We tried London's 'incredibly chic' fried chicken – does it compare to KFC?

Metro

4 days ago

Welcome back to The Slice!
We survived the heatwave. Phew!
As London returns to more manageable temperatures, we've been on the search for relaxing spaces to wind down and recover after days of being reduced to sentient puddles on the Tube.
This week, we've gone from unwinding in a serene Mayfair hideaway to an underground wine bar that makes braving Covent Garden's crowds worth it. You can also find the best places to get your fried chicken fix – because let's be honest, when are we not craving some crunchy, golden wings?
And coming up this weekend, there are Wimbledon screenings, £5 pints at German Gymnasium's birthday bash, and a £10 food crawl through Peckham's coolest spots, courtesy of another fried chicken hero, Mr Bao.
Read on for a whole range of recommendations for 5-6 July, handpicked as always by The Slice.
The Slice is your weekly guide to what's happening in London, so if you're looking for restaurant reviews, drinks deals or just a great new exhibition to visit on a rainy Saturday in the capital, we've got you covered.
Click here for this week's edit of the best things to do in town.
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If you want to do it all on the cheap, you can also find our latest batch of exclusive hand-picked offers in partnership with Time Out here.
If you're looking for something to do this weekend, here are 11 of the best activities, dining, and drinking spots in the capital.
By Beatrice Aidin
Cursing Berkeley Square's kamikaze cyclists, I turn into Bruton Place and have my grump immediately abandoned. Opening the door of Silva I discover three of my favourite things; calm, a set lunch menu and a room of beauty. Latin for forest, Silva's designers have curated curved wooden chairs, elegant marble green tables plus a long banquette that curves like the branch of a tree.
I've always thought it a sign of pride in a restaurant when dishes for a set menu come from the main menu, they really want to you to try them. Silva's signature starter of egg crispy fried arrives round with a plump, sunny yolk atop a parmesan sauce loaded with earthy girolle mushrooms. Then risotto with wild garlic and morels – both a wonderful adieu to spring, though the spatchcock chicken looked similarly impressive. As for the crazy bikers from earlier? Over it. For you can't but feel solace at Silva.
Two-course lunch menu, £29. 26 Bruton Place, Mayfair, W1J 6NG. Book here.
By Kitty Chrisp
If you're after a crisp glass of vino in the early evening sun with a spread of comforting Middle Eastern nibbles, then Arabica in Borough is well worth a visit. Also with a restaurant at Kings Cross, this classy-but-chilled establishment offers the most lip-smacking dips from £8, with their signature pitta breads to mop it all up.
The pick of the hot mezze is a salty, delicious black honey halloumi, while the orange-infused chocolate mousse with a sesame brittle is a must-try. It's relaxed enough for post-work catch ups, but special enough for a date night. All in all, a versatile pit stop for some flavourful bites and a refreshing spritz or two in a true Flatmosphere (fun London atmosphere).
Mezze from £14. 25th Anniversary Chef's Selection £48pp for the whole table. Borough Market and King's Cross. Book here.
Get £5 pints of Warsteiner Pilsener courtesy of German Gymnasium! For its 10th birthday (11-13 July), they're treating you to a cracking deal, plus a Live Oompah Band on 11 July.
You can also get your hands on a special menu for the week, including braised lamb shank and a Schnitzel Caesar Salad.
Mr Bao is bringing back their Peckham food weekender for 2025 to celebrate Peckham's vibrant food scene while giving back to the local community.
From 4-6 July, you can get £10 specials at some of the most buzziest SE15 spots (including Forza Wine, Jurkish and White Men Can't Jerk).
£1 for each special will be donated to Peckham Pantry. Find out more.
Best for: a real Irish delicacy
Forget Guinness stew, Ireland's true national dish is the chicken fillet roll – breaded chicken in a perfectly soft-yet-crunchy roll alongside a variety of your favourite fillings and sauces.
We sent The Slice's Irish team member Dylan to test out Emerald Eats, which supplied 'the nicest version of the dish [he's] ever had – although pricier than back home.' (Given it's all freshly made it front of you though, he said he'll allow it.)
