K.L, Malaysia: Marrybrown Chicken

Marrybrown Chicken is Malaysia's answer to the world-famous KFC, with a "global reach" of over 250 outlets in countries like Indonesia, China, India, Kuwait, Qatar, Syria and even Iran. The menu is identical to that of KFC's, with the main focus on fried chicken and chicken burgers. If I have to be blunt though, I would say Marrybrown was quite bad and fell flat on expectations - give me KFC and Popeye's anytime man.



Even the colour codes are the same as KFC's red and white! Speak about originality.


The chicken was tiny, thin, dry and tasted bland (uneven marinating I suppose?) on some parts. I wonder if they actually re-fried their chicken due to the low turnover.


The Marrybrown's version of KFC's Zinger Burger was not all too bad, except that it was really small. All-in-all, a waste of calories (and fats).

Price
RM9.50 for the chicken set.

Place
Berjaya Times Square, #03-98A
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Pictures taken with the Canon EOS 500D.

EwF by Everything with Fries

EwF by Everything with Fries at Orchard Central is the fast-food extension of the original Everything with Fries restaurant. It reminds me a lot of Orchard Cineleisure's Burger Bench & Bar actually, from the burger-dominated menu to the chalk-written display boards to the young, cheery and eager to please (female-only) staff.


It's mostly burgers here, but of quite a variety that I'm not complaining really. In fact, it's burger joints like EwF and Burger Bench & Bar that give the mainstream fast-food chains a run for their money (because of the fresher burgers and unique sides) and is a refreshing change from all the terribly processed meat.

EwF Super Burger Set


With a name like "EwF Super Burger" you would think this is EwF's signature burger and definitely something that it worth a try on a first visit. It's compactly served in a small tray but the first thing anyone would notice perhaps is the size of the burger. It's a tad small and it definitely won't fill you up if eaten on its own.


The Super Burger, packed with so much expectations.


The meat patty was good, tender and nicely minced. I can't remember what exactly the "special homemade sauce" was made up of, but there's surely mayo and some salsa in it. I think. It's a simple burger, not what I would really call "super" because I would expect much, much more then.



The highlight of EwF has to be its flavoured fries, or why else would it feature fries so prominently in its name? The Sour Cream and Onion fries was voted as the best flavoured fries on the table, but if you happen to like the childhood curry-flavoured Twisties snack, you would love the Curry fries here as well.

Service
Very good, pleasant and friendly.

Price
$11.90 for a burger, fries and drink.

Place
Orchard Central, #01-24/25.
Replaced Schokolart.

Pictures taken with the Canon EOS 500D.

Pizza Hut Goal Splitzza

For those of you free/crazy/energised/passionate enough to watch the late night World Cup matches, here's something for you to chew on (literally so) if you hadn't known by now. Pizza Hut's Goal Splitzza features the spicy mayo team on one end and the thousand island sauce team on the other, and on match days you can actually get this to be delivered to your home up till 3am (it's not free of course). Not many matches left by the time you are reading this, but here's an idea on what you can enjoy for the finals if you're cosying up at home rather than rubbing shoulders with the boisterous mob out there.


My verdict? I was a bit disappointed with the aesthetics because I honestly wanted to see the mayo delineating the "pitch" on the pizza. That would have been quite adorable. On taste, I thought it was quite good actually, with adequate crisp edges, tender chicken pieces and distinct sauces. Granted that this is not exactly authentic Italian pizza, but for its "type" I think Pizza Hut still fares pretty well compared to its counterparts in the (mainstream) pizza business.

Hungry? Order soon and eat it while watching the Uruguay vs Netherlands match!

Price
$19.50 for a regular, $25.50 for a large.

Pictures taken with the Canon EOS 500D.

Rome, Italy: McDonald's & Il Mac

Europe has always protested against the McDonalisation of its space, not just because it taints the rich heritage and quaint architecture of its buildings, but also because of how it has completely simplified food and nullified the art of cooking. Cooking and culinary arts, as many of us know, is something that the Europeans are extremely proud of, and to have this fast-food giant opening branch after branch all around Europe has been a phenomenon that has been resented for years.


Still, it makes perfect business sense, heritage and art or not, and boy do the young ones love it. So the least McDonald's in Europe could do is to add an European flavour to it, or create multiple European renditions of the all-American burger. The Il Mac is just one of the many unique creations in Italy, which features fresh beef patties and panini-style buns.


It's odd to be excited about McDonald's, or to love it so much when you're overseas, but trust me when I say it's perfect comfort food wherever you go. Moreover, it's always nice to see how the burger has evolved in different countries, and if that is still not enough for you, then perhaps cost is something else that's worth thinking about. McDonald's in Italy is no doubt more expensive when compared to a similar set meal in Singapore, but it is still relatively cheaper when matched with the main courses found in many trattorias in Italy. Lastly, it's a splendid choice of food to just indulge in while lazing around in the hotel room!


Essentially, I liked the Il Mac. The beefy patty was actually quite moist and tender, more so than any burger that I've ever had from McDonald's. The pane cotto bread was slightly rough but at least it wasn't tough to chew on at all, as many breads in Italy (at least the ones we've been served so far) would prove otherwise. In short, delightful burger.

