Whenever anyone has asked me how big I am on the Fried Chicken concept, I have always evaded that question. Not because you don’t get good fried chicken in Mumbai, but because it gets soggy real soon. And I, for one, detest soggy chicken. So, when I tried Louisiana-style fried chicken, which was crispy, juicy, and all things wonderful, I finally have a classic quip to anyone who’s gonna ask me that question in the future. And the answer is: go try Popeyes®.
From Louisiana, with love
In August, Popeyes — a globally loved fried chicken giant brought to India by Jubilant FoodWorks — made its Mumbai debut, and there are many takers for its Signature Chicken (including me) already. Not with one, but Popeyes launched three QSR outlets in one go (Phoenix Marketcity, Kurla; Inorbit Mall, Vashi, and Viviana Mall, Thane); with the fourth at Terminal 2, Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Airport, opening doors soon.
Bengaluru, Delhi-NCR, Chennai, and Hyderabad have long raved about Popeyes chicken, and after having it, I get the hype. The chicken is marinated for over 12 hours with Cajun spices so that the flavours really play a powerful medley on your palate. That it comes right off the bone in one squish is also a much-appreciated aspect. Who doesn’t love chicken that’s tender on the inside and super-crispy on the outside?!
Fries that exude main character vibes
Fries here, which usually don’t exude main character vibes often at other places, are irresistible and equally worthy of a mention. I tried a few things while the fries were lying right in front of me. But, boy, they didn’t even dare to go soggy for good minutes! I was impressed.
I started off with the Signature Chicken, which I have already raved about above. But I have more things to say. Beyond its crispiness, in its layers lie its flavours. Not too surprising, but not too dull as well. The marination does wonders for its taste. One thing I have seen with Fried Chicken is that once you bite into it, you are greeted with pink or red (residual blood) bone. Which, thank god, was not the case here. They source fresh chicken, and it shows.
I love me some good chicken wings, and naturally, I veered my selection towards them. I ordered Spicy Korean and Sweet Chilli. There are six international flavours to pick from, according to their hotness quotient, displayed bright and bold. The spicy korean that I had first was hot but not too hot that I would need to down some beverage to take the heat off. I am a seasoned pro when it comes to handling spicy food and I loved it. The sweet chilli one was balanced. Not overtly sweet, not extremely hot. It had a medium hotness quotient. Apart from the two that I tried, there’s Classic Ranch, Woodsmoke, Hot and Sweet, and Pepper Barbeque to choose from.
Is it a burger? Is it a sandwich?
Up next, a good sandwich. Yes, it is a sandwich because they don’t grind the meat and serve it in the form of a patty. Plus, in the US, buns with chicken fillet are called sandwiches and not burgers. I opted for the Classic Sandwich. The glossy buns, the sauces, and the fried chicken between the slices were all calling out to me. By now, it is easy to harp on about the juicy chicken. And, it deserves all the mention in my opinion. The tenderness and crispiness of the chicken blanketed by soft buns make you appreciate it in every bite. That good!
When there, walk out with a Blueberry Cheesecake. You will thank me later!
With a tight, no-fuss menu catering to both non-vegetarians and vegetarians, you can indulge in a hearty meal. They even do bowls and wraps. Vegetarian options do seem to be limited, but they looked very tempting. A meal at Popeyes is easily my cheat day meal or a comfort meal because when it is that good, you can skip on diet for a day or two. *winks*
Also Read:
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Review: Bang Bang! Noodle, Goregaon — Where Sichuan Fire Meets Mumbai Swagger
Review: Gaijin, Mumbai — A Daring, Delicious Ode to the Outsider
