RESTAURANT OF THE WEEK Why are Filipinos raving about this Itaewon chicken restaurant?

FRYb is in a small alley a little south of Braai Republic in Itaewon. Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar

FRYb, a small restaurant just south of Itaewon's QuyNhon-gil, describes itself as an "American Fried Bistro." However, members of the local Filipino community have noticed something else about it. Perhaps it's the lowercase "b" in "FRYb," which officially stands for "bistro" but somewhat evokes the name of the iconic Filipino fast-food chain Jollibee.

I won't dispute fried chicken's American origin, but a few distinct features in FRYb's menu reveal that this is American food brought to you via the Philippines. Fried chicken and spaghetti are both common foods in the U.S., but paired together? That screams Jollibee. Chicken with a side of white rice and a little cup of gravy wouldn't be too unusual in the U.S., but it is also signature Jollibee.

The Korean owner of FRYb stood by his claim that his food is American but added that he's added his own unique style to it. He then added that, yes, he went to high school in the Philippines, so he is certainly familiar with Jollibee.

As soon as I heard about FRYb, thanks to a Filipino studying at Sungkyunkwan University, I immediately sought it out. I've heard middling reviews of Jollibee, which I've never actually tried, but I decided I had to taste FRYb's fare for myself.

Whatever the truth is about Jollibee, FRYb's food is fantastic. Unlike Jollibee, it's not fast food. As the name suggests, it offers a bistro-style dining experience. It also has bistro prices, with all chicken dishes between 11,900 won and 18,900 won. The fried chicken in all three dishes I've tried is excellent quality, tender with a crispy breading and not too greasy. It's not heavily seasoned, and if you want a stronger flavor, there is a bottle of Chin-Su chili sauce at each table. You could also try it with the gravy or tomato sauce that comes with some of the menu options.

Chicken and Rice at FRYb, April 3 / Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar

The signature Chicken and Rice dish came with a drumstick and a boneless chicken breast. If you get takeout, the gravy comes in a generously deep plastic cup that enables easy dipping of your drumstick.

The Chicken Sandwich was another winner, served in a long bun split in two pieces, with plenty of coleslaw and FRYb's special sauce, which I suspect is chipotle mayo.

Rather than going for the Chicken Spaghetti, I gravitated toward the Mac & Chicken, which was quite an adventure. The macaroni was split into two camps, one with melted cheese and the other with a tangy tomato sauce, less sweet than I'd expected. Two pieces of chicken — both boneless — were buried in each heap. It was enjoyable, but a challenge to eat as takeout. It would be better to eat it straight from the kitchen, and for takeout, it might be best to order the Chicken and Rice with a side of Mac & Cheese.

I also ordered the Cajun Fries, which were drizzled in that FRYb special sauce — also good, although the sauce made it harder to dip the fries in the gravy.

The menu obviously isn't exactly like Jollibee's, which offers a wide range of foods including beef burgers. But I'm happy to have tried a dining experience that, while inspired by Jollibee, is still its own thing.

A TikTok video by @jp.jonatas titled "Enjoying Jollibee Chicken Joy in Seoul, South Korea," posted March 18, had received almost 10,000 views by April 3, which seems to have propelled FRYb to much wider attention. TikTok user @janineanne__ said, "As a Filipino living in Korea, I’ve been missing Jollibee since like forever, and this spot definitely gave me a taste of nostalgia! Not entirely like Jollibee but close enough."

The interior of FRYb in Itaewon, April 3 / Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar

There are no Jollibee fast food restaurants in Korea, nor are there plans for one. Last year, Jollibee Foods made waves by acquiring a majority stake in Compose Coffee, a massive coffee chain with thousands of locations across Korea. But no moves have been made to send us its signature restaurant. For now, it looks like FRYb will have to satisfy those Jollibee cravings.

FRYb is open daily 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., with last orders at 10 p.m. Follow @fry.bistro on Instagram for more information.