Price
About €8 for a set meal.

Place
Termini Stazione Centrale,
Rome, Italy.

Pictures taken with the Canon EOS 500D.

Domino's Pizza

I know, I know. This is a loooong overdue post, but I'm clearing all my backlogs now so that I can start on my Italy food reviews on a clean and fresh slate. Besides, I'm currently still in KL as you're reading this, so just wait a teeny weeny bit more for me to get back and start working on those food entries on Italy. It's well worth the wait, that I can promise you! Till then, here's the much (over-)hyped Domino's Pizza making an appearance on this blog, something which has been on my "to eat" list for quite some already but then it didn't quite meet my expectations in the end. Maybe those who got free pizzas from tasting sessions had different pizzas from the ones I ordered online.

Garlic Cheese Onion Rings



This small box of Garlic Cheese Onion Rings comes complimentary with every online order. I know I shouldn't be complaining about free food, but still these onion rings arrived in a terribly soggy state and weren't appetising at all.

Meatzza, Classic Hand Tossed Pizza



I think the pizzas were disappointing. The dough was too thick and chewy (I'm not even comparing it to the authentic pizzas in Italy, I'm comparing it to its local counterparts like Pizza Hut and California Pizza Kitchen) and there wasn't a full or rich enough flavour from the meats. It did feel like eating bread more than anything else. Perhaps I should have opted for the thinner "New York Crust".

Classic Pepperoni, Classic Hand Tossed Pizza



Nothing too different from the earlier pizza, so I guess there's nothing much left to be said. All in all, it wasn't as impressive as many have made it out to be, which is a pity.

I realised the past food posts haven't been the most positive! But don't worry, a review on a reallyyy delicious burger will be coming right up, tomorrow! :)

Service
30mins delivery guarantee. Domino's currently delivers to selected locations only.

Price
$29.80 for a large, 12" pizza.

Pictures taken with the Canon EOS 500D.

Wendy's @ Lau Pa Sat

So my friends who had went to the US for exchange were raving about how good the Wendy's there was, but I think the word "disappointment" would still be too mild to describe their visit to Singapore's first branch at Lau Pa Sat. But as they say, taste can be quite subjective, so I decided to head there for my first bite of Wendy's - the burger of course.


McDonald's, Carl's Junior, Burger King, KFC, MOS Burger, Long John Silver's - they all have the ubiquitous french fries. The only difference? All of them fare a hundred times better. The fries here meanwhile were darker, oilier and thinner. Eeks.


The burger moment. The tease of something grand with that shiny foil wrap. The smacking of lips. Those salivating seconds as you free your burger...


What. This is it? The patty looks (McDonald-ly) thin, and even drier than most burger patties that I've seen. In fact, it is drier, a not to mouth-watering affair surely. Requires huge gulps of coke to swallow it down. If I had to compare, I'd say give me Carl's Jr anytime.

Price
About $9 for an upsized meal. This post features the Double Stack burger.

Place
18 Raffles Quay, Lau Pa Sat Festival Market.

Pictures taken with the Canon EOS 500D.

Dallas Chicken & Ribs

When Dallas Chicken & Ribs first opened in the Chinatown vicinity, it became quite a hit because of it's very affordable $11 buffet (imagine: free flow chicken, wings and nuggets). Now that it has shifted to PoMo at Selegie however, the crowd seems to have dwindled a bit, and I'm wondering if it's because the office people in the area aren't too keen on going for a fried chicken buffet when they have to head back to work after that.


The good thing about Dallas Chicken is that it's real fried chicken, not the kind that's full of flour, soaked in terribly overused oil and yet branded with an extraordinary blend of say... 11 herbs and spices. According to the best friend, the chicken here at Dallas is "the way fried chicken should be". Of course, before we get carried away, I must say that there isnt anything impressive or special about the chicken, just that in comparison to its well known fast-food counterparts it's probably marginally healthier. Yeah, this is fried chicken after all, who are we trying to kid?


For $6, you get two chicken parts, two small drumlets, a packet of fries and a can of soft drink. You could add $2 for another side of onion rings, as I did, but if you're wondering about taste well... this was identical to the ones offered by Burger King. At least it's a tad cheaper.

Service
Fast-food style.

Price
$6 for a Dallas Meal
$2 for a side of onion rings

Place
#02-06/07 PoMo Centre, Selegie Road.

Additional Comments
This eatery is certified Halal.

Pictures taken with the Canon Ixus 80 IS.

Freddie's Burger

I was always tempted to try out the burgers at Freddie's ever since it opened at the Ion Orchard basement and it was not long before I managed to get Daphne to accompany me on yet another burger journey.

The Aussie: 3.75/5


The usual burger set, which comes with curly fries and a drink, would cost $8.50. But if you're a student, there's reason to be happy - $5.75 from 2pm to 6pm on weekdays! I have to admit that it's a little pricier than Burger King and almost as expensive as Carl's Jr, but the size of the burger is more or less on par with Burger King's and definitely smaller than those from Carl's. Which means it all comes down to taste.



