In search of bests: fried chicken
Ben's rendition of Thomas Keller's fried chicken (Photo by: Ben Ratcliffe)
In our regular feature called In Search of Bests, we’re picking some of our favourite dishes or drinks and asking you where you think the “best” version of it is and why you like it. We’re not trying to compile a “Best of” list but we are trying to find some examples of our favourite dishes executed well and discuss what makes them so good. So whether you’re writing in from Queen St. W in Toronto or Queensland in Australia, we’d like to hear from you.
Andrea has already has had her personal favorite, so here goes for a favourite of mine: fried chicken. Ever since I was as wee foodie, I have enjoyed fried chicken. Even in university, with a hangover and wondering what to fill our stomachs with, the dirty bird chant rang true to these ears. I don’t claim to be an expert, but I knows what I likes. Here’s the short list, so you can check my cred: crispy coating, flavourful chicken and maybe, just maybe a dip (let’s say honey or a new addiction addition, korean style sauce). It’s a short list to be sure, but it’s hard to get just right.
As we’ve put out there for you in the past, where do you get your favourite fried chicken and what makes it, the best?
I will zip around the Greater Toronto Area, trying different kinds of fried chicken, on your suggestion. I will even go to both Popeye’s and aforementioned KFC. We’ve been for soju and Korean Style Fried chicken at Ajuker in Toronto already. We’ve even made the Ad Hoc at Home famous chicken a la Thomas Keller, (sneak peek: it’s famous for a reason and fantastic). But, we want to hear from you, too! So do some commentin’ and fill in the gaps. How do you like your chicken?
In a true web 2.0 style experience, we’ll share our findings (and perhaps some lipitor) on a future podcast.
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Comments ( 14 )
Stockyards is the best I’ve tasted. I’ve also made the Keller dirty bird and Stockyards’ is similar but better. Probably because they’re working with an actual deep fryer.
David @ Food With Legs added these pithy words on
Apr 27 10 at
10:17 pm
foodie411- no stop required, i already passed go when i got their chicken as a side dish.
david- i agree. still, making your own fried chicken with such a crust as keller’s is pretty fantastic.
Ben added these pithy words on
Apr 27 10 at
10:49 pm
I have to introduce Chick-n-Joy in Riverside to the conversation. I have not been, but read about it on Chowhound a couple of years ago and made a mental note to go. Who’s in?
foodie411 added these pithy words on
Apr 27 10 at
11:13 pm
foodie411, i’m picking up the call. google mapping and planning for next week. let’s see what those chowhounders gots.
Ben added these pithy words on
Apr 27 10 at
11:15 pm
Stockyards, obvs. Still need to try the Drake.
Ajuker made my heart hurt more than any meal I’ve had at Popeye’s or KFC…
nico added these pithy words on
Apr 28 10 at
12:44 pm
Love the ‘cast, Best fried chicken in the city? oddly the best i ever had was in the Hot Stove Lounge at the Air Canada Centre. They do a boneless half chicken in buttermilk. Best i’ve ever had indoors (made fried chicken camping once, nothing like cooking in the wild).
DMoney added these pithy words on
May 18 10 at
1:14 pm
glad you like it, dmoney. next time i’m at the acc, i’ll check it out, or try and get a t&c agent to smuggle some out for me. what did you like about it? taste/crispiness/coating flavour/dipping sauces?
and so far, even indoor deep frying is poking it’s head out at the top of the pack.
Ben added these pithy words on
May 18 10 at
1:47 pm
Remember Church’s chicken? I remember it was pretty good for fast food fair. Also, what are your thoughts on Mary Brown’s?
Andrea added these pithy words on
Jun 08 10 at
11:34 am
Hey Folks When are you going to do another “in search of bests”. I would love to know where the best Roti is. Let us know!
dmoney added these pithy words on
Aug 18 10 at
1:54 pm
Note it is exactly august since my last post. Coincidence?
dmoney added these pithy words on
Aug 18 10 at
1:54 pm
could be a coincidence, could be that you’re hungry for another episode, which should be coming out in the next week or so.
we’ll announce what our latest “in search of bests” segment will be on the prowl for, but i love the roti idea, and will likely steal it. my current favorite is ghandi roti, although it might not be what many might consider “roti.”
Ben added these pithy words on
Aug 18 10 at
2:04 pm
Yeah Ghandi’s is awesome. The issue at hand is that every one seems to have their “own” roti. They deffer all across the Caribbean as well as throughout south asia (there is this malaysian variety that i had at the cabbage town street fest last year that blew my fragile little mind!!!!). But i digress, can’t wait for the next episode!!!
dmoney added these pithy words on
Aug 20 10 at
8:55 am
murtabak? that stuff is dynamite. and when i hear it’s someplace, i make sure i’m there. i wish those guys would have gotten the street vendor license.
ben added these pithy words on
Aug 20 10 at
9:13 am
