Popeyes Fried Chicken Is Great Comfort Food

Some days the comfort food you seek is the savoury sort and not the usual sweet carbs. There are days I crave for fried chicken. Not just any fried chicken, but the Cajun flavoured ones from Popeyes. The bright orange decor of the place is also very cheery. (colour psychology reveals that orange is an enthusiastic colour that reveals excitement, enthusiasm and warmth)

I first heard of Popeyes (the founder, Al Copeland, joked that he was too poor to afford an apostrophe) when I saw a branch at our Airport. I immediately thought of the lovable cartoon character, munching on his pipe and his tin of spinach. At the airport branch they were actually showing Popeye cartoons – which I used to love. When I think of Popeye I also think of the amazing Robin Williams who transformed himself into the character for the movie. I can’t think of anyone else who could have morphed into Popeye as well as he did. Once again I digress. Popeye’s was started in 1972 in New Orleans, Louisiana (home of Britney Spears). The restaurant was named after a character called Popeye in the movie The French Connection. It went global in 1984, but it took more than a decade to reach our shores in 2009. They claim to only purchase from suppliers who stick to animal welfare guidelines. I guess they trump KFC in not only taste.

There’s no spinach on the menu – thank goodness. It’s comfort food all the way with fried chicken, fluffy mashed potatoes with gravy, savoury biscuits and corn kernels in real butter. I chose spicy for my chicken, but you can so for mild as well. Although the spicy is hardly spicy in the local sence of the word.

The outlet at Ang Mo Kio Jubilee has a very polite, Indian Singaporean lady (her name was listed as Sarah on the receipt) at the helm, in her late twenties probably. I think she could get kudos for great customer service. Thought I should mentioned something positive for a change, as most Singaporeans get flak for bad customer service. I don’t know her, but I hope the management gives her a promotion or something, if they come across this. I too often come across rude servers who are blunt and rude when they speak to you, so this was a highly refreshing change.

The Franchisee of this outlet is Malaysian, George Ang of the Revenue Valley Group which owns The Manhattan Fish Market (I am surprised, because I ate there once and didn’t like the food at all, although my mum and sis like it). I do love Tony Roma’s and Gelare which his group operates as well. George, who graduated from the University of Western Australia, was formerly a Corporate Banker who made the right switch to F&B – his true passion.

This time the food is as yummy as it looks. I upgraded my chicken and converted them all to chicken breasts. The breast meat is just so moist and it’s like a taste sensation exploding in your mouth. I got loads of packets of Kimballs chilli which is the chilli they use at Popeyes. I just had to pay an extra 50 cents each to convert the wing and drumstick to breast meat instead. The mashed potatoes are so fluffy and I love the gravy which had bits of herb in it. The corn tastes like it is imported from the US and I love it’s buttery taste and that it’s kernals are individually removed, so you get nothing stuck in your teeth.

For the biscuits, I like the ones at Texas Fried Chicken the best, because these are a bit sourish while the ones at Texas Chicken had a lovely maple syrup taste. I am not as fond of the coleslaw, which has a sourish pickled taste, and for this item, KFC wins with it’s sweeter coleslaw.

photo by bookjunkie

photo by bookjunkie

photo by bookjunkie

photo by bookjunkie

photo by bookjunkie

This is what the bill worked out to in Singapore dollars:

3 Pieces of Spicy Chicken (upgraded 2 of them to breast meat) = $8.80
4 Biscuits = $4.50
1 Regular Mashed Potato = $2.00
1 Regular Coleslaw = $2.00
1 Regular Corn= $2.00

Total = $19.30 Singapore dollars.

photo by bookjunkie

photo by bookjunkie

I patronized the Ang Mo Kio Outlet today, but there are other branches. I just wish they would introduce a delivery service. When I asked some time ago, they mentioned it was in their plans.

AMK JUBILEE- Ang Mo Kio MRT
Changi Airport Terminal 1 & 3 – Changi MRT
Century Square- Tampines MRT
Singapore Flyer – Promenade MRT
Toa Payoh Entertainment Centre – Toa Payoh MRT
Downtown East (New branch)

About bookjunkie

Blogging about life in Singapore & recently cancer too.
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9 Responses to Popeyes Fried Chicken Is Great Comfort Food

  1. I’ve never had their fried chicken, but I’ll eat any place’s mashed potatoes!

  2. Once again, I’m simply in awe of your photography…my gosh! Do you know how GOOD you are? Popeye’s is my very favorite…of all the fried chicken chains here in the southern U.S. I love your posts…even if I am feeling totally yukky…YOU, my dear, always make me feel better. Thank you so much.

    • bookjunkie says:

      I am so glad to know that’s it’s true…that Popeye’s is really the best. Sometimes we feel kind of deprived as we don’t get all the junk food we want. I am still waiting for Olive garden and Krispey Kreme to come to Singapore.

      Thanks a zillion LD….you are really kind!! Made my day as usual 🙂

  3. J says:

    Now the smell and taste of that biscuits is invading my senses! I am going have sweet dreams with the biscuits.

  4. 365days2play says:

    Never heard of Olive Garden, what’s that. I feel hungry now looking at your photos! I feel an urge to go to Popeyes like tomorrow, darn!

  5. Pingback: Gave in to Fried Chicken Craving | Singapore Actually

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