He tried the 'Full Shabang': chicken, lettuce, tomato, red onion, cheese and garlic mayo. Sounds delicious. They also do a mean spice box – think salt and pepper chicken but even better. Yes, it's possible.
Chicken roll, £10. Spice box, £11. Various locations. Just turn up!
Best for: that crunch
There are a few things to get right with fried chicken – it needs to be crispy (we're talking ASMR style), not oily, have some level of seasoning, and be moist. Sticks'n'Sushi gets all of that right with their chicken karaage.
Piping hot, it's got a serious crunch on it, and it's perfectly golden with a perfect balance of seasoning. Served alongside tangy neon pink pickled red onion and a punchy wasabi caesar sauce, we could have a whole portion of this to ourselves.
Chicken karaage, £11. Various locations. Book here.
Best for: when bossman just won't cut it
If you've ever wanted to feel incredibly chic while eating fried chicken, FOWL is the place to be. The vibes are cool, the drinks are quirky (Duck Fat Martini, anyone?) and the food is delicious.
Be sure to start with the Satay Chicken Toast, a delightfully unique twist on a classic, and follow up with spicy Pink Pepper Honey chicken strips with a side of chicken salt fries. Trust us, once you've tried this, you'll never want a basic KFC again.
Six chicken wings or four strips, £12. 3 Norris St, St James's. Book here.
It's Pride in London this weekend!
Check out last week's picks of the best events to celebrate in the capital here, including a daytime rave with performances from Bimini and Nadine Coyle and Kapara's Pride Pit Stop.
Wimbledon has officially kicked off, and there are plenty of screenings around the city – including free screenings at East Village's Centre Court East, Rooftop vibes at Rooftop Film Club, and more.
Ride your way into a fabulous weekend at Tour De Cuvée, a community bike right from London to Brighton.
The day begins with complimentary Oatly coffees at Top Cuvée Shoreditch, before hitting the road at 8am. And once the hard work is done, the first pints are on Top Cuvée, followed by a mega afterparty with live music, prizes and more.
Tickets, £36. Sign up here.
By Gergana Krasteva
'Where is good to go for a drink in Covent Garden?' is a question I often Google ahead of a show in the West End – and generally, I end up being disappointed with the result. The opposite of what is promised to tourists in London, the area has been spoiled with uninspired chain restaurants and unauthentic pubs, flogging warm pints and murky wine for double digits. Courtyard Wine Cellars – the latest opening inside Covent Garden's famous Market Place – may be a gamechanger.
The venue, which opened in May, touts itself as the largest wine bar in London. I was recommended the Lanson Champagne followed by the aromatic orange Bedoba wine from Georgia, all complemented with an overflowing cheese board and truffle fries. With a curated collection of more than 1,000 wines from across 10 countries, the Courtyard Wine Cellars has all it needs to satisfy even the most precious wine snob like myself.
Wines by the glass from around £9. Platters from £16. 17, The Marketplace, Covent Garden, WC2E 8RB. Book here.
Primary school traders will take over Borough Market on 3 July! 60 young traders from 12 local London primary schools will sell fruits and vegetables they've grown in their school gardens.
All money raised from the sale will be donated to food redistribution charity Plan Zheroes.
By John Nathan More Trending
Knowing that Noel Gallagher was in the row behind me added an edge of authenticity to this superb play about the conflicts and creative processes of a great band. Not that you need the Oasis bro to be in the building to be convinced. One of the miracles of David Adjmi's play, which arrives from New York with five Tony awards, is that its music by former Arcade Fire member Will Butler could easily be from one of the greatest albums of the 1970s. Set entirely in a Californian recording studio with a monster mixing desk centre stage, we join the group as they embark on their second album.
That the cast play everything live is another of the evening's many miracles. David Aukin's three-hour – yet gripping – production reveals the fault lines of a band that is both welded and weakened by its relationships, not least that between Peter and his dominated, gifted singer-songwriter girlfriend, played by Lucy Karczewski. How I wonder what Noel thought.
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Until 11 October. Duke of York's Theatre. Book tickets here.
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