Everything seems to be coming up fried chicken across Vancouver and in neighbouring communities lately. Global and local brands, as well as some indie efforts, are coming here to nest, giving us a taste of how fried chicken is done in a number of styles.
Fried chicken is gloriously versatile since you can get that juicy, crunchy, salty goodness as wings, bone-in pieces, or stacked inside pillowy buns. Whether it's doused in fiery sauce, sticky with honey and garlic, or just straight-up breaded and fried, the flavour possibilities are pretty impressive. No wonder fried chicken in all its forms is topping the list for new Vancouver food ventures these days.
Over the past few months, Vancouver has had quite a few fried chicken joints join the restaurant scene roost - there's even one name The Roost! The city's fave fried chicken food truck Frying Pan just opened its brick-and-mortar spot in Gastown, a local chain famous for its coal-coloured wings is adding locations, and Free Bird has been welcoming fried chicken fans to its Richmond coop. We're even pretty pumped about Popeyes.
Here are three new spots in Vancouver focused on fried chicken that have beaked -- whoops, that's piqued -- our interest.
Fixins Mac n' Chicken
A new 'ghost kitchen' concept from the crew at Tap & Barrel and Brewhall, Fixins Kitchen is a take-out and delivery only restaurant that is pretty much all about two things: mac and cheese and fried chicken. While there are nine versions of mac and cheese on the menu here - ranging from a mini kids' size portion of the basic noodles and cheese sauce situation to the $27 "So Fancy" one that's made with lobster, truffle, chives and lemon - when it comes to fried chicken, Fixins is doing it up as original or spicy in chicken dinner combos, wings, or a sando. You could say this ghost kitchen is a real poultrygeist.
Chic Chic Chicken
Local fried chicken spot Chic Chic Chicken launched this fall in Surrey's Newton area (72nd at King George Hwy) and now have set their sights on a space on Kingsway at Knight in Vancouver. The restaurant says they are focused on Canadian-sourced ingredients for its menu of chicken pieces and tenders, available as fried, roasted, BBQ, or even grilled.
BB.Q Chicken
This Korean chicken chain has several locations across B.C., Alberta, and Ontario, but is now making its first foray into Vancouver proper for a standalone restaurant. Here, "BB.Q" actually stands for "best of best quality," and its numerous locations sometimes take a slant with what's on offer. Known for its menu of KFC (Korean Fried Chicken) in wings or pieces in flavours like Soy Garlic, Hot & Spicy, Gangnam Style, or Cheeseling - just to name a few - the menu is packed with ways to experience chicken. With locations across Metro Vancouver in places like Surrey, Coquitlam, and PoCo. A BB.Q Chicken Lemon concept is launching at 1517 Robson St, in the former Thai Away Home space.
