Reviews Chicken Shop

It’s a balmy September night in London and my flight had just arrived from Berlin. All accounts so far had warned me to rug up as if the ice age was coming, yet there I sat in a T-shirt - comfortable, but hungry. Of course smart phones choose our meals these days and rather than wander around possibly ending up with a less than savoury meal, I flicked through the Four Square app. I came across a seemingly decent restaurant with an 8.9 rating that was only 0.2 miles away. The decision was made and I scampered off to the ‘Chicken Shop’. 
The words ‘Chicken Shop’ back home in Australia instil strong imagery of a small family-run store with delicious rotisserie chicken, but in a dirty eyesore of a shop. Typically there would be cold metal furniture, greasy tiled floors and a flickering blue insect light at the back that would intermittently buzz as it take out the bugs that didn't end up in the food. It’s quick and easy, not pretty, but it sure as hell is tasty. This is exactly what I expected to find when I arrived at the Kentish Town location.

At first I couldn't find the entrance. I was hopelessly searching for an oversized fluorescent-lit window with a friendly-looking international store clerk behind a chrome counter top. Instead, I finally noticed a doorway with a minimalistic sign above, displaying the words, ‘Chicken Shop’.

I began to hear the sounds of soulful music playing as I made my way down the polished wooden staircase that levelled out onto a dimly-lit restaurant floor with designer furniture, candles, stylish decor and a well-stocked bar. It was certainly not the image I’d had on the way over. The waiter greeted me with a warm smile and explained that the menu sits on the wall at the back, much like the chicken shops back home. The concept made sense. They’d taken the classic idea of a family-run fast-food shop, but added the flair of fine dining. The place exudes class, yet it doesn’t lose its friendly local chicken shop feel. 

I excitedly sent off my order of half a chicken and watched the chefs chopping up 24-hour marinated, steamed and rotisserie roasted birds in the open kitchen. The chicken arrived ready to go in a takeaway polystyrene box. 

I eagerly made my way back upstairs to find a nice spot by a canal or in a park to gorge on the tasty goodness. The smell wafting from my carry bag overtook me and I set up on a curb like there was no tomorrow. The box flew open in holy grail fashion to expose the most delicious looking golden brown, juicy chicken you could hope to see from here to Timbuktu. During the meal I paused only for a second to mourn the loss of a piece that I had dropped during my trance-like eating state. I didn’t want the delicious food to go to waste and offered it to a passing puppy. The owner yanked her dog away in disgust. If only that pooch had known what he was missing out on.

I finished up and licked the house-made hot sauce clean off my fingers. Finger-licking good you say? Most definitely!

However, the corn was perfectly cooked with charred blackened bits giving it plenty of flavour.

A bloody good brownie too. It’s a sign of a great pudding when you’re already full and then suddenly, before you realise, it’s all gone.

A nostalgic highlight among the sides are the crinkle cut chips (although these are bettered at Dirty Burger) but the chicken really is the star. It’s served in pieces unlike that impaled, under-seasoned bird at Tramshed – and is seasoned and charred in spots to give it a true grilled taste. Supermarket spit chicken this is not, but at £14.50 for a whole one, it’s a bargain.

I was overjoyed to join the young, hip crowd at The Chicken Shop, not least because the smell of the rotisserie chicken was intoxicating! 

The menu is simple and to the point. I presume this is because they didn't want to mess around with what is the best, most delicious rotisserie chicken, EVER! Thank heavens there are a few of these places around! 

The service was absolutely perfect: fast and happy without being in your face and annoying. Very reasonably priced too. Their drinks menu is a little brief, but luckily, you don't come here for the beer.

“Just chicken?”
“Yes, is that a problem?”
“No. I like chicken”
“Good”

So went the conversation when I suggested to a friend that we met at the Chicken Shop in Kentish Town on Tuesday night. My reasons for visiting were twofold: 1) I would be muddy coming straight from a BMF session on Hampstead Heath so didn’t want anywhere formal and 2) if a restaurant just serves chicken, it has to be good chicken right? And I do like some good chicken.

