Koko Buri: House of Rising Chicken Now in The Fort

There may have been a lot of chicken places in the metro, but any-way chicken is something I'll never ever get enough of. So when I got invited to try out the newly-opened Koko Buri in Forum South Global at Bonifacio Global City, I knew better not to decline.

Although Koko Buri sounds somewhat Japanese (at least to me), it actually is a Korean fusion restaurant serving not just double-fried chicken, but hotpots, pastas and pizzas as well. Since it was first established in Pampanga, the name of the resto was infused with a touch of Kapampangan -- “buri” means “I like” and “koko” is synonymous to "chicken" (not sure if in Kapampangan dialect too, but it is in Esperanto and Botswana languages).

Thus, Koko Buri is directly translated to “I Like Chicken.”

I haven't been to Koko Buri in Clark, San Fernando, nor Subic, so it's nice that a branch finally opens in NCR. However, unlike those 3 branches which are more casual, Koko Buri in The Fort has been designed to be more posh and sophisticated. Just look at the restaurant's nicely-decorated space! Koko Buri Premiere as the owner calls it.

Natural Mango Slush (P140) and ✓ Natural Grape Slush (P140)

After appreciating the elegant décor of Koko Buri, the beau and I went straight and ordered for a glass each of refreshing drinks. Since it was really hot outside, despite it being a -ber month, I had an icy Natural Grape Slush which was really good and thirst-quenching, while the play-it-safe beau had an unadventurous Natural Mango Slush.

The Appetizers

While browsing the menu of Koko Buri, I was surprised to see they serve a variety of Western appetizers. I know the restaurant boasts of offering Asian fusion dishes, but I guess it didn't sink in that much until I saw their actual menu.

Chicken Popcorns (P190)

To start off our meal, we had the Chicken Popcorns -- bite-size pieces of moist and tender chicken coated with batter and fried to a golden crisp. Even without dipping it to the accompanying garlic gravy sauce, both the beau and I enjoyed munching on every piece. It kept us busy while waiting for some of our friends and for the main dishes.

✓ Dori Dori (P260)

The Chicken Popcorns would've been good enough for the trip if not for this unbelievably addicting Dori Dori dish! While I love fish fillets, I haven't tasted anything that had me wowed, until I came across Koko Buri's version. The batter they use is definitely special, and was fried to a delicate crisp, while the Cream Dory itself was cooked soft and moist. Even the beau who isn't a big fan of fish items came to love this!

The Chicken Meals

We thought it'd take a while before our chicken meals would be served, but we were proven wrong. Just a few minutes after the server brought our appetizers, they already served our chicken meals, and our table started to look more like a feast.

✓ Soy Garlic Chicken Meal (P175 Lunch; P245 Dinner)

Since there were only 2 of us, we chose not to order the chicken a la carte and opted for the set meals. First to arrive was the Soy Garlic Chicken Meal served with rice and salad on the side. If I'm not mistaken, the lunch set includes 2 pieces of chicken, while 3 for dinner. Our lunch set was good enough for us though as we weren't that hungry anyway. As for the taste, both the beau and I agreed this is better than Bonchon. The skin is crispy, with a sweet and savory soy garlic glaze. Even the chicken meat itself oozes with tons of juicy flavors. Definitely one of the best Korean fried chicken I've had!

Chili Garlic Chicken Meal (P175 Lunch; P245 Dinner)

Next came my order of Chili Garlic Chicken Meal. Those chilli seeds may throw some people off, but believe me, this isn't as spicy as it looks. Even the beau who isn't much of a spicy food fan got to finish a piece without drinking anything in between bites. That says something! But personally, that was a deal breaker for me. I like my spicy chicken really spicy. Not hot ng ina niyong lahat spicy, but something that'd make my tongue burn a little. If you just want something savory but with a slight kick though, this is for you!

Pasta, Pizza, and Hotpot

Aside from an array of meal starters and 3 variants of double-fried chicken (2 of which we got to try), Koko Buri also offers pasta, pizza and hotpot selections. Being the foodies we are, we wanted to try something from each of these categories.

Fettucci di Koko Buri (P380)

We took our friendly server's pasta recommendation and got the Fettucci di Koko Buri which is a serving of al dente-cooked fettuccine with pieces of chicken tenderloin and asparagus in cream sauce. Although the beau is a big fan of pasta dishes with cream sauce, he wasn't too fond of the dish because of the asparagus. I on the other hand, enjoyed every forkful of this tasty item. I loved how the cream sauce had hints of freshness from the asparagus, while still being rich and slightly savory.

Primavera Pizza (P455)

For pizza, we had the Primavera which is topped with different kinds of meats, mushrooms, herbs, bell peppers, onions and black olives, with a thick layer of mozzarella cheese. Basically, the supremo equivalent of other pizza restos. Taste-wise, I can't say this is rave-worthy. It's good and enjoyable, but I usually like my pizza covered with just a few kinds of toppings. What I love about this is the crust though. It's super thin and really crispy on the edges. Every slice was light that we finished this off very easily.

✓ Nagasaki Champon (P595)

Although I don't normally order hotpots, I really appreciated the Nagasaki Champon on the menu. It's a warm and comforting hotpot with 5 kinds of seafood: clams, mussels, shrimps, squid and alimasag (smaller kind of crab), cabbage, beansprouts, scallions and udon noodles simmered in a pork-based soup. It comes spicy, a lot spicier than the Chili Garlic Chicken, so let your server know if you want your hearty soup with a lighter kick.

THE VERDICT

Koko Buri is a very interesting restaurant. I went there without any expectation since I didn't fully understand what kind of food they serve. I'm glad to report that I went out fully satisfied though. Although the Asian fusion menu as a whole still left me a little confused, my palate and tummy were happy with every dish we got to try. The Korean fried chicken alone, which Koko Buri is known for, is enough to make me come back, and I'll be sure to order a full serving the next time!

Overall, I'm pretty happy with our trip to Koko Buri. With good food, friendly, courteous and knowledgeable servers, and reasonable pricing to boot, it won't be long till I find myself at Koko Buri's doors once again.

Taste - 4/5
Ambiance - 4.5/5
Service - 4/5
Price - 4/5
Overall Value - 4/5

Koko Buri, Fort Bonifacio
2/F Forum South Global Bldg., 7th Ave. cor.
Federacion Dr., Fort Bonifacio, Taguig,
Metro Manila, Philippines
(02) 565-5446
Official Website
Facebook Page
Instagram

Other Branches:
Pavilion 4, Jose Abad Santos Highway,
Clark Freeport Zone, Angeles City, Pampanga
(045) 499-5656

Tierra Linda Bldg., Gapan Olongapo Road,
San Fernando City, Pampanga
(045) 436-5656

Harbor Point, Rizal Highway
Subic Bay Gateway Park, Olongapo City, Zambales
(047) 250-2968