After the horrific experience at Chicken Institute two weeks earlier (which we have posted here), we went back to the place to try their infamous chicken.
This time, we made a booking in advance, and when we got to the restaurant, we found the place to be empty. There were no people waiting, and there were empty tables everywhere. Maybe other people had the same experience as us last time and decided it was not worth the wait or hassle.
We noticed that this time around, they had an extra wait staff serving the customers.
Looking at the menu again, we noticed that the choice of drinks were very limited. Jono wanted to order a soft drink, but we were told that soft drinks were not available individually, and we had to order one of the Fizzy Sodas on the menu (which ironically were made from soft drinks). The cost of a Fizzy Soda was $6.
Now onto the food.
Steam bun – eggplant schnitzel, chipotle dressing and tangy cucumber ($6 each)
The eggplant was very crispy with a good kick of spiciness and smokiness from the dressing which was immediately soothed by the cold sweet cucumber. However, the bun was not as soft and fluffy as expected, and the bun seems to be a tad undercooked.
Spicy cucumber kimchi ($7)
The use of fresh ingredients was evident in this dish, with a good spicy taste complimenting the fresh vegetables. However, at $7 for a small bowl, we felt this was a bit overpriced.
Damn good fried garlic chicken – garlic caramel glaze, garlic chips, lime ($24)
The exterior of the chicken was very tasty with nice garlic flavour and the use of the small pieces of garlic chips enhanced the flavour of this dish. The chicken flesh was soft and nicely seasoned. A nice dish.
Damn good sticky chicken – sweet, spicy, sticky sauce, crushed peanut, shallot ($22)
The chicken was marinated in a very unique style, resulting in all pieces of chicken being marinated on one side only while the other side was not marinated. The chicken was cooked to perfection. The sauce was very different from any other sauces we have tried in Korean restaurants and the sweetness and spiciness of the sauce struck a good balance. The peanuts added a complexity to the flavour of the dish. Tasty!
Overall, the chicken dishes here were very good, and the side of radish that accompanied each bucket serve of chicken was a nice touch. However, the standard of the chicken here is not that much better than a number of other Korean places in Sydney, and we would not be waiting in line for the chicken if we ever find ourselves here again with a long busy line of customers.
Chicken Institute
Website: http://www.chickeninstitute.com.au
Address: 61 Fitzroy Street, Surry Hills
Telephone: (02) 8095 0166
Opening hours: 5pm to 10pm, Tues to Sun
Accepts MasterCard and Visa (minimum spending amount applies)
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