Chick, chick, chick, chick, chicken, lay a little egg for me. Chick, chick, chick, chick, chicken, I want one for my tea.
And that’s exactly what British hens have been doing recently, with a brood of egg-themed restaurants (including Egg Break and Bad Egg) hatching across the capital of late, while still in incubation but coming soon are The Good Egg in Stoke Newington and Chicken & Egg Shop in Balham.
Now it’s Mother Hen’s turn to be in the spotlight, as Ma’ Plucker swoops into Soho with chicken three ways: rubbed and rotisserie-roasted, buttermilk-dipped and crispy or pulled and spicy, barbecued slow and low. Choose a base from freshly plucked salad, a house bun or maple waffle, then smother it in sauce, be it chicken skin gravy, chipotle chilli, Kansas BBQ, a herb dressing or maple chilli glaze. Complementing Ma’Plucker’s juicy breasts and thighs are plenty of sides, including pickles, jerk runner beans, crack and cheese (we’re intrigued by this one) or Ma’s Slaw. If you’re veggie (then why are you in a chicken restaurant, fool?) swap chicken for crispy halloumi cheese – just don’t tell Ma.
Round things off with a sweet ‘n’ salty popcorn sundae or a slice of apple pie (we know you all just thought about that scene in American Pie you naughty lot).
In celebration of our poultry pals, we’ve compiled guides to:
London’s Best Chicken Restaurants
The Best Places for Roast Chicken in London
Go forth and ruffle some feathers…
This article was published 20 July 2015