Junior Spesh

CHICKEN WANG

2011-05-17T10:26:00.000-07:00

did you know they have Nandos in Canada?

2011-03-17T18:23:00.000-07:00

Mad Decent man Diplo proffers his desire to get into the chicken shop franchise business

2010-08-31T02:06:00.000-07:00

CARAMEL.. "No Chicken" KG & Marston

2010-06-09T11:48:00.001-07:00

Peachez Getto Fried Chicken

2010-06-02T05:39:00.000-07:00

I went looking for Ice T's 'Fried Chicken' video the other day after a chat on twitter moved into rap and food territory. Google had other ideas though and served up the following video instead.

Words fail me on how awesome the internet can sometimes be. And I still haven't found a youtube of Ice T's song.

Kockroach Fried Chicken... Nasty

2010-05-10T10:25:00.000-07:00

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8672931.stm

Forget the bread!

2010-04-15T09:55:00.001-07:00

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mark-morford/the-kfc-double-down-one-s_b_531749.html

Shawalin - DEDICATED

2010-01-03T14:14:00.001-08:00

Junior Spesh - NYC Edition with Carl

2009-12-17T07:32:00.000-08:00

When I touched down in NYC for a couple of days in July. Carl joins me to translate some of the differences.

UFC!

2009-12-14T08:15:00.000-08:00

Props to D.S.T and his mate for spotting it. Location: East Ham

Obama Fried Chicken + Clipse

2009-12-03T23:43:00.001-08:00

You may have heard of this joint in New York - actually there are at least two of them, one in Harlem, one in Brooklyn. My initial reaction when Oneman blogged it for us earlier this year was to laugh: just another bit of incongruous, over-the-top Obama-branding, like the Obama ecstasy pills doing the rounds in Texas. But that was counting without the hyper-intense nature of American racial politics, especially with regards to Obama, and especially with regards to American history. We didn't notice this in London at the time, but apparently in April NY City Councilman Charles Barron organised a protest against the restaurant, unhappy at what he said were the racist connotations of the name:

“People from the community were calling me and saying they were outraged by this racist connection to Barack Obama and fried chicken... it’s exploitative. It's like saying Obama is a watermelon lover.”

The owners, unsurprisingly, say it's a celebration of the 44th President of the USA: a tribute, rather than sneering, subtle racism.

It's not really for me to say, as a white Briton, but what the hell, if it's good enough for Clipse and Cam'ron (even if MTV have problems with it), then it's good enough for me:

"That new C-L fly / Outside of Popeye's eating chicken and fries"

The tune's no Junior Spesh, but at least the home of fried chicken is trying to catch up finally.

RWD x Chipmunk - Chicken Reviews

2009-10-19T16:14:00.001-07:00

Big up RWD

KFC "Double Down" Sandwich

2009-09-01T08:22:00.000-07:00

Europe :S

2009-08-10T20:51:00.001-07:00

this is how they do chicken in Europe:

Out to Section 5 on this one

MJ x KFC

2009-07-27T18:50:00.000-07:00

Definately my favourite part of Michael Jackson's Memorial..

1Pc Chicken and Waffle

2009-07-24T09:06:00.000-07:00

I first heard about Roscoe's House of Chicken and Waffles (yes, that’s right, they have a website with music) whilst doing some fried chicken related research online. Last month I was in LA and had to check it out with a friend.

Once we arrived I saw they had security on the door, at that moment I knew Roscoe's meant business, London based chicken shops should take note; if you are going to serve crackfoods employ appropriate measures.

The two of us ordered a No. 18 (1Pc Chicken and Waffle) each and 6 wings to share. Whilst we waited for the food it was a pleasant surprise to notice most of the other tables were occupied by pairs of girls; big up the beautiful chicken loving ladies, soon the food arrived and our attention was back to the matter at hand.

As you can see the waffle came caked in butter along with a generously sized pot of maple syrup.

