NeNe Chicken

NeNe Chicken
1 Vista Exchange Green
#01-24 Star Vista

2 Orchard Link
#02-39 *Scape

311 New Upper Changi Road
#02-02 Bedok Mall

80 Marine Parade Road
#B1-87 Parkway Parade

33 Sengkang West Avenue
#B2-10 The Seletar Mall

http://www.nenechicken.com.sg/


The Yes Yes Korean Sauce Fried Chicken Experience

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 7
Ambience & Setting: 6
Food & Beverage: 8
Service: 6
Value for Money: 7
Spent about SGD $10 / $13 per person.


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Founded in Korea in 1999, the popularity of their signature Korean style sauce fried chicken has seen NeNe Chicken franchises blossom worldwide. Since opening its 1st outlet in Singapore the Star Vista mall in December 2012, NeNe Chicken, whose name means 'Yes Yes' in Korea, has consistently drawn long queues for its tasty, affordable fast food.

Ambience at NeNe Chicken is akin to other fast food franchises, with colourful, modern looking furniture that is packed tightly within the small floor space of its outlets. And just like other fast food joints, there is a slight uncleanliness of scruff marks and litter that sometimes dot the tables. The menu board is large, attractive and colouful, though I find the lack of detail uncomforting.

Service at NeNe Chicken is fast food style self service, where you order, make payment, and collect your order at the counter. You're also encouraged to clear your waste when done, as staff take quite some time to clear dirty tables. I do find staff rather knowledgeable if you ask them general questions about the food or menu. But I like that they're probably the 1st fast food franchise to provide hygiene items like plastic gloves!

Food at NeNe Chicken revolves around their Korean style sauce fried chicken, using cuts such as wings, thighs, tenders / strips, or drumlets. Portions are sufficient for 1 person, and generally cost less than SGD $10 per meal. I love that they offer a good variety of sauces for their fried chicken, which makes repeat visits worthwhile.


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It may be fast food, but they've set a new standard for hygiene items, by providing free Plastic Gloves, Wet Napkin, Plastic Teaspoon for meals. Considerate!

Plastic Gloves, Wet Napkin, Plastic Teaspoon

Each NeNe Chicken Set Meal (SGD $6.90 - $9.90) typically includes a NeNe Chicken Drink, usually a soft drink of some kind, and sour, tangy Kkakdugi / Cubed Pickled Daikon Radish, along with Buffalo Sticks, and your choice of Korean sauce fried chicken. You can also choose to swap out 1 side dish for a Coleslaw, which features crabmeat!

NeNe Chicken Set Meal

NeNe Chicken Set Meal

Kkakdugi / Cubed Pickled Daikon Radish

Coleslaw

NeNe Chicken Drink

I love the crisp, thin, Buffalo Sticks! The taste calls to mind the familiar taste of A & W Curly Fries, tasting exactly the same! Good potato flavour, hot, crunchy, lovely!

Buffalo Sticks

The Original Crispy Chicken With Honey Mustard is a star on the menu. Juicy, moist chicken meat, and a crisp, crunchy, savoury skin, with fat that peels away easily. Paired with a tangy, slightly sour, slightly sweet honey mustard sauce that wakes the palate, totally delicious! I love that it's not too oily, and tastes fresh! Highly recommended!

Original Crispy Chicken With Honey Mustard

The popular Swicy Chicken is doused with a sticky, sweet and sour sauce, with a mild hint of spice, and a garnish of black and white sesame seeds. I like that the meat is juicy without being dry, and the skin remains crisp for some time despite being completely covered with sauce. Very good!

Swicy Chicken

Loved the Soy Chicken, with its moist tender meat, and skin that still retains a crispy texture despite being coated in a savoury salty soy sauce. Not too intense, the balance is just right, and didn't leave me feeling tasty. Rather addictive too, each bite of the delicious chicken meat makes you want to keep eating!

Soy Chicken

I struggled with the Green Onion Tenders. On one hand, I liked the moist, meaty chunks of chicken, with crisp skin and a fresh burst of spring onions. But the salty soy sauce coating the chicken left me feeling very thirsty after the meal. Would be better if the sauce was served separately. Update Apr-2016: This flavour has been discontinued, and is no longer available on the menu.

Green Onion Tenders

Oh gosh the pain. The aptly named Freaking Hot Chicken is suitably hot and dangerous, whose bright red colour and wiff of spicy heat hits you even before you dig in. And when you do, the sticky hot sauce clings to everything, like a tsunami of mouth numbing heat that hurts, and the burn builds till you can't continue anymore. Recommended only for those who can endure extremely spicy food, or those who wish to challenge themselves!

