I’m considering changing the name of this site to Shut Up and Eat Fried Chicken – your go-to source for fried chicken content; all fried chicken, all the time. What can I do when there are literally new chicken places opening up by the hour? I remember when Korean Fried Chicken (KFC) wasn’t even a thing yet. I had Yangnyeom Chicken for the first time 12 years ago at one of my favourite spots, Chez Hwang (closed) – a family run spot in N.D.G.
They explained that it was almost like General Tao. I was sold before tao. But it was so much more than just a lazy equivalent. The batter, the fact that it came on the bone, the sauce. Then came the different variations! It didn’t stop. Places like Mon Ami, Comon, Dawa, Corilla, and Olivia’s Authentic Chicken are proof now of how far yangnyeom Chicken has come and where it’s going. To add to the list, this week I checked out the newest Korean fried chicken spot in Saint-Henri, Les Crazy Chickens.
Menu
Their menu is simple and concise, all fried chicken. Literally. They don’t bog down the decision making with hot menu items you can find at any other Korean restaurant. Les Crazy Chickens specialize in one thing. The chicken comes in a choice of tenders, thighs, wings, and drumsticks. It also comes in sets of arbitrary combined pieces named after Quebec (20 wings, 4 drumsticks, 6 tenders, 6 thighs), Montreal (15 wings, 4 drumsticks, 4 tenders, 4 thighs) and Saint-Henri (12 wings, 4 drumsticks). The rationale and math escapes me. But I don’t need math when it comes to fried chicken because all I need to know is 1 Jason + 1 bucket of fried chicken = 2 hour nap.
Chicken
I got the order of thighs. The meat was tender and juicy and I was surprised to see that they were boneless. I will never understand why some people prefer boneless. It’s more flavourful and it’s part of the experience in eating fried chicken. It’s a way of keeping tabs on who ate what when sharing. I want to know who’s the jerk who eats both wings in a full chicken order. But I got the order of thighs, so this doesn’t matter, I’m just saying.
I don’t need math when it comes to fried chicken because all I need to know is: 1 Jason + 1 bucket of fried chicken = 2 hour nap.
The chicken wasn’t overly battered. It was crunchy and wasn’t encrusted with barnacles of batter pockets that leave you eating more dredge than chicken. It could have been crispier, but I blame transportation time and the chicken steaming in the box. Granted, I’ve ordered from other places who’s chicken crunch quotient survived the drive home. Still, the fact that the thighs were boneless bothered me. We all know meat on the bone is alway tastier. Perhaps it’s a way of shortening the cook time, but with speed comes at a price and the cost is flavour. Although moist, the meat was bland. But the spicy garlic sauce made up for it. The sauce was noticeably different than the other yangnyum chicken sauces out there. Aside from being spicy, the sweetness tasted more fruity than others I’ve had. This was am interesting and pleasant surprise.
Spicy Bao
I got the spicy bao. A piece of thigh slathered in Les Crazy Chickens’ signature spicy garlic sauce nestled in a soft, fluffy steamed bun. Sandwiched with crunchy iceberg and drizzle with mayo, these buns are fun to eat. The sauce wasn’t very spicy – then again my tolerance is higher than most people, so I’ll say it had a “kick” to it.
As you can tell by my giant man-hands and sausage fingers the baos were big and substantial. Great fresh cooling crunch from the lettuce. The spicy sauce was dulled by the mayo if that helps for you lightweights.
“Ugly Nuggets”
When I saw “ugly nuggets” on the menu the first thing I thought of were actual “nuggets”, à la McDonalds. I said to myself, “wouldn’t it be amazing if they made actual Korean fried chicken NUGGETS?! Take regulation nuggets and Korean fried chickenfied them? Awesome!” Sadly, they were smaller pieces of chicken thighs. They were covered in a creamy mayo-honey sauce and topped with fresh sliced onions.
Ref eating chicken on the bone: It’s a way of keeping tabs on who ate what when sharing. I want to know who’s the jerk who eats both wings in a full chicken order.
Contrary to what I ordered, Les Crazy Chickens offer more than just chicken thighs. I didn’t plan as well as I could have and my whole meal was inadvertently a derivative of my original order of fried chicken thighs – in preparation and in accompanying sauces.
My overall experience at Les Crazy Chickens was a pleasant one. Ordering was quick and efficient and there was room inside their cute space to wait comfortably. With a name like “Les Crazy Chickens” I’d figure they have off the wall outrageous chicken dishes on their menu – they didn’t. Pretty plain and mundane in terms of how crazy goes. The food itself was good. Was it the best chicken I’ve ever had, far from it. But was it still enjoyable? Definitely. Great addition to the area.
Les Crazy Chickens
3532 Notre-Dame St W.
(514) 800-3019
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