Korean fried chicken franchise roosts in South Sound

The "pub" part of Chicky Pub got plucked in translation. Despite what the signage says at the Federal Way location, the two South Sound franchises of the nine-year-old South Korean fried-chicken chain do not serve beer. But that's OK. Chicky Pub serves pretty good fried chicken.

Chicky Pub opened inside Lakewood's Pal-Do World supermarket in December. Chicky Pub opened in Pal-Do World in Federal Way in March. Both outlets serve cooked-to-order fried chicken, plain or with sauce, known as "yang nyum" style in Korea.

A whole, cut-up bird is $14.99 without sauce, $16.99 with sauce. A four-piece combo (with salad and soda) is $8.99. All come with pickled banchan., As they'll tell you when you pay, your order will take about 15 minutes to prepare.

I ordered chicken with sauce and without sauce. Both ways, the birds were crispy outside, juicy inside. The sticky red sauce is alluring, with rice syrup tempering the chili. Pickled radish, cucumbers and mild kimche cut the fat and cooled the hot sauce.

Chicky Pub also serves Korean soups and barbecue dishes.

For those who read Korean, here's Chicky Pub's Web site.

Chicky Pub: 9601 South Tacoma Way, Lakewood; 253-581-1148; and 2200 S 320th St., Federal Way; 253-941-8282. Both restaurants open 10 a.m.-9 p.m. daily.

This story was originally published June 4, 2008 at 5:58 AM with the headline "Korean fried chicken franchise roosts in South Sound."