Holdak : Go Crazy Over Crunchy Boneless Korean Fried Chicken!

Truth be told, Korean fried chicken craze is not over yet. And I am still crazy about them. While there have been number of places offering this delectable way of frying our good ol' chicken, sadly there are only few which hit the right button for me. I think it's pretty obvious since there are only few which I wrote about here at YedyLicious. (No room for bad and lukewarm reviews here unless it's really called for. I only celebrate all things beautiful and delicious in life thank you very much.)

So, when a friend introduced me to this new restaurant named Holdak which specializes in Korean fried chicken, I moved mountains just so I can fit the meet up in my crazy schedule. I am glad I did because honestly, for me, Holdak dishes out the best Korean fried chicken in Manila I have ever tasted in such a long time! And I am not exaggerating here, mind you, I have my reasons. Stay with me and you would know.

Located at the ground level of Mezza Residences in Aurora Blvd. Quezon City right across Central Colleges of The Philippines near SM Centerpoint, Holdak occupies what used to be a Californiaberry spot in the area. They are the master franchise of Holdak which hails from Busan South Korea. While the place exudes an inviting vibes, it was the food that really got me head over heels with them.

I rarely tagged a place as "YedyLicious' Highly Recommended" but I think Holdak deserves the recognition. They tagged themselves as the real Korean fried chicken, which I deem subject to judgement as they are a new player in the field, but seriously, I really don't mind because they are the best I have tried by far.

So why such rave? You may ask. Well, despite my years of food writing I never claimed to be people's palate. But if you are into succulent, flavorful, and downright crisp Korean fried chicken then I must say this must be for you. They do have variety of flavors and will soon add more. And if you are the type who wants an effortless way to munch on your chicken without being bothered by its bones, then Holdak must be really for you. Yes, their chickens are boneless. As if these reasons are not yet enough, I love the fact that they only use chicken thigh parts for the added moist and succulence. Boneless. Thigh part. That's Korean fried chicken dream come true for me.

Currently there are four sauce flavors that are available at Holdak, although we were told by Holdak's Restaurant Manager MC that they will be adding more soon. I have tried all the four flavors and I find all of them seriously palatable but I have some favorites.

Yangnyam is a combination of savory and sweet flavor that is usually expected to a Korean fried chicken. Although it holds the description as the real Korean fried chicken recipe, this is by no means your ordinary fare. The sauce obviously penetrated every shred of the chicken making the entire deal very flavorful to the last bite. Its distinct Korean taste is very apparent but what made this all the more special is the crunchiness of the chicken coupled with the tenderness and the juiciness of the meat. First time I visited Holdak, I immediately declared that this was my favorite.

For those who have knack for an extra spicy kick to their well loved Korean fried chicken, the Spicy Yangnyam can be a better option. It has basically the same taste as the Yangnyam only spicier. I have to warn you though that its level of spiciness is something serious that anyone who is not into spicy fare should just stick to the original flavor or other variants.

My friend Ivy who introduced me to this awesome place initially told me that I should try the Padak because it's her favorite. First time I tried it, I already knew why she insisted for me to try it. It has the sweet savory note in flavor with a hint of oriental taste. It is mildly spicy compare to the Spicy Yangnyam, something which I can handle and savor to bits. It is best eaten with the spring onion that comes with it for an added thrill in texture and distinct Asian flare in taste.

I have always been in love with T.G.I.Friday's Jack Daniel dishes and I am happy that Holdak also dishes out their own rendition of it through their chicken. Honestly, I couldn't quite distinguished the difference between the Jack Daniel sauce at Friday's and at Holdak because it tasted the same for me which I love. Just like the Padak, it has a little kick of spiciness but not overwhelmingly so. By the time I am writing this, Jack Daniel is the apple of my eye.

Considering that Holdak's utterly delicious chicken, prices are really reasonable. For 2 piece meal including rice, prepare to shell out Php99 and Php159 for four piece chicken with rice. They also offer box of 10 with 2 side salads for only Php379 and box of 20 with four fresh salad for only Php699. The chicken parts are big that the four piece meal can be for sharing. Aside from chicken, holdak also offers side dishes such as salad, flavored fries, and ramen. Just like the sauce flavors, Holdak is still in the process of adding more dishes which they will introduce to their diners in no time.

When not in the mood for rice, one can opt for an order of Pajeon or Korean Pancake (Php45 / 3pcs) to go with your chicken. Note however that when eaten alone, Pajeon can be tad bland in taste but when combined with the flavorful chicken, it'll be a different experience altogether. Korean Salad (Php35) are like our well loved coleslaw only a tad tastier. It is a perfect combination with chicken but I usually mixed mine with rice before I dig in to my chicken (yeah, I'm weird that way.)

While Holdak offers regular fries, I suggest that you try their Curry Fries (Php55) as a break from the usual. I love the creativity in coming up with unlikely flavor that works really well. I just hope that they offer fries topped with Yangnyam sauce and bits of chicken and call it Yangnyam fries for the win.

With barely a month in operation, I was surprised that the place was jampacked every time I visit and passed by. It clearly indicates how great tasting their chickens are and I couldn't agree more. It is too early to judge but by the rate they are going I am pretty sure that will do well in satisfying their customers in terms of dishing out really awesome Korean fried chicken.

I am looking forward to new additions on their menu, but meanwhile, I am satisfied with all the things I can buy from them because flavors in everything they have are well executed and really satisfying. Truth be told, this is now my favorite Korean fried chicken place, and I would be very happy to know if you my dear readers would get to try them as well and let me know what's your favorite. I hope to see you all there one of these days!