The Best Chicken I've Ever Had

Before I begin, this post may not be very appetizing for my vegetarian friends.

This post is more involved with what I am passionate about: Food. More specifically: Chicken!

I’ve just come back from a GD with some seniors about merits, demerits and REmerits of blogging. I mentioned I like food blogging, reading as well as writing. This time, let me tell you about this chicken I had right here in Pune. I passed out in simple food pleasure. Note: I’m writing this sincerely because I loved it, I’m in no way endorsing this thing in any way okay?

Right then. Now let’s dig into the meat of things. Haha.

On FC road (or Fergusson College road for people unfamiliar with Pune), there is a brand new shop called Venky’s Express. Anybody who is a non-vegetarian wholeheartedly, or at least in mind, go there. I come from Delhi, the heaven of all things non-vegetarian (food, jokes etc) and I say, that Man Alive! I haven’t eaten chicken that’s so darned good!

We ordered half a pepper garlic roasted chicken. When it comes to quantity, it’s good for two. My friend and I, we’re turn into carnivorous savages when it comes to chicken, and it filled us out. Cost effective.

We entered the place, and it was like KFC and Dominos had collided. It was all white and red and blue. Although yes, as an advertising guy (?) with a few months of XP, a lot of the ambience was ripped – I mean RIPPED- from KFC. You know the whole “Lickonomics” banter? Yeah, it’s all in here too, only in a slightly covered up way, that didn’t leave much to imagination.

The best bit in my really honest opinion are those ovens where – slurp – the chicken was being grilled.

Then there was no seating. Outside, there were the standing minuscule tables. Inside there was only the wall ridge that could serve as a table. Freezers of chicken products, cash counters, menus- all there. This is, if I’m not wrong, a MAJOR repositioning strategy of Venky’s, including the logo and it’s image in people’s minds.

Enough of about that, let’s talk about the service. It’s not too bad, just got a few people a bit iffy. They promised a bit more than they delivered.

And now, the food itself. Par excellence, in my opinion. The pieces were giganto-enormous, enough to fill out two very hungry people. The chicken was moist, soft, hot and NOT undercooked. The acid test for chicken softness is to test the breast piece. If that’s soft, then the angels would sing Hallelujah. You’ve hit bull’s eye. There was surprisingly less oil and the spice balance was just tempered right. We had ordered the Garlic Pepper Roasted Chicken. There was a fantastic flirty threesome going on between the garlic, the pepper and the tastebuds. The pepper wasn’t so much that you could not stop crying, nor was the garlic so much that you could extinguish life with one breath! It was delicate yet hearty, it demanded a search yet it was all there. It was just the best damned chicken I’ve had in 22 years of life, 13 of which were in Calcutta (gastronomical heaven) and the rest in Delhi (well……).

A note about the price. Reasonable. Totally worth it.

Again, I am NOT endorsing anything. I’m just relating my very awesome experience.

In my very honest and layman opinion, go there. Try it out. Try the other items, and let me know how those are! And while you’re at it, could you get me back half Pepper garlic Roasted Chicken please?

Until later!