6.299

31 (Sat) October 2015

Yetnal Tongdak

1.0

from BBQ [delivery]

at home

-Apgujeong, Seoul-

with the family

BBQ Chicken is a Korean chicken delivery chain. Founded in 1995.  Currently — supposedly — over 4,000 branches worldwide, including over 350 locations in 56 countries outside of Korea, such as USA, Brazil, Spain, Turkey, Iran, Saudi Arabia, India, Mongolia, China, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Viet Nam, Fiji, and Australia.  Arguably Korea’s second most famous chain, after Kyochon (see generally 4.094 Original Soy-Garlic Chicken).  Despite the name — and no, it didn’t start out* as “Best of Best Quality” — the emphasis is on deep-fried chicken.

To my utter surprise, this is the first time featuring BBQ on the blog.

Since launching the blog, most delivery chicken orders have been put through Torre Ore, which I prefer for the roast/grill chicken (see most recently 5.138 Original Gui Chicken…).

The Yetnal Tongdak was crap.  Though deep-fried whole as per tradition — “yetnal = old days” — the chicken was slathered in the sweetish chili sauce commonly associated with modern-day Korean fried chicken.  And improperly cooked, the skin was inedibly greasy.  Ugh.

The Prodigal Son Returns to Score Drugs, Day 2 (see previously 6.298 Mul Naeng Myeon).

In Seoul.  Took sick leave and flew home yesterday to get treatment for this cough that I can’t seem to kick, now into the 15th day.  Flying back to Manila on Monday.

*Koreans like to retroactively apply words to initialisms that initially didn’t stand for anything — e.g., Hyundai “XG” = “Extra Glory;” DJ “DOC” = “Dream of Children” — or meant something else — e.g., “KT&G” = “Korea Tobacco & Ginseng (before)” vs “Korea Tomorrow & Global (now);” “LG” = “Lucky Goldstar/Geumseong (officially)” vs “Life’s Good (slogan).”