Billy and the Chicks - Soho

[craigjm]

Anyone been?
I love the idea of a gourmet version of KFC to rival all the gourmet burger places in London but have yet to find such a place. The reviews are mixed.

http://billyandthechicks.com/

If you have been how would you rate your experience?

[craigjm]

Thats the vibe I am getting from the reviews!

Intrigues me how so much money is being sunk into the saturated Burger market and yet someone is not doing fried chicken, fries (or US style mash), gravy, corn etc in a similar fashion.

[Chucklehead]

there's a place called Bird in Holloway, and I think they have a few others in N London.

I've never been, so can't comment, but it looked like the same kind of thing.

I'm actually going to an event at Arsenal tonight, that could be dinner!

[Rollin]

Yard and Coop Manchester. Cheap, cheap too

http://yardandcoop.com/northern-quarter-restaurant...

[craigjm]

Chucklehead said:

there's a place called Bird in Holloway, and I think they have a few others in N London.

I've never been, so can't comment, but it looked like the same kind of thing.

I'm actually going to an event at Arsenal tonight, that could be dinner!

Yeah I've been to the one in shorditch when it opened but a lot of my friends hate going "east of Liverpool
Street" so only went once. Didn't realise they had expanded into Islington and Camden

The problem with bird is that it tries to be all things to all men with it's different sauces so you want Korean fried chicken you got it etc

[matrignano]

Tried Billy and the Chicks once, the wings were nothing to shout home about to be honest.
There are 2 other "posh" chicken places in the area but haven't tried them yet: Ma' Plucker and Absurd Bird. Anyone been?
I also fancy the idea of a posh KFC...

[Type R Tom]

Having tried Gus in Memphis and Hattie B in Nashville recently, I don't really want to eat fried chicken over here again. If someone could get close to how they do it people would be queuing out the door, like they do over there!

[Eversleigh]

Been a few times - great chicken and I'm a big fan of the spicy burger. However I have a friend who is a friend chicken aficionado who tells me Chick 'n' Sours on Earlham street is worth a try too.

[Lozw86]

Let's face it, a chicken burger for £7.50 is never going to be gourmet. Tasty, well prepared and with fresh ingredients perhaps, but not gourmet

[louiebaby]

We have an Absurd Bird in Exeter, which was pretty tasty, they have branches in The Smoke too:

www.absurdbird.com

Not enough MSG though, obviously...

[craigjm]

The problem for me with absurd bird and chicks and sours is they are not really selling southern style KFC type chicken and accompaniments they are kind of trying to make korean fried chicken with chilli and all which is great but im looking for somewhere which is basically a sit down upmarket version of KFC with mash and gravy and all the other US traditional sides. I have never found anywhere that does biscuits and gravy in the UK

[TwigtheWonderkid]

I thought Nandos was KFC for people who have mastered cutlery.

[craigjm]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Exactly it's roast chicken in marinade and it's crap

[HotJambalaya]

great timing this thread, just as im starting back at the gym.....


been wanting to do chix and sours for a while, but surprised I haven't heard of these other places. Might have to try Bird in Camden. Don't see any korean chicken there though?

-ps LOVE korean friend chicken, try Jin Juu in soho

[craigjm]

HotJambalaya said:

great timing this thread, just as im starting back at the gym.....


been wanting to do chix and sours for a while, but surprised I haven't heard of these other places. Might have to try Bird in Camden. Don't see any korean chicken there though?

-ps LOVE korean friend chicken, try Jin Juu in soho

Its the sauces at bird (including a Korean one) and smothered fries etc. The chicken is dead on but its not southern states comfort food

Jin Juu is very good.

[HotJambalaya]

Bird was ok

Absurd Bird was absolutely terrible.