Damn that’s good Fried Chicken.
Korean Fried Chicken has bulldozed its way into the mouths and hearts of “foodies” worldwide. It’s a plate of food that satisfies our more carnivorous cravings, and one that our more cosmopolitan taste buds can get behind.
Like any big city, there is no shortage of cuisines to try. Korean food has a lot of competition here in London. But on a whim, I opted for ‘Simya Korean Restaurant’ near West Brompton tube station. It’s somewhere you would never find without knowing exactly what you’re looking for. The front is labeled as a ‘Shopping Palace’, not a title you would associate with an authentic restaurant experience. But through the doors and down the narrow corridor is a little gem of a spot with a Korean flag on the front.
To say it’s small is an understatement. There are only 3 tables. The atmosphere feels a pinch exclusive despite the relaxed undertone and affordable menu. The chef cooked quietly behind his kitchen counter whilst I helped myself to a couple of Tsingtao beers from the communal fridge and waited for my friend.
Surrounding the non-fussy dining furniture were a variety of South Korean drink advertisements, as well as calming illustrations of Korean men dressed in white sweeping away bird seed. It’s different and I loved it.
I couldn’t wait to wolf down some Korean Chicken, a dish I hadn’t tried nearly as much as I’d liked to. And one that has an origin story you’d be surprised by. During the Korean War, African American Soldiers were stationed in South Korea. On Thanksgiving, these soldiers had no access to a 20lb butter-stuffed Turkey, so they went with a reliable alternative. They fried local Korean Chicken, replicating a dish with its own significance and complex origin story within black history.
In Korea, locals took notice of this banging grub and began putting their own spin on it. They adapted it, adding a spicy and sticky sauce that works so gracefully, it’s hard to believe they’d ever been apart. Korean chicken had lift-off. The South Korean dining term “chimaek” was also born, a combination of the words “chicken” and “maekju”, which translates from Korean to English as beer. The term essentially involves friends getting together, drinking some beer and tucking into some fried chicken. A beautiful little cultural practice in South Korea.
My friend and I ordered ten pieces of boneless Korean Fried Chicken with the traditional sauce, glass noodles with sweet tofu, sizzling pork with soy sauce and some pork-filled Korean dumplings. We knocked back some Tsingtaos, gossiped and laughed, never without taking a moment to address how good the food was. The chicken was succulent and masterful in its execution, having that essential crunch you cannot miss from this dish. The spices had just enough heat to get your tastebuds buzzing and your impurities sweating down your forehead. Perfectly balanced levels of sweet, salty and sticky elevated the chicken, adding flavourful and textural subtleties any customer prays for. Surprisingly, we were diplomatic over who got the last piece.
Glass noodles are great fun. They look a bit odd but absorb flavour and complement more crunchy textures so well. A special mention needs to be paid to the tofu. The whole spiel that I was given when I was younger about it being tasteless and inferior to meat is a whole load of bullshit. More and more, it’s becoming a choice over meat for me and many other carnivores. Here, it was divine. Sweet, spongy and a little caramelised on the outside.
I spoke with the owner who is the only chef that works here. He is from Seoul but has lived in London for nearly twenty years. Originally he was a tour guide in London but decided to take over ‘Simya’ a few years ago, fulfilling a lifelong ambition of cooking Korean cuisine for a living. He said that with the arrival of K-Pop and Korean cuisine in the mainstream, a massive market was founded. Most customers are tourists, presumably reading the raving reviews online. I get the impression the restaurant gets by, but it wouldn’t hurt to have more locals popping in and out. They also offer 20% off your entire bill from Monday-Thursday. So, it’s not exactly contending with how much you’d spend on a Thirsty Thursday.
With Korean Fried Chicken’s popularity and fame, it’s nibbling on the heels of many internationally celebrated dishes. It wouldn’t be too hard to imagine it stealing the title of ‘KFC’ one day.