Pizzamaru's Chicken (and Pizza)

The first time we ate at Pizzamaru was at JEWEL where we ordered their pizza.

The second time we ate at Pizzamaru we ordered two types of chicken, plus their pizza. 

It's quite easy to forget that Pizzamaru offers both chicken and pizza. 

Maybe because they tend to talk about their pizza more than they talk about their chicken. 

But best it is not to forget they have it. 

Because their chicken (and their pizza) is really, really good. 

Being in Bugis Plus this evening, we were trying to decide between Turkish, waffles or sushi. 

Then my friend suggested Pizzamaru. 

(They had a good deal!)

So we went. 

I was secretly hoping to have two types of fried chicken (because I like both yang nyum and honey butter and they do it good) but then I looked over to the next table and realized that each basket had, like, five pieces of the bird each and two types of chicken would mean ten pieces altogether for just the two of us and that seemed a little too much.

So we decided on a pizza, and a basket of chicken instead. 

Their pizza is a must when you're at their place. 

It don't matter what kind of pizza you order. 

They're all good. 

The last time we had their pizza I think we chose a broccoli and mushroom (or something) with green tea dough.

So we got a Hawaiian this time.

I was pleasantly surprised when the pizza arrived at our table. 

You know how some Hawaiian pizzas come served with the cheese all over the place, hams all over the place and in some cases, a miserable few chunks of hard, dry, tasteless pineapple that fall off at first bite?

Not so here. 

Not only were there juicy sweet chunks of pineapple skillfully attached to the soft, melty, gooey cheese, there were medium sized chubby shrimps above little circles of ham all around the pizza. 

It's as if you were meant to have both the shrimps and the ham together. 

And it's as if you were meant to have the pineapple and the cheese together.

I liked how the pineapple didn't fall off the cheese. 

I also liked how the ham added a little bit of saltiness to the shrimp and the bread and the cheese with that feel of meaty chew without it being too overwhelming. 

Perhaps the most notable thing about the pizza was the crust. 

Some pizza breads tend to leave you feeling very jialat. 

This one here, however, was light, doughy, chewy and (if you were all dressed up and trying to be girly), nibbly as well. 

You know, now that I think about it, it was the same with the chicken as well.

Their chicken is one of those things where you can be feminine and girly (hair tied up in hair bands, hair clips and all) yet still eat heartily because it will be an absolute waste if you don't relish eating a chicken this good. 

I've never really known how they do it but Korean fried chicken is in a world of its own. 

The aficionados will have their own descriptions and their own words, but let me just say that their chicken pieces are never small (I've never seen a winglet), they're marinated nicely, breaded nicely, and have got that crunch that you wont' quite find in other types of fried chicken in other cultures elsewhere.

Maybe it's the way they bread it.

Maybe it's the way they deep fry it. 

I don't know. 

But eating their chicken is a multi sensory thing. 

The solidness of the chicken in your hand, the sound of crunch that reaches your ears, the feel of crisp skin and warm, tender flesh in your mouth, and the flavor of whatever you've ordered all over your lips, your mouth, and your tongue.

Every piece makes you want more. 

Every piece makes you want to wipe up the flavoring with whatever you have on hand, relish that shiok shiok feeling you have, and think about switching your cup of cold barley tea for a mug of beer.