Customers who want to eat the spiciest fried chicken at Taufik Batisah's restaurant must sign an indemnity form

CNA

5 days ago

Singaporean singer-entrepreneur Taufik Batisah's popular Nashville-style spicy chicken joint, Chix Hot Chicken, has opened a second outlet at Prinsep Street. The new spot sticks to the same fiery chicken concept, but now seats up to 100 diners, compared to the no-frills 60-seater at Kampong Glam. It's also a lot more stylish and boasts a few new dishes exclusive to this outlet.
While the original eatery has a humble chicken shack vibe, the Prinsep branch turns things up a notch with neon lights, checkered floors and brightly coloured walls.
'We were going for a futuristic Americana diner type of vibe, hence the loud colours and pop art. The disco ball was the icing on the cake – we just wanted it to be funky and fun,' chirped Taufik.
When asked why he waited seven years to open a new outlet, Taufik exclaimed: 'Rental is very expensive!
'It took us a while to find the best location...Somewhere that accommodates our crowd, especially students and the younger generation.'
Prinsep Street makes a "strategic location', with arts schools like SOTA and NAFA nearby, he added.
'I wouldn't suggest [working in] F&B to anyone. Rental break-even is very tough,' said Taufik. 'When I told my Malaysian and Indonesian friends [about our rental costs], they said 'Are you nuts?''
Factoring in both rising rent and food costs, he declared: 'We've tried our best to keep up with inflation – we haven't changed the S$9.99 weekday lunch set promo (the popular set includes a chicken burger, fries and drink) since 2018.'
Taufik Batisah, 43, together with co-owners Bober Ismail, 38, and Zad, 44, first launched the eatery at Jalan Pisang in Kampong Glam in 2018, specialising in Nashville-style fried chicken. The new Prinsep Street outlet, which opened in February 2025, marks their next big step.
Taufik shared: 'Bober and I have been best friends since 2004. We met at our neighbourhood gym in Jurong.'
Bober revealed that they invested a six-figure sum into the new outlet. They declined to disclose the new outlet's revenue or profits.
He said that Chix managed to achieve profitability at the first outlet, though it took time to get there. 'It was challenging at the start, to introduce a new concept in Singapore but we kept going,' Bober added.
'I love fried chicken. I can eat fried chicken every day,' Taufik cheekily remarked. The Indian-Malay singer says that his wife often teases him: 'You're not very Indian or Malay if Western food is your comfort food.'
Taufik shared: '[My role is to bring] people down to Chix. I come by both outlets whenever I can, to talk to our customers and get feedback on how we can improve.'
Chix's halal chicken from Malaysia is brined in buttermilk before being dredged in seasoned flour, fried till crisp, then massaged with a reddish dry rub of ground cayenne peppers and other 'secret ingredients'.
The menu at this new outlet is similar to the OG one, with the exception of a few new items. Expect Chix's fried chicken in six levels of spiciness – level six featuring the world's spiciest pepper, the Carolina Reaper. Three chicken wings cost S$13.90 while three chicken tenders cost S$14.90, with a top-up for spice level four onwards (from S$0.99 to S$1.99 for Atomic).
What kind of damage can you expect from the Atomic heat level?
Bober explained: 'It can cause a range of intense physical reactions due to its high concentration of capsaicin (it hits 2 million on the Scoville chart, which measures how hot a chilli is). While it can trigger a release of endorphins, leading to a temporary 'high', it can also cause significant pain, digestive issues or diarrhoea.' Whoa.
And that's why customers must sign an indemnity form before attempting the Atomic option.
'We've had about seven ambulances called,' shared Bober. 'One guy tried to impress his girlfriend and went for the Atomic level chicken. He started tearing up, lying down on the floor and passed out.' So they sent him to the hospital.
Evidently, said customer turned out fine. He was spotted back at Chix months later, this time fully upright and steering clear of the Atomic chicken.
With up to 30 customers ordering the Atomic chicken each month according to Bober, they see customers vomiting outside the restaurant countless times. 'While we may not see customers having diarrhoea in our toilets, most of them usually vomit outside the shop,' he quipped.
Taufik himself got all teary-eyed at level five ('Insane') of Chix's hot chicken in 8days.sg's TikTok video. He barely managed the Atomic chicken, with tears streaming down his face and jokingly telling his wife that he'd gladly give her his leftovers.
What's Taufik's go-to burger?
The Chix Cordon Bleu burger at medium spice level. 'So I can enjoy my burger. But if I'm feeling adventurous, I'll go for hot,' he said.
'We kept 80 per cent of our menu the same as the original outlet's and 20 per cent new so that each branch will have something that the other doesn't,' added Bober.
The Prinsep joint also offers all the existing promotions, including weekday S$9.99 lunch sets and S$5 milkshakes every Wednesday, along with a new exclusive student deal: Two burgers for S$11.99, available here only.
The new food options include three burgers. The Miss Alabama features chicken thigh rubbed in a barbecue spice blend, smothered in the American state's popular white barbecue sauce that often contains apple cider and mayo. At Chix, they've added a hint of black truffle to keep things different.
The Smokin' Cajun burger comes with the same crunchy chicken fillet dusted in a smoky spice rub and a drizzle of Cajun sauce that's inspired by viral US fried chicken chain Raising Cane's – made with ketchup, mayonnaise and spices.
If you prefer it sweet and saucy, the Sweet Barbecue burger stars fried chicken glazed in smoky-sweet 'cue sauce with gochujang, topped with Chix's signature pink sauce (a blend of chipotle, garlic and mayo).
Wash it down with the all-new milkshake flavour: Cookies & Cream (S$8.90).
Taufik has big plans for Chix Hot Chicken beyond just the food. He hopes to transform the Prinsep Street outlet into a platform for young creatives to showcase their talents.
'We plan to host open mic and stand-up comedy nights,' he said, noting the proximity of nearby art schools.
And the star plans to sing here too: 'We may have a [performance] at the new outlet to celebrate our opening, maybe alongside another hot chicken challenge (whoever finishes three Atomic-level chicken tenders the fastest wins)' at year's end.
Beyond that, Taufik will have collaborations with other well-loved local brands.
'It's about supporting each other's businesses,' he said. 'That's how we create longevity.'
That's why Chix at Prinsep Street is teaming up with Penny University and Paparch later this month. Expect a coffee cart by Penny University (the popular cafe is at Jalan Klapa), plus creamy cheesecakes from Paparch (a popular takeaway cake shop from City Gate).
The property agent-cum-co-owner of interior design company Ivory Cove recently announced his first (and possibly last) solo concert, One Last Dance, this October at The Star Theatre.
Tickets to his 5,000-seat concert are already sold out, with prices ranging from S$78 to S$228 each.
'The entertainment industry has served me well, but [my] popularity is going to eventually die off and simmer down,' he said candidly. 'It's important to diversify our work and [ways to] earn income.'
Venturing into F&B has always been one of his goals.
'It's one of the businesses I've always wanted to pursue,' mused Taufik.