WORLDWIDE CHICKEN BURGER APPRECIATION SOCIETY


Posts Tagged: Crowds

THE LUCKY PICKLE

Purveyor: Lucky Pickle, 509-511 Crown St (entrance off High Holborn St), Surry Hills, Australia

Menu Item: Katsu Chicken Sandwich

Price: $12

Squawk: You gotta hand it to these guys. They do one thing, and they do it well. OK – maybe they do three or four things, but really the Katsu Chicken Sandwich is the star at this tiny little place and people line up for it. The chicken is perfect. And the sandwich is simple: Chicken, bread and slaw. This is both its beauty and its (partial) downfall.

Buaawk: The bread rolls are nice, but a bit too hard – they can actually hurt the roof of your mouth and the ratio of middle to bread is too low for us. We’d like to see more of their nice slaw in there, maybe something to soften up both sides of the bread. Eating this one is a chewy, but worthwhile endeavour.

Rating: 7/10

CITY EDGE

Purveyor: City Edge, Surry Hills NSW, Australia

Menu Item: Vietnamese Schnitzel Roll

Price: $10 AUD

Squawk: It’s BIG. It’s cheap. Most of the “Vietnamese” flavour seems to come from soy sauce which actually added a nice and unexpected bit of flavour – and cucumber which added a nice bit of freshness, crunch and necessary moisture. And when we say necessary, its because that bread roll is just maybe a tad too big.

Buaawk: This place is popular – probably this has more to do with large portions for little money, than amazing food. All that popularity means you’re gonna be waiting in line – although it moves fast. Judging by the lines – and all the people who encouraged us to try this place – City Edge seem to be a literal crowd pleaser.

But you are here because you don’t follow the crowd. You’re a chicken burger connoisseur. You aren’t satisfied with what feeds the masses. You want special. You want mouth joy. And while we did find some with the soy sauce and cukes, it was countered with long strands of coriander – the stalks, not the leaves which basically turn into nature’s chewing gum after awhile if you don’t pull (or spit) them out. We mentioned the bread roll. Its nice and fresh, but it’s so big that even with the “Tangy Asian Slaw” and mayo, it’s still dry in the mouth. We would have liked to see a bit more salad on here – or some vinegar perhaps to soften things up. The schnitzel is the same old boring schnitzel you get anywhere that serves boring old schnitzel. And its overly chewy nature belies a lifetime spent in a freezer.

We didn’t see the optional addition of fresh chilli mentioned on their menu board until it was too late, and nobody offered it to us when we gave our order. If they had, it could have earned them an extra point or two.

Rating: 4/10

Bonus Tip: Tip: Share this one with a friend if you need to stay awake after.