The chicken was top quality with crisp flavoursome spicy skin surrounding moist juicy meat. On the standard of the chicken alone it is not hard to see why Roscoe's has been open some 30 years.

The waffle was also delicious and only became more so as the butter melted.

Combining both elements and adding the maple syrup as a catalyst unleashed the true power of Roscoe's.

The crispy skin/juicy meat/buttery waffle/syrup combo is a true lick, the flavours and textures complimented each other superbly whilst the substance of the meal ensured I was one tasty step closer to a heart attack. At first I was hesitant about the syrup but it soon began to flow freely.

The wings were hench and had been cooked in a different batter to the chicken which made them a nice addition to the meal. Needless to say they were well lush, I want live in a world where I can get 4 of these from Morley's for £1.

After the meal, as we walked home, a strange but warming sensation of peace and sedation took us over, liked they’d slipped us a valium on the sly, much more than your average foodcoma. We were disorientated and unsure about what had just happened but we knew it was a good thing.

Next time I go I’ll try the gravy, I wasn't feeling it from the picture but from my experience this time I'm sure it's deep.

Novelty Value: 100%

BUPA Health Rating: -2%

Hunger Quench Level: 12

Overall Rating: 8.75/10
Overall Verdict: Roscoe’s will really put you on a level. Although, at around £8 each with drinks it's hardly cheap fast food, that, and the fact I saw no special meals offered for juniors, is why it doesn't score top marks. If you're in L.A. and you love fried chicken, and lets face it who doesn't, then Roscoe's is not an experience to miss out on.

Chicken Fried Bacon

2009-07-22T05:17:00.001-07:00

Chick King, Tottenham (North London)

2009-07-10T08:11:00.000-07:00

If Carlsberg made Chicken shops I am 99% sure that it would have to be Chick King. The chicken shop situated opposite the Tottenham Hotspurs stadium, is famed amongst its North London clientele for the juicy cinnamon coating of its friend chicken. But I must warn you, the recipe is not as simple as simply sprinkling cinnamon on some chicken breasts and calling it a day. If that was the case then the Chick King facebook appreciation group would not be able to generate 1,721 members.

As far as the menu is concerned I could not even begin to tell you, because to be honest the only words that leave my mouth when I am within the premise are ‘Breast and chips, boss’, that and the infamous ‘are you in the queue?’
The latter is due to the fact that it is rare to go into Chick King and not have to wait behind a long queue. In fact I think it is now apparent why Spurs manage to attract 30,000+ punters every weekend at the Lane, I am pretty sure its not for the football.

So if you ever find yourself within and around Tottenham High Road, feel free to pop into chick king, opposite the Paxton Road entry of White Hart Lane and I am sure you will not be disappointed.

Open:
Mon-Fri (11-00:30)
Sat: (11-01:30)
Sun: Closed

Ratings: 9.5/10 and that is being modest.

PS: Recent reports suggest that the KFC colonel tried to steal the recipe and was dealt with accordingly by the North London residents.

Popeyes Runs Out of Chicken!!

2009-07-07T07:21:00.001-07:00

Come Grime With Me

2009-07-07T04:20:00.001-07:00

Okay, so there's no chicken involved, but let's not split hairs here, this is top-class entertainment, and from Junior Spesh fam too... Manara cooks up a grimey storm for Bok Bok, L-Vis1990, Donaeo, and Warrior Queen. Jammer on the voiceover (NIGHT SLUUUUGS in his SECKLLLLLE voice is inspired).

Boxfresh presents ... Come Grime With Me! from Boxfresh International on Vimeo.

PFC

2009-06-29T12:58:00.000-07:00

'PERFECT FRIED CHICKEN' Stroud Green - are they being sarcastic?

Junior Spesh Video (classy version)

2009-06-28T18:24:00.000-07:00

Not as good as the original, but still the best

Junior Spesh x Time Out

2009-06-19T07:09:00.000-07:00

Got a nice mention over at Time Out today. Big up!! Check the article here!

