Juniper
Borenos Fried Chicken @ Damansara Uptown
Like many people, I love fried chicken and in Malaysia, there are plenty of fried chicken brands to satisfy everyone’s palate but what do we look for in fried chicken that kee[s us going back to a particular brand? For me, I would definitely ant juicy, moist yet crispy and crunchy chicken, preferably served piping hot too. I have eaten my fair share of dry, hard and cold fried chicken and it is not a pleasant experience as I paid for such meals and didn’t get my money’s worth. True that the size of the chicken matters but what is more important to me is the quality. It isn’t such a hard ask for the fried chicken to be tender and moist, that just makes the meal much more enjoyable and memorable.
A few days ago, I made my maiden visit to Borenos Fried Chicken which was open in Damansara Uptown in March. They have 2 other outlets located in IOI Puchong and Bangi. At Damansara Uptown, Borenos is located a few doors from the famous Village Park Restaurant. Parking in this area can be quite impossible at any time of day but luckily, there is Starling Mall which is a short stroll from Borenos. It’s better to park at the mall since you don’t have to keep extending street parking fee.
Borenos is a homegrown brand established in Sabah in 2015. Of course, you can work out the brand is from East Malaysia as “Borenos” stands for “Borneo + Sabah”. Rest assured too, Borenos is officially Halal-certified. There’s much more than just fried chicken on the menu as you can also find Fish & Chips here and although I didn’t get to try Fish & Chips, I am told they use pollock instead of the more commonly used Dory. Pollock is a higher quality type of fish and higher priced.
They have an all-day breakfast menu which comes with coffee and hash brown if you order the Set Meal.
There are a number of options on the menu ranging from Set Meals, Value Meals, Combo Meals to Burger Meals. Interestingly, you can even order Truffle Fried here which comes laden with parmesan cheese. This is not something you can normally find in a fast-food restaurant as we usually see this item in cafes and restaurants.
The fries are absolutely crispy and topped with a generous amount of Parmesan Cheese. There is enough on this plate for 3 people.
There isn’t a spicy or non-spicy version of the fried chicken here which suits me fine as I never go for spicy anyway. I prefer the original taste. The chicken comes with a brown sauce (Borenos Sauce). The fried chicken batter is not as thick as other brands’ but it’s perfect for me as it is not too thin either. The skin is super-crispy, and the meat is fresh, tender and moist. This is exactly what good fried chicken should be. The size of the chicken is smaller than some other brands’ but it isn’t as small as that most famous fried chicken brand we all know.
What is even more tender and juicy is the Spring Chicken which is served whole. The meat pulls apart easily and this one can absolutely feed 3-4 people. Just order some Fries, Coleslaw or Mashed Potato to complement this.
When cut, you can see just how juicy the Spring Chicken is. Spring Chicken is a meal that can be enjoyed by the entire family.
I love Coleslaw & their version didn’t disappoint. In fact, it is exceptionally good as it tastes fresh (no slimy taste) and the vegetables are cut very fine. I have not tasted finer Coleslaw than this.
Kudos too to the Mashed Potato which is superb, so soft and creamy.
If you have a craving for chicken porridge and who doesn’t once in a while especially if you have no appetite for anything else, Borenos Chicken Porridge is actually thick. I have come across too many Chicken Porridge in fast food restaurants that are so thin, more water than rice. Borenos version is like home-cooked, remarkable for its quality.
Let us not forget Borenos drinks. The iced chocolate uses chocolate from Sabah, the bandung drink is not sweet just the way I like it but most unique of all is the Ginger drink brought in from Sabah. It is like drinking Ginger Soda, the taste is unforgettable and makes me want a whole carton.
Borenos is one beautiful fast-food restaurant thanks to the long mural on the wall downstairs. There is more seating upstairs, this outlet is very spacious. It’s a great place for events and parties. For more information on Borenos Fried Chicken, please visit their website.
