Even crispy chicken can be eaten in-store now！ Try this late-night snack in Tainan — the No. 1 ranked fried tofu!

Text and photos bymimi Han

Come on, come on, weight loss can wait till tomorrow！ Time for another super indulgent food session！ The star today is crispy seasoned chicken (aka 鹽酥雞), a beloved late-night staple among Tainan locals (seriously, is there anyone who doesn’t love it?). This place, 《Fried to Chew》 from Kaohsiung, has been around for a while, but I only got around to trying it recently. Our group went all out and ordered an entire table full. What’s pretty special here is that you can actually dine in — which isn’t always common for crispy chicken spots — and the place is clean and hygienic. Really nice！

This 《Fried to Chew》 is a crispy seasoned chicken specialty shop that rose to fame from Kaohsiung and made its way to Tainan. It seems to be the first in the area to SOP (standardize operating procedures) and chainify the business. Their Tainan branch is located at the intersection of Yongfu Road and Zhongzheng Road, right next to the also very famous Qiaobei House.

Unlike typical street-side crispy chicken stalls, this place is much cleaner and more organized. The staff wear uniforms, and ordering and number-calling are all computerized！ They even offer delivery services, with a minimum spend of NT$100 for 1 km (up to around 2 km, apparently).

There’s dining space on both the first and second floors, with an industrial-style decor that gives off a youthful vibe — perfect for a group of friends to hang out, gossip, or chat. Or if you just don’t want to bring the smell of crispy chicken back home, eating in-store after ordering is a great option too.

Popular menu items include chicken cutlet for NT$60, chicken pieces for NT$50, and fish cakes for NT$20... There are quite a few choices, and the prices are actually similar to those of street stalls. Plus, they offer a more relaxed dining environment, so it’s nice to switch things up once in a while.

Since you can dine in, of course the drinks menu is not to be missed～ Their cold-brewed tea is of really good quality and pairs perfectly with crispy chicken. Haha, and if you’re hanging out with a group of buddies, adding some beer makes it even more fun.

Wowza～ The first time I’ve had such neatly arranged and presentable crispy chicken！ They even serve it on wooden trays, with each type neatly separated — looks super clean and appetizing, and no one ends up mixing everything up. You can choose toppings like basil, onion, scallion, and garlic (pick two).

The chicken we ordered that day came in Italian style and spicy flavor — both were pretty delicious. The meat stayed juicy and tender, definitely not dry at all. The spicy chicken doesn’t taste too hot at first, but the heat kicks in later — recommended for spice lovers.

▲ American-style fries.

They’re even thoughtfully served in a metal basket — so cute！！ Freshly fried, hot and crispy on the outside, soft on the inside — fries are already yummy on their own, and you can choose from Thai sweet chili sauce, honey mustard, ketchup, or pepper for dipping.

▲ Fried tofu.

Said to be the No. 1 popular item at the Tainan branch. The outside is somewhat like golden-crusted tofu, though not as flaky, and the inside stays super tender. It’s genuinely tasty — highly recommended.

▲ Water-drop fries.

They actually kind of look like silkworms！！ Inside is a generous serving of mashed potato, and you can clearly taste the difference between the inner and outer textures. I’d never had fries like this before — pretty unique！

▲ Thick rice sausage.

Highly recommended. It’s basically a glutinous rice sausage, and the shop really does stuff it into real pig intestines. When fried, it’s super fragrant, and there’s also a good amount of mashed taro inside — the texture is hearty. I think it’s really tasty.

▲ Handmade fish balls.

These are those big, thick slices of... fish balls... When you bite into them, there’s a strong fishy umami flavor. Actually, compared to fish cakes, I prefer the taste of these. I heard they’re also a frequently ordered item at the shop.

▲ Mexican green pepper cheese.

This one also has a really fresh taste — a crispy outer shell filled with Mexican green peppers and rich, delicious cheese. The flavor layers are quite complex, making it a bold choice. I’d suggest having just half per person, as eating too much might get a bit heavy.

▲ Tribal salted pork.

It’s like the salted pork you sometimes see at night markets, but here it’s fried instead. It’s super aromatic with a fragrant oily taste, and the meat texture is delicate. It’s also on the heavier side flavor-wise, so pairing it with a drink is just perfect.

To balance things out, you definitely need to order some veggies too！ Eating crispy chicken can still be healthy, so you can eat more (lol). Baby corn, broccoli, and green beans are common ingredients here, and they’re quite sweet and fresh.

▲ Big slice chicken cutlet.

Really generous portion — the size is huge, with not much bone, mostly actual chicken meat. And it doesn’t feel greasy at all, instantly reducing the guilt factor XD

▲ Taro stick pumpkin fritter.

This one is actually listed in the dessert section of the menu—how unique~ The outside is crispy fried taro sticks, while the inside is filled with rich mashed pumpkin. My friend’s comment was: “It doesn’t look tasty, but it actually tastes pretty good!” We ended up ordering two more and joined the “I may not be pretty, but I sure taste great” club.

▲This"Homemade ChickenFried Rice"is also quite special. It uses chicken to make the meat sauce, which makes it less greasy compared to the typical Tainan-style fried rice with meat sauce. It has a somewhat similar aroma to pork rice, so those who don’t like oily food might want to give it a try.

The savory fried chicken shop even serves chicken soup—pretty unconventional, huh~ The broth is simmered every morning with big bones, paired with tender chicken and radish, helping to cut through the grease and refresh your palate. If you’re not in the mood for a drink, go for this instead.

Overall, "Zha Qu Ken" (Fried to Chew) is quite a refreshing twist on the usual image of savory fried chicken shops. It offers a cleaner and more hygienic environment, has dine-in space, and you don’t even need to go buy drinks separately—they’ve got it all here. With a wide variety of ingredients and everything made to order, it’s much tastier than eating it cold after taking it home. Next time you get a craving, why not give Zha Qu Ken a try for a whole new take on savory fried chicken?

Zha Qu Ken Savory Fried Chicken Specialty Store (Tainan Branch)
Address: No. 70, Section 2, Yongfu Rd., West Central District, Tainan City
Phone: 0971-513563
Hours: Sun–Thu 15:00–23:30; Fri–Sat 15:00–24:00

Qu Ken (Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Ximending Branch)
Address: B2, No. 658, Section 1, Ximen Rd., West Central District, Tainan City
Hours: 11:00–22:00

Mimi Han
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