Bad Bird Umami Fried Chicken at Century City Mall's Hole In The Wall

During my last visit to Hole In The Wall at Century City Mall, I couldn't help but notice the line of customers of this stall. I decided to go back to find out what the fuzz was all about.

Bad Bird Umami Fried Chicken is one of the handful of kiosks that are already operational.

I decided to return on a weekday and line-up five minutes before opening time. Good, I was the first to be served.

Initially, I thought "umami" was an ingredient. After googling, it turned out to be a Japanese-created word to describe a new taste sensation. Aside from the familiar sweet, salty, sour and bitter, there's supposedly a more recent one that corresponds specifically to monosodium glutamate. In other words, MSG or Ajinomoto. Wow, some marketing strategies are really amazingly effective.

I grew up in a kitchen where Ajinomoto was essential. I think my taste buds have been brainwashed to love this ingredient. Therefore, a taste of Bad Bird Umami Fried Chicken should be a trip down memory lane.

I like these interesting statues on display.

Kimchi organized in bowls for fast plating.

I wanted to get one of these skewered corncobs but the thought of having bits of corn stuck between my teeth was unpleasant.

Hole In The Wall is filled-up with all sorts of seating arrangements.

I think I will pick a different table and chair design every time I visit.

For me, natural lighting plays an integral part in making the dining experience more interesting. I don't like the dark nooks and crannies of some restaurants. A German cockroach might suddenly appear.

I think this area is the most spacious. Its near the eclair shop.

I chose a table and waited for the round thing I was provided with after ordering to buzz.

I decided to get two of the Fried Chicken Plates.

This is the Waffle Plate - " 2 pieces sweet potato waffles, miso butter, maple syrup ".

The size of the chicken was quite ample given that there's thick bread coating. Each of the plates I had consisted of a safe spice level chicken and a spicy level chicken.

I like waffles so I was looking forward to this version.

It was quite tasty and crunchy. I like it.

My premise is that since umami pertains to monosodium glutamate, then that should be the prevalent taste. The one thing I remembered was how essential it was for me to chew away on the thick crust. The chicken had a nondescript flavor, in my opinion. The meat was moist but the oomph factor was missing.

The other plate was called Dirty Rice Plate - " steamed rice or fried rice with bacon, chicken liver, tamago, bonito/kimchi ".

I like the presentation of the food on a piece of paper.

The kimchi on the side was quite good. The rice tasted just like any other kind of fried rice.

I also got an order of Hush Puppies - " golden corn bread, honey, black pepper, scallion ".

I'm not a fan of the Hush Puppies. I find the flavors to be unappealing.

With the exception of the spices from the spicy level chicken, I felt shortchanged on being provided interesting flavors. I may have been wrong to expect the MSG factor.

Of course, I couldn't finish both plates and brought home two pieces for dinner. Hours later, the crispiness was gone and after being zapped in my microwave, the chicken had taken a soggy appearance. To my surprise, I now liked the chicken. The flavors came out and I was loving every bite. If I do order again, it will be for takeaway and consumption at a much later time.


Cost of Meal : 630.00