When we head into town as a family, it can be tricky to find something that works for all of us. I am a vegetarian (with vegan / plant-based leanings), my husband eats meat and fish, and the children, well, they can be a little picky when they want to be. So finding something that ticks all of the boxes can be tricky.
We were invited recently to see what Chick’n’Sours offers, including their new plant-based range. They have four stores in London, and we headed over to their Islington store (near Angel tube station). The other stores are in Spitalfields, Seven Dials (Leicester Square), and Haggerston (Dalston Junction). The store was really easy to find, is in a great location, and we were quickly seated and ready to order. The setting was more smart and stylish than I imagined it; the decor was really modern and funky.
I was really intrigued by the menu, as it is essentially fried chicken (with a plant-based ‘chicken’ option), with an Asian fusion twist. The menu isn’t huge, but there are some great choices to choose from, including a lunchtime menu and set menus (a bargain for what you get at £20 per person).
I knew that the children would be fine with the menu, as let’s face it, there was fried chicken to eat, which they were loving with some fries and some of the salad options. The husband chose from the chicken range, and I chose some of the ‘no-way’ plant-based chicken nuggets, burger, and salads. Where do I start, though? It was all amazing!
NO-WAY Plant-Based Options
For starters, I was so impressed by the plant-based ‘no-way’ options. They really taste incredible and are very chicken-like, if that makes sense. They are some of the best veggie nights that I have ever had, so I would recommend them even if you aren’t vegan, as it is a different option with a little more goodness than just going for chicken. The salads as well, though; wow!
The ingredients sounded a little ‘interesting’, and trying something like a pickled watermelon salad (with peanuts, mint, coriander, and nahm jim) was something that I wasn’t too sure about. But honestly, wow, it totally works. I also really loved the bang-bang cucumbers that come with chilli oil, peanuts, and sauce. There was also a green slaw to try, which was so tasty with the ginger miso. All plant-based and all amazing – truly!
The fries can come plain or with beef dropping. I obviously chose those plain option as I don’t eat beef, but my husband did a taste taste of both kinds of fries, and he couldn’t really taste the difference. So you definitely don’t lose any flavour at Chick’n’Sours when you choose the ‘no-way’ plant-based option.
Everyone else was made up with their meals, and we cleared every plate! Speaking of the plates, I really liked how everything was mismatched and different. It made the restaurant a little quirky and great for all of those foodie photos, of course. I really enjoyed the whole thing, as the staff were brilliant too, even on a busy Saturday evening.
As for the prices, they are so reasonable. The main dishes are £9 or £10 each, with fries costing £3 and the salads costing £3.50 or £4. I think for the portion sizes and what you get, it is totally reasonable. We left feeling really full and the flavours are seriously incredible. I would love to go back and try it all over again, so that says it all really.
Have you heard of Chick’n’Sours in London before? I would definitely recommend it, even if you don’t eat chicken! Yum!
*we dined as guests of Chick’n’Sours, but all words and opinions are our own. I’d only recommend something that I’d be happy to pay for myself.