Freaking Hot Chicken

Named for its serving portion of chicken winglets and drumlets, the Bulgogi Wings & Sticks (SGD $22.90) is a unique flavour, only available in this form. The chicken meat is moist, and easily eaten with fingers, but the real star is the sticky, sweet and savoury Korean style sauce, with a deep flavour of roasting / grilling, and garlic. Fragrant and delicious, it's worth ordering this 18 piece box to share!

Bulgogi Wings & Sticks

Bulgogi Wings & Sticks

I felt the Snowing Cheese Tenders looked rather underwhelming, as the portion seems small. I also felt that they could have been more generous with the sprinkling of cheese. But it's tasty, with the sharpness and fragrance of cheese, and the meat is moist and juicy. Pretty good, but small in portion. Update Apr-2016: This flavour has been discontinued, and is no longer available on the menu.

Snowing Cheese Tenders

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Update Feb-2019: More than 4 years on, and NeNe Chicken has successfully expanded across Singapore, with 9 outlets islandwide, all of them halal-certified. Ambience at NeNe Chicken remains casual modern, with medium white lights and sturdy wooden and metal furniture. Service at NeNe Chicken is still self-service, though staff do take orders quickly, and also clean up efficiently when diners leave. Food at NeNe Chicken remains focused on Korean fried chicken, but they've expanded their menu and range of flavours. Portions are sized for individuals, but prices have risen slightly, budget about SGD $13 per person for a meal here.

NeNe Chicken Menu

The NeNe Chicken Tenders Set Meal (SGD $11.90) is good value for money, with 2 sides, 1 drink, and 6 pieces of chicken tenders, in a sauce of your choice. Decently filling.

NeNe Chicken Tenders Set Meal (SGD $11.90)

On its own, a regular sized Soft Drink Coke (SGD $2.80) or Soft Drink Sprite (SGD $2.80) is not worth getting. Go for a set meal if you want a drink.

Soft Drink Coke (SGD $2.80)

Soft Drink Sprite (SGD $2.80)

The Tenders Hot Bling (SGD $8.90) has 6 pieces of tender, juicy chicken tenders, with good sweet savoury flavour. Generously coated in Hot Bling sauce, which lends a bold spicy sweet flavour, and a short lingering fiery burn on the palate.

Tenders Hot Bling (SGD $8.90)

The Tenders Soy (SGD $8.90) has 6 pieces of tender, juicy chicken tenders, with good sweet savoury flavour. Generously coated in Soy sauce, which lends a bold salty savoury flavour, nicely appetizing, making you want to reach for more.

Tenders Soy (SGD $8.90)

The Tenders Honey Mustard (SGD $8.90) has 6 pieces of tender, juicy chicken tenders, with good sweet savoury flavour. Served with a rich Honey Mustard sauce on the side, which lends a bold tangy sour sweet flavour, very enticing.

Tenders Honey Mustard (SGD $8.90)

The Tenders Swicy (SGD $8.90) has 6 pieces of tender, juicy chicken tenders, with good sweet savoury flavour. Generously coated in Swicy sauce, which lends a bold sweet spicy flavour, tickling the palate lightly. Garnished with a mix of black and white sesame seeds, which lend a light crunch and a nutty flavour.

Tenders Swicy (SGD $8.90)

The Corn & Crab Stick Salad (SGD $1.90) has juicy corn kernels, mixed with soft crab stick meat. This has delicate vegetal sweet savoury flavours. I like this.

Corn & Crab Stick Salad (SGD $1.90)

The Pickled Daikon Radish (SGD $1.90) features cubed pickled daikon radish, with a firm crunchy texture. Has a delicate sour sweet tangy flavour, helps to refresh the palate.

Pickled Daikon Radish (SGD $1.90)

By now, the Curly Fries (SGD $3.50) is pretty standard. Curly with a crisp texture, and good fried potato flavour.

Curly Fries (SGD $3.50)

The Cheese Fries (SGD $4.50) feature medium thick potato fries, with a soft fluffy texture and good potato flavour. Served with a creamy Cheese sauce on the side, which lends a robust salty cheesy flavour to this side dish.

Cheese Fries (SGD $4.50)

The Nene Sticks (SGD $4.90) are similar to chicken spam fries, featuring thick cuts of chicken spam luncheon meat, coated in a light batter. Has a soft texture, with a bold savoury salty flavour. However, it's also rather limp.

Nene Sticks (SGD $4.90)

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