Allen’s Fried Chicken

Let me say at the outset that I’m not really a fan of fried chicken fast food. In fact if I had my way I’d bulldoze the lot of them. Part of my dislike is that many of them leave the flaccid skin on the skinny jointed chicken pieces and deep fry the floured joint. Another dislike is that the chicken is deep fried in a process of pressure frying, this has two big advantages for the business, as it cooks the food more quickly and the temperatures are high enough to kill any bugs in or on the chicken pieces, so as not to kill the customers. Another dislike for me is the oil and liquids that result from the pressure frying becomes the chicken gravy offered up. Another dislike for me is the chicken bones so you’ve guessed it, this place wasn’t my choice. So it was then that I chose a chicken burger to avoid bones and skin. I asked for a hot and spicy one for ‘flavour’. This got me a thin escalope of chicken breast deep fried in a spicy ‘flour’ type mix. Despite my prejudices it was quite alright. The spice want too hot and the fried escalope didn’t taste greasy. The barely toasted, aerated white sesame seeded bun was fine too — insipid and thankfully light. I was impressed with their coleslaw and more so the pre skewered corn on the cob. I’d expected the corn to be grim and cooked to within an inch of its life but it actually was fine. The worst thing of all are the chips: they really are awful, honestly guys they are horrible, with no discernible taste and they go limp and lose any heat in under a minute and they probably have no real nutritional value either. So that’s that place tried and behind me. A first and last fried chicken experience, and while it wasn’t truly awful I genuinely hope to never return.