T.K.K. Fried Chicken

"This KFC equivalent in Taiwan opened up its first NYC location as a combination TKK and Kung Fu bubble tea shop in November 2018. Expect an extra-crunchy exterior and skinless, tender meat on these birds. Besides the namesake chicken, there are equally decadent add-ons, available a la carte or in combos, like biscuits and kwa kwa bao, a TKK invention comprised of mushroom sticky rice cloaked in chicken skin, then fried." - Eater Staff

"For some fine fast-food fried chicken that’s not Popeyes, turn to Taiwan’s TKK chain, founded in 1974. It teamed up with Kung Fu Tea near Baruch College, where you can wash down fairly conventional fried chicken with a vast range of hot and frozen beverages, plus beer. The chicken comes in three degrees of hotness. Don’t miss the fried chicken skin rolls stuffed with sticky rice, called kwa kwa bao." - Robert Sietsema

"Decades-old Taiwanese fried chicken chain TKK Fried Chicken is coming to town, as noted by Twitter user @siisterspooky. This will be the first location in Massachusetts, and it’s coming soon to 1 Beale St., Quincy, according to the company’s website. The location, formerly home to a Papa Gino’s, will be a combined TKK Fried Chicken and Kung Fu Tea shop; the latter, a bubble tea chain, already has about a dozen Boston-area locations. TKK Fried Chicken opened its first location in the Wanhua District of Taipei, Taiwan, in 1974. The chain currently has 66 locations in Taiwan, two locations in Shanghai, and one location in New York City’s Flatiron neighborhood. The New York City location is also a partnership between TKK Fried Chicken and Kung Fu Tea. TKK Fried Chicken’s website indicates that the Quincy location isn’t the only American expansion in the works — the chain also plans to open shops in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Cherry Hill, New Jersey; and Richardson, Texas. The Flatiron shop’s menu features fried chicken standards like tenders, wings, breasts, thighs, and drumsticks, along with fried chicken sandwiches, and sides like mashed potatoes, coleslaw, curly fries, crunchy cheese curds, and shishito peppers. The Flatiron location also appears to have a beer and wine license, though it’s unclear at the moment if the Quincy shop will offer alcohol. Eater NY critic Robert Sietsema visited the Flatiron location earlier this year and noted that the chicken comes in three styles — original, crispy mild, or crispy spicy. “For god’s sake, get the crispy spicy!” he wrote. Also notable: a “very good biscuit” and the “really, really good” kwa kwa bao, “an invention that’s become a signature of the chain.” It’s sticky rice packed with mushrooms, sealed in chicken skin, and fried. Eater has reached out to TKK Fried Chicken and will update this post as more information becomes available." - Terrence Doyle

"TKK Fried Chicken, a joint restaurant with Kung Fu Tea (115 E 23rd St., Flatiron District), the Taiwanese fried chicken chain’s first New York offshoot. Kung Fu Tea offers cheese tea, among other newfangled Chinese beverages." - Robert Sietsema

"The city has gained a slew of Taiwanese options as of late, with hip restaurants like TKK Fried Chicken opening within the past year." - Carla Vianna