There aren’t a lot of dishes that can top Korean fried chicken in my books – but that was before I tried Kawwki Korean Flaming Chicken. Located near Food Street at IOI Mall in Puchong, the restaurant specialises in oven-baked chicken done in Korean-inspired flavours, served alongside a mix of traditional and contemporary Korean favourites such as Spicy Tteobokki and ramyeon.

It’s clear that the shop’s design draws inspiration from K-pop culture, from the open layout to the bright pops of orange juxtaposed with cool grey and beige. It creates a fun and inviting vibe – perfect for dining with friends and family.

There’s even a small section called Kawkki Mart where you can browse for imported coffees, teas, and soup bases from Korea.

You can see where the magic happens through a glass window, where rows of whole chickens are slowly cooked over a spit in industrial-sized ovens.

Kawkki’s signature, their rottiserie chicken, comes in several variants – including the original Korean Chicken, Pa-Dak Chicken (honey soy garlic sauce), Spicy Red Chicken (gochujang sauce), Lemon Green Chicken, and Cheesey Yellow Chicken. Unfortunately for single diners, they don’t have much choice in terms of smaller portions, so it’s best to come in a group if you’re planning to dine here. One whole chicken, which is stuffed with rice, is good for two diners, and it also comes with a variety of banchan (side dishes). Prices range from RM78.90 to RM96.90.

The fam and I got the Pa-Dak Chicken to share. The dish was served on an octagonal tray with nooks for sauces, as well as plates of banchan including kimchi, salad with sesame dressing, stir fried potatoes, and veggies. The chicken was sizeable and was topped with leeks and fried garlic, drizzled over with Kawkki’s special sauce.

Roast chicken can be tricky to make, as the meat can be dry if not timed properly.

I found Kawkki’s version to be pretty juicy! The sauce was insanely addictive, a sweet, savoury, garlicky combination that screamed umami. The rice stuffed inside the chicken was the purple variety, which gave it a more grainy texture compared to plain white rice, but it worked well overall.

The side sauces were what truly elevated the meal for me, as they each brought forth their own distinct flavour that allowed the meat to shine. Noteworthy ones were the sesame and the lemon green sauce, but my favourite was the cheesy mustard, which was creamy with a pungent hit of mustard at the end. Best part? The banchan and sauces are refillable.

Not a big fan of kimchi in general, but these were okay as they didn’t have that strong vegetal smell I often associate with cabbage lol. N liked it though and had several refills.

Since the chicken would not have been enough for the five of us, we got Truffle Cheese Pan Grilled Rice. This was tasty fresh out of the kitchen, as the cheese was still piping hot and gooey. I did not detect much truffle though, so it tasted just like cheese baked rice to me.

Second Visit

Since we enjoyed the chicken so much, we made a repeat visit and ordered the same thing, but with different accompanying dishes.

This time around, we got the Popcorn Chicken Tteobboki (RM28), which featured plump and chewy rice rolls, fish cakes, and springy ramyeon bathed in a spicy gochujang sauce and topped with tender yet crispy chunks of fried chicken. I think if I’m not getting the whole chicken, this would be my go-to order here.

The Gyeranjjim (Korean Steamed Eggs) was a bubbling, frothing treat that threatened to spill out from its bowl. Warm, fluffy, and comforting, garnished with bits of carrot and spring onion, this one’s for the egg lovers or those who prefer milder flavours.

I think the quality of food makes Kawkki worth the higher than average price tag. It was consistent across both visits, as was the friendly and efficient service.

KAWKKI KOREAN FLAMING CHICKEN

EF6 & EF7, First Floor, IOI Mall Puchong, Jalan Puchong, Bandar Puchong Jaya, 47100, Puchong, Selangor.

Opening hours: 10AM – 10PM
Phone: 03-8082 4314

PS: If you enjoyed reading this, please consider supporting my website via Patreon. This will go towards hosting fees and ensuring that I can continue to deliver authentic content for your reading pleasure. Or buy me a cup of coffee at paypal.com @erisgoesto. Thanks for stopping by!

PS2:  All food reviews are at own expense unless otherwise stated. Views here are my own and are based on my personal experience. They are not meant to endorse or disparage businesses in any way.