Toronto has its fair share of menus offering succulent
pieces of fried chicken, but little of them exist north of Bloor – a blessing
for my waistline. But then, an unassuming place popped up in North York with a
simple name – The Fry. There’s no hiding what lurks on its menu; one doesn’t
enter the restaurant in search of salad and poached fish. Every time I walk by,
it calls, beckoning me with the promise of Korean fried chicken (“KFC”), a
rendition of the tasty treat that gives Colonel Sanders a run for his money.
Once I could stand it no longer, I rounded up a friend and
succumbed to the half and half chicken ($26.99). The first “half” is a basket
of plain KFC. The breading is spiked with a blend of spices, which was more
than enough flavour to enhance the meat. It’s hot and salty, not overly heavy
and lends itself to being enjoyed plain without ketchup (or any other condiment
for that matter).
On the other hand, the second “half” is tossed into a viscous
sauce reminding me of the Pandora’s box
blend from All Star Wings. The sweet and salty sauce is good at first but soon
becomes heavy after polishing off a larger piece. Luckily, at the Fry, baskets
contain a treasure trove of cuts with the typical thigh and drumstick ones but
also full nuggets of white meat, rib bone without much meat and even a neck
bone thrown in for good measure. So, I soon opted for the smaller less meaty
cuts instead.
With the meal, the Fry also throws in a couple of complimentary
vegetable dishes to help counteract the oiliness of the chicken. A sizzling
plate of chewy sweet corn is brought first and a great test for one’s chopstick
skills. Next a platter of crunchy cubes of vinegary daikon, a simple soy salad and an overly sweet creamy coleslaw. I had
my fair share of the daikon after the
chicken and the cool sweet sourness did help ease the meal’s heaviness.
The Fry’s dishes are huge and meant for sharing; even with
two of us there was plenty to take-home. If you don’t want tons of leftovers, I’d
suggest at least three (if not four) people to best tackle the meal. The Fry
also has non-battered Korean dishes such as spicy rice cakes and hearty stews
that may be worth a try. I’ve now answered their beckoning call, will you?
How To Find Them
Location: Toronto, Canada
Address: 4864 Yonge Street
Address: 4864 Yonge Street
Website: http://www.thefry.ca/
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Gastro World's Grading System
- Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
- 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
- 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
- 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
- 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
- 10 - absolute perfection!
Is That It? I Want More!
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