"The Aussie", a beef burger with cheese and fried egg, seemed like something so simple that you couldn't possibly go wrong with it. A good thing that Freddie's didn't disappoint. The beef patty was really tender and juicy, and it certainly went well with the sweet (barbecue) sauce. Simple but delicious.

Curly Fries: 4.5/5



I'm biased. I love curly fries, I really do. The fries here, as you can tell from the picture, are of a brighter gold yellow colour than MacDonald's golden brown shade, which means the former is fresher and comes from well, less overused oil? Simply a delight to munch away with chilli sauce or if you like, on its own.

Service
Very good.

Price
$5.75 for a student's set meal (UP: $8.50).

Place
Ion Orchard, #B4-86/87.

Barcelos: Flame Grilled Chicken

It really seems like typical Western fare to me, but yes it does have its origins in South Africa. I have to admit I was thinking it's probably Spanish or Mexican at first. Some people tend to compare Barcelos to Kenny Rogers, as did some of my friends who came here with me.


The space in Barcelos is quite small, but the booth seats are very comfortable if you ask me. You've got a good view of the children's playground, so be warned that you may be seeing stark naked kids running across the window while you're enjoying your chicken.

Garlic Bread



Double Beef Burger: 7.3/10


I liked the beef burger, even if it's quite simple and may not exactly have any special x-factor to it. One thing: it could really do with more fries, which were really potatoey good!


The patties aren't very thick on their own though, so part of the "beefy" feel to the burger is missing. I guess that's why you would need double patties to make up for it. I chose the "Veri Peri" pepper sauce, which fitted nicely and wasn't too spicy. And oh, you would have to pay an additional $0.75 for the cheese though, which I really think shouldn't be separated from the burger in the first place!

Twin Chicken Skewers: 7/10


Daphne liked the fries a lot too, and added that the garden salad was very fresh. The skewers were alright, but I think she "spoilt" parts of it near the end because she was pouring out the "Supa Peri" sauce on them, only to find that it's far too salty for her liking. Our advice? Stick to "Veri Peri".

Half Chicken Meal: 7.5/10


It's not easy satisfying Justin's hunger, but I think this half of a chicken did the job. The waiter was a tad amused too, because he had asked Justin if he was planning to share it with someone but realised that this wasn't so.


I think the chicken was grilled pretty well, and the marinate deserves top marks. It might have been better though if the breast meat was a little less dry and had more of the marinate. I have to admit that the price of the chicken is quite on the high side however, and not everyone would be willing to pay $22.95 for this.

Quarter Chicken Meal


Kimberly had this, a bit charred on some ends as you can tell. I really think a bit more sauce/marinate cooked with the chicken would be good, rather than just pouring it out from the bottles placed on the tables.

Kim: I expected the meat to be dry. Was pleasantly surprised when it turned out to be moisty, flavourful and tasty (although perhaps a tad too salty). The "veri peri" sauce did not have much of a kick to it, and I would recommend trying the super spicy one instead. Portion was just right (or maybe I was hungry), seems to be slightly pricy but otherwise muy contento (very satisfied).

*Thanks Kimberly, I think it's really nice of you to prepare your own review. More next time ya, appreciate it much! =)

Service
Good.

Price


$13.45 for the double beef burger
$0.75 for a slice of cheese to go with the burger
$12.95 for the twin chicken skewers
$22.95 for the half chicken meal
$12.95 for the quarter chicken meal
$2.95 for refillable soft drinks

For more of the menu, click here.

Place
Vivo City, #2-91/93.

Popeye's Chicken & Biscuit

It might come as a surprise, but this was my first time eating Popeye's! I heard a lot about it, even more after they opened another branch at the Singapore Flyer and more of my friends were getting a taste of what's on offer.

Everyone will, needless to say, compare this to KFC. Daphne's sister mentioned before that the chicken used at KFC is frozen, while the ones from Popeye's aren't, hence explaining why the latter taste better. I'm not sure how much of this is true, but after what I had, I think I would stick to my KFC. Why?

Two Piece Chicken Set: 7/10 (Fries: 8/10)


I usually order two chicken thighs at KFC, so it was no different for Popeye's. What was different though was that you're expected to pay $0.50 more for it. Fine, but then when I was peering over at another friend's drumstick, it somehow actually looked larger. The chicken pieces here are at times smaller than those from KFC.

The biscuit too seems like much ado about nothing, it was lukewarm, tasted a bit salty and plain, and adding the jam only added a bit more taste. I heard KFC was trying to roll out biscuits at some of its outlets too, but if the people from KFC are hearing this, please try to ensure consistency across your branches and you'll do better.

Popeye's saving grace comes in its sides - the mashed potato and fries. The mashed potato had more taste than KFC's, and as you can tell from the look of the fries, it's the same thing, added taste with the added spice. I didn't want the coleslaw, so they gave me an extra serving of fries. Good call.

Service
Fast-food type. Quick.

Price
2 Piece Chicken Combo Meal: $6.90
Change to double thigh meat: $0.50
Upsize: $1.00

Place
Changi Airport Terminal 3 (T3) #B2-LF1
Also: Singapore Flyer