We met as she had just walked straight past the door. The Chicken Shop is clearly far too hipster to do such a mainstream thing as have an actual sign advertising its presence (to be fair – it doesn’t seem to need one, it was full all evening) and instead settles for its name printed on a Hessian bag hung from the door. It does make finding it, if you don’t know what you are looking for, a bit tricky. Downstairs the dimly lit room (good date lighting FYI, although if you can find a way to eat the chicken seductively, you are a better woman than me) is a cross between an American diner (chequerboard floor, plastic tables, brightly coloured chairs) and an old barn (dark wood ceiling and bar, enamelled plates and chickens, chickens everywhere).

All the food and drink is written up on blackboards. We ordered a small jug of house red (the wine is simply labelled house, good and decent). I’m not sure what it is was, and was too thirsty to ask, but it was perfectly drinkable.

We then turned our attention to the food. My friend looked horrified when she realised this was a ‘sharey place’. I love ‘sharey places’ but have long since realised that many of my friends do not like going to them with me. I *think* this is because I am not very spatially aware so I can’t really judge equal portions, I went to boarding school so can eat really quickly, and well, I am just a bit greedy.

The food came incredibly quickly, and the chicken really was very good. Straight from the spit, it was succulent and with a crispy, herb slathered skin. There was a large wedge of lemon to squeeze over it and two bottles of sauce on the table - smoky and hot. The sides were also very good – we opted for crisp crinkle cut fires and corn on the cob, which had coriander melted butter poured over it at the table. There was only one issue: the later came in three pieces. After having had one each, and failing to get a knife through the third to divide it, I suggested I just ate half and then past it over. Only I forgot and ate the whole lot. However, as luck would have it, the table of four right next to us went for a smoke right after their mains, and left behind, sitting alone its dish, an untouched cob. Feeling guilty for my earlier cob gobbling, I sneaked it off the table and past it to my friend. I am not meant to say this, but she did eat it, and quickly, before they returned. Our (rather cute) waiter found this very amusing.

Despite the previous incident my friend did agree to share a piece of apple pie for pudding, although only if she could divide it when it arrived. I agreed. The pie was served in a family style dish from which the waiter asked how much we wanted. He then placed half a pint of cream on the table and told us to help ourselves. You can see the results in the photo. The apple pie was warm, cinnamony and sweet. Perfect.

But perhaps even better, was the bill. At £16 each, for a lot of really good, unpretentious food and plenty of wine, it was very good value. And to top it off, when I told our cute waiter the food was better than Nandos, he said he loved me. Yup, perfect.

If you're tired of the regular fried chicken joints, go out to Kentish Town and walk up the hill to a Green (almost hidden) door next to Pizza East. Chicken shop does one thing, and only one,but they do it damn well! Get a whole bird from the spit, or half, order 2- 3 sides and enjoy the best, juiciest chicken you've had in a long time. Corn on the cob and fries would be my personal recommendation, there's a range of sauces to go with. If you have a good enough appetite, or can resist ordering seconds, try the Apple pie.

Succulent chicken, crispy fires and crunchy coleslaw makes chicken shop one of my favourites for a hearty meal. Top it all off with their homemade apple pie and ice cream and you can’t go wrong. Love this place!

The family’s favourite restaurant; a Sunday staple. The kids love the chicken, chips and corn on a cob, equally good for eating in or take-away.

Love this place. Delicious food and desserts special the apple pie.

Perfect place for grabbing some chicken to eat in Kentish Town. Reasonably priced and very tasty dishes. I had the chicken salad with the sweet potato fries and was great. Cocktails were pretty good too. Their homemade smoky and hot sauces were amazing! Ask the staff for their secret with sauce! Staff was really helpful courteous, one of the best I've encountered! Totally recomended!

We went into this place just by chance, and luckily they had some counter seating available for three of us. Really happy of this "accident", since the chicken was fantastic, so tender and tasty! I really like the basement-style restaurants, and this makes no exception. The place looks good, it feels good, and the service was just perfect - and everything was reasonably priced (+ we got generous discounts due to their birthday). Oh yeah, and the apple pie was just amazing cherry on top of everything, highly recommended!