Winging it

As trainers, we're on our feet and move around the training room for at least five hours a day. That, coupled with a measly 30 minutes for a lunch break, leaves us tired and famished, so we're always on the lookout for a place to eat at the end of our shift.

Bon Chon Chicken has always been one of our go-to places ever since it opened its first Philippine franchise in the Ayala Triangle in late 2010. A five- to 10-minute walk (depending on which route you take) from the Insular life building, it's located along the strip of restaurants in the Ayala Triangle, behind the Makati Stock Exchange building.

The facade of Bon Chon Chicken in Ayala Triangle.

Because I've been avoiding rice lately, I usually get the small order of the chicken wings. You get six pieces of chicken wings in a small order, which is essentially three wings. You can also get drumsticks or chicken chops (chicken fillet), if you're not fond of the wing part, or even a combination of drumsticks and wings. I also like ordering their kimchi coleslaw to accompany the chicken.

Diners can choose from two variants of the chicken: soy garlic or hot & spicy. I've tried both flavors, and I must say that both are excellent. The hot and spicy chicken is something I wouldn't recommend to people who have a low tolerance for spicy food. A friend of mine and I have a very high tolerance for spicy food and love drowning our food in pepper or hot sauce, but we gave up after eating a few wings. The spiciness of the chicken punches you in the mouth, and you're left with a tingly feeling even after your meal. If you love spicy food, I recommend asking the server to make your order half soy garlic and half hot & spicy. That way, you get to get your fill of chili, but without having to down a glass of soda after each piece.

On the day the pictures were taken, though, my friends a I decided to split a large order of wings. For 720 Pesos, we got 24 pieces of chicken! We asked the server to give us 18 pieces of soy garlic chicken and six hot & spicy wings. I had my usual order of kimchi coleslaw, and my colleagues followed suit.

Our crazy order—24 pieces of chicken wings (for three people) + kimchi coleslaw

The moment you bite into the chicken, you get a feeling of satisfaction from the crunchiness of the skin. The flavor is intense, from the skin to the meat, and the meat is perfectly cooked, very juicy and flavorful. I like the flavor because it's not too salty and you can taste the garlic, but the flavor's not too strong that you'll get tired of it after a couple of pieces. The kimchi coleslaw is the perfect partner; it has the refreshing taste of homemade coleslaw with a slight kick of spice. It's perfect for those who want a hint of spice in their food. Because the chicken is cooked perfectly, with just the right amount of flavor, you can't just stop after one piece.

Oh, the carnage. On a positive note: these chickens did not die in vain.

Non-meat eaters can also tag along with their carnivorous friends because Bon Chon now has seafood dishes! They've recently launched three new dishes: Fish tacos, shrimp rice box and fish rice box. The fish and the shrimp are cooked with the same coating they use for the chicken, so pescetarians (like Jacs!) can enjoy the flavor of Bon Chon with their meat-eating friends and family.

It'll probably be a long time before I get tired of Bon Chon Chicken. It's the perfect comfort food after the end of a tiring day, and it doesn't put a big hole in my pocket, too!

Bon Chon Chicken has two branches: One in Ayala Triangle, and another in Greenbelt 1, both in Makati City. Two branches are opening soon: One on Libis and one in SM Megamall A.