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Everybody needs a little KFC

That crackly crusted, twice-fried treat called Korean fried chicken is undergoing a minor resurgence in town.

Cheesling chicken at bbq chicken, 938 Race St.
Cheesling chicken at bbq chicken, 938 Race St.Read moreMICHEAL KLEIN / Staff

That crackly crusted, twice-fried treat called Korean fried chicken is undergoing a minor resurgence in town, what with the new South Street West location of Andy's Chicken and last week's opening of bbq Chicken at 928 Race St. in Chinatown.

The hook at bbq (which stands for "best of the best quality," and not "barbeque") is that the chicken is fried only once, in olive oil, not peanut oil. The result: crunchy outside, juicy inside, with sauces running the Scoville scale from tame to nuclear, and plastic gloves provided to keep hands clean. One interesting flavor is "cheesling," in which the tenders are dusted with powdered cheese.

Among other KFC favorites are Banh Street (in Spring House, near Ambler) and the region's granddaddy, Cafe Soho in Oak Lane — the inspiration for Federal Donuts' celebrated birds.

Also fun: the massive, salt-and-pepper-crusted cutlets called Taiwanese fried chicken at Cheers Cut in Chinatown. For true taste bud excitement, try the Pakistani fried chicken chargha at Wah-Gi-Wah in West Philly, marinated in spices and yogurt. PFC?