Ask them anytime what they want for 'ulam' and in unison, reply: Fried Chicken! LOL!
Easy on the gizzards, liver and hearts, Eric... as they are cholesterol rich! :)-
said...
I love chicken and I love all the brands you mentioned. I can eat chicken everyday. Try the buttered fried chicken in Wok Inn near the Malate Church.
I almost died when birdflu hit Cambodia. But knowing now that you don't get birdflu from eating chicken, I still eat chicken even if there's birdflu.-
Sidney said...
I am with you Eric, you got some great chickens here!
My favorites are Andok's and Max.
Chowking's chicken is also very good.
I was dissapointed by Aristocrat's BBQ chicken. It was still raw inside and burned outside. Maybe I should try their chicken again and not judge them on a one time meal.-
ladybug said...
Same here...I am also a chicken lover. Savory, country chicken, KFC, Ramon Lee,Jollibee, Aristocrat....haha...halos lahat ng yan. And I prefer the leg or thigh part. And oh, I love the skin. Cholesterol overload.
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Señor Enrique said...
Hi Carla! JT's Chicken? Nope, not yet. But I would love to check it out. Will look up Granada Avenue in the map I have of Metro Manila. Thanks for the tip!
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Señor Enrique said...
My aunt in Zambales used to serve us chicken and leche flan whenever we desired, Rhoda, because she had a small poultry farm at the backyard. But what she used to surprise us with was a dish of frogs' legs cooked as tinola, which also tasted like chicken.
Last time I had gizzards and hearts was a few months ago. As much as I love them, I entrust a cousin's cooking only (which melt in your mouth), but she rarely comes to the city :(-
Señor Enrique said...
Now that you mentioned it, Toe, I will now have to look for Wok Inn near the Malate Church to try their butter fried chicken :)
I'm glad you survived the bbirdflu in Cambodia. Whoa!
They say that the chicken's white meat is among the healthiest meat.-
Señor Enrique said...
I think there's nothing more disappointing than digging in to your barbequed chicken only to find the inside as still red and raw. And I don't blame you, Sidney, for not ever going back to trying another piece since then. I'd be just as discouraged.
By the way, the fried chicken at President's Restaurant, now that I remember it, is also delicious!-
Señor Enrique said...
Hi Ladybug! How are you? Have you given birth, yet?
Thanks for reminding me of KFC! I love it also. There was a time I would just grab a leftover from the fridge and would eat it cold without reheating (like I used to do with pizza).-
-= dave =- said...
Also chicken lover here! Must have developed the taste because my family raised chickens when I was still small. Naturally-fed chicken cooked in an open fire tasted so good! Although my favorite part is the fatty rear, I would leave no part uneaten, and, if it was fried to crispy perfection, I would bite into the bone just like a dog, hahaha! Chicken feet, eh...when Adidas came out with their "feet you wear" shoes, what always come to my mind was our local name for chicken feet: adidas, "feet you eat" hahaha!
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NOYPETES said...
Ramon Lee, Max's, Aristocrat, Savory, Kobe I love them all. But being from the Negros province, I miss chicken "Inasal" the most! Next time you swing by Los Angeles, try Carl's Jr. "Chipotle Chicken Salad", big serving for a hungry tummy and delicious!
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Señor Enrique said...
Yes, Adidas is what they call them Dave! Lol! If my aunt saved the gizzard for me, the fatty rear was always reserved for my sister, Inday. And if that part is your fave, you ought to check out the turkey's -- much bigger and the tastiest part :)
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Señor Enrique said...
Chicken inasal! Yes! And how I could've forgotten that, Noypetes? I love them.
They have Carl's Jr. in NYC as well, but never had the chance to walk in and try out their offerings. I will, though, next time.
BTW, here in Metro Manila, we have the super-supermarket Puregold that sells a whole roasted chicken for a mere hundred pesos (rumored to be from China). I use those for making chicken salad! But I'm sure our fellow blogger, Christine, knows of even tastier ways to prepare chicken salads.-
Watergirl said...
The chicken inasal at JT Manukan (the inasal plce of Joel Torre) is pretty popular. Check out Lori Balthazar's post on her blog dessertcomesfirst (search for inasal or JT Manukan). It's a pretty good inasal, goes well with the garlic fried rice and chicken oil.
I also tried the San Pedro roast chicken, supposedly the original franchise was in Cebu or in the Visayas and is now spreading its feathery gospel in Luzon. A good juicy roast chicken, with a tasty char to the skin.
But I think I'm still a fan of roasting one's one manok in a regular oven or turbo broiler. It's so easy to make and you can do so much for the skin to make it taste different each time. Many great chefs all say that their favorite homestyle meal is a good roast chicken and soup.-
said...
andok's chicken is indeed very tasty, my family always reserves the wing part for me. i love tearing the wings into pieces, leaving nothing for the dogs to chew on, haha!
there's this stall called Bugong that also sells very tasted roasted spring chicken, even the breast part is tasty. it goes well with their atsara.
i have stayed away from pork and beef but it will be truly impossible to resist chicken :)-
Amadeo said...
Among the “chicken” stories here, I was surprised nobody mentioned chicken cooked and sold like cooked ham. It is made and sold by a local company in Cagayan de Oro, named Pine Ham. Is it available any place else? A bit pricey, at about 300 pesos for an entire chicken. This reminded me of Honey Baked Ham in California that also sells an entire turkey cooked like ham, and is also priced more than ham.
Chicken feet cooked in that special way with black beans is also available here in California in Chinese dimsum places and in my estimation, is the most expensive dish made from chicken. Quite strange, considering there really is no meat in them.
When we first arrived here in the San Francisco area, butchers would typically give away free or for a song the rest of the chicken after they have removed the breasts, the thighs, and the thigh-like section of the wings. The same was true with the fish heads. I recall purchasing sacks of these chicken parts, at $1.50 a sack. But not anymore, since every part is now being sold. With the possible exception of the head. And strangely again, parts like the gizzard and liver typically cost more than the breasts and thighs.
That 100 pesos whole roasted or barbecued chicken mentioned can also be had in Cagayan de Oro, where chicken is relatively abundant and thus, many intersections in the poblacion have these small businesses where barbecued or roasted chickens are displayed and sold in locally-made rotisseries, many fueled by charcoal or firewood.
And yes, I can eat chicken every day, every meal, and with all the skin, please.-
said...
fun din ako ng mga grilled chicken. once a month yan ang ulam namin, tamad kasi ako magluto, haha
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said...
i also love adobo atay at puso and its wicked cholesterol oil mixed with rice :)
JTs manukan is on Ortigas near the corner of N. Domingo easy to spot :)
how about Moud's chicken halal in Quiapo?
chicken inasal in bacolod's manukan
Bugong near my office is a hit also though I no longer love the smell...grew tired of it
chicken inato from cebu
there's also chicken from Wah Yuen Hotpot on escolta
anyway, imagine Big bird being roasted :)-
Señor Enrique said...
Hi Mila! I did as you suggested and now have the full address of JT's Manukan at South Triangle, QC. I will definitely chcek it out.
Will now keep an eye out for the San Pedro roast chicken from the Visayan islands :)-
Señor Enrique said...
I've never heard of Bugong, Eye. Could this be a single establishment in a certain neighborhood only?
As they claim in NYC, the chicken's white meat is very good for those who watch they eat.
Yes, the wings! Now, I also remember the Buffalo wings with spicy white sauce in NYC :)-
Señor Enrique said...
Chicken ala ham? Wow, Amadeo, I'm sure this is delectable! What an original idea. I can understand its price because of the lengthy process involved. I'd like to try this chicken ham, indeed.
Not too familiar with supply of chicken feet parts in NYC, but the head of a roast pig one can buy for only a dollar in NY's Chinatown. Not sure about now, though. The Chinese might have become aware of its true value, especially among the Pinoys.
If ever, I find myself in Daly City, we'd definitely go out for a chicken meal. My treat!-
Señor Enrique said...
Ako din Iskoo, tamad magluto. Pero tama nga si Mila Tan, mas masarap at mura kung ikaw magluluto ng roast or grilled chicken.
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Señor Enrique said...
Hi Tito!
Okay, know about JT's near where I live, but Moud's chicken halal in Quiapo, though I've passed by it, never got a chance to it's chicken. But I hink I will now :)
Chciken inasal Bacolod-style, I love; Bugong I've never heard of before Eye mentioned it; chicken inatu from Cebu I've never heard of but I'm sure it's as delicious as the lechon Cebu; and now that you mentioned it, I will go to Wah Yuen Hotspot to try its chicken.
Thanks for the tips!-
said...
Ooooh! I live chicken as well. I like the grilled chicken where you choose a sauce sa "World of Chicken" sa glorietta food court. Sa streets, really enjoy "Sr. Pedro" kahit walang sauce panalo!
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said...
KFC chicken has that right tang that I like most although the first time I got to have Kenny Rogers, I was a little surprise by the all-too generous servings--fit for many kings actually.
So I have either this two chicken brands as the best chicken meals for me.-
Belle TH said...
have you tried free range chicken or native chicken? very very flavorful! when i go home to the province, i always ask for tinola native chicken with dahon ng sili.
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Señor Enrique said...
Ferdz, can we get San Pedro chicken in Metro Manila now?
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Señor Enrique said...
KFC I will always love, Major Tom. Been to Kenny Rogers here in Manila only once, but I should go back there for the tasty combo meals.
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Señor Enrique said...
Yes, Belle, but with gata (coconut milk). From what I understand, the meat of this kind of chicken is tougher and, therefore, require more time in boiling to tenderize. But they are indeed tastier.
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Amadeo said...
Eric:
Unfortunately, we are now quite far from little Manila, Daly City. But I shall be in Cagayan de Oro in a week. So I will get the chance to savor the Pine Ham chicken again.-
Señor Enrique said...
In that case, Amadeo, if any of these places have any online presence or provide delivery serives to Metro Manila, please let us know so we could call and order to try one.
Have a safe trip; trust you'll have a wonderful time during your balikbayan vacation :)-
Francesca said...
wow, andoks, favorite ni lolo michel yan when we are in manila, better taste kasi kesa dito sa france.
And ang sauce nyan, sooo delicious. Was wondering wala sila branch sa europe, huhuhu!-
Señor Enrique said...
I wouldn't be surprised at all if Andok's or a similar Pinoy-type broiled chicken enterprise starts doing business in Europe, Francesca. I think it's tasty enough for the Europeans to appreciate it as well :)
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Watergirl said...
You can find Snr Pedro chicken in some areas. The one nearest to me is along N. Domingo near Broadway. But I have seen one near the Sta. Mesa Church (stop and shop area). I was curious about it after reading Marketman's post about the pedro chicken. It's a small chicken, but tasty.
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Señor Enrique said...
Thanks Mila! Next time I find myself near the Sta. Mesa Church, I'll stop by Stop N Shop and try one :)
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sheilamarie said...
yum!!! i can live on chicken everyday of my life!!! :D
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Señor Enrique said...
Me, too! :)
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said...
I want more of Ysabella's chicken
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said...
JT's Manukan located at Sgt. Esguerra near ABS-CBN, dunno if this is the main branch or the one at Juana Rodriquez. Aside from Sr. Pedro, there's another mouthwatering Baliwag roast chicken!
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Theresa Marcaida said...
tagal ko nag nagagawi sa sta.cruz pero hindi ko napapasin to..try ko kumain dito minsan