Nandos Skank

2009-06-18T14:37:00.000-07:00

"Lemon and herb if im just chilling"

Chicken Cake

2009-06-17T07:51:00.000-07:00

A cake made to look like a bucket of chicken, wowza.

Jaxor - VICE Interview

2009-06-17T01:50:00.001-07:00

Only just clocked this mini-interview on the VICE site:

VICE: What’s so good about Southern Fried Chicken?
JAXOR: Every time we went to studio we always bought the Junior Special Meal. We shortened it to Junior Spesh as a joke. We then decided to put it on a beat and just keep it among ourselves. But the tune got leaked somehow and we got such a good response from the public that we decided to do a video to the song.

Also one of the comments on that post says:

"I remember this old garage remix of the eastenders tune with a sample of someone ordering a starburger- gosh! the days of starburger..."

Anyone? Anyone? Sounds like a case for Oneman..

Chicken Cottage Van

2009-06-16T12:03:00.000-07:00

Spotted in Streatham.

Mel Gibson in "The Colonel"

2009-06-16T11:14:00.000-07:00

Best Fried Chicken/Off-Licence

2009-06-11T10:00:00.000-07:00

Best Fried Chicken on London Road in Norbury, SW16 has a strange concept.. A chicken shop that doubles up as an Off-Licence

So they sell chicken, ribs and burgers + tobacco and rizla + chocolates and crisp + spirits and beer. They even do 6 cans of lager for £5.50 (formerly known as 6 cans for £5.00 in pre-recession times). A great idea and save a trip to Mr. Patel, the only thing that would make it better is if you could get a can of Heinekken with your 2 pc. meal.

Food's pretty standard, there wasn't that much chicken left when i reached, and could have done with more chips.

The other side of the pond.

2009-06-10T14:51:00.000-07:00

Rochester, NY.

Meanwhile in Brooklyn, NY...

Leicester Square independant chicken fail

2009-06-08T19:20:00.000-07:00

If you're unlucky enough to be out in the West End of London there's not a lot of chicken options.

Pictured above is the ONE Halal chicken shop I know of in central, American Fried Chicken. It's basically a tiny booth / glorified doorway in Leicester Square, to quote Manara "a Halal cell".

Anyway when I went in they didn't have any chicken at all, and when I asked to take a photo of their pathetic empty rack the bossman vigorously refused me, despite my declaration that I'm from the biggest chicken blog around and that I'd give him mad exposure.

So I had no choice but to go KFC. Waste!!!!!!!!

Non-Par: The User Reviewed Fried Chicken Mapping Project

2009-06-07T03:43:00.001-07:00

View Non-Par: User Reviewed Fried Chicken in a larger map

Non-Par is a user reviewed fried chicken mapping project. The project was concieved to geo-locate the very best fried chicken London and the world has to offer. If you would like to contribute by adding your most favourite and most hated fried chicken outlets to the map then email Chu or Mike. Otherwise just use the resource to munch in confidence.

This is bad but funny still.

2009-06-05T11:16:00.001-07:00

2009-06-04T05:50:00.000-07:00

Click the picture to read the article..

BNTL Showing Love..

2009-06-03T07:00:00.001-07:00

Shout out to GREGTEE from BNTL, letting the people know what time it is right about now.. check the post by clicking here. Out to all the southern fried chicken lovers, its our time!

KFC GOES HEALTHY..

2009-06-03T06:45:00.000-07:00

Found in The Sun '03/06/09'

Who lives in Tyne-Tees? Obviously you mans know about your chicken (big up) if thats where their gunna be testing out the new KFC. So holla at us, tell us wagwan with the chicken fam?!

cold and tasty...just the way you like it!

2009-05-29T20:04:00.000-07:00

the joy of fried chicken isn't just in its taste or value but the minimum effort. you have no hand in making it, couldn't give a shit where it came from and you're reinforcing a sacred bond with the guy in the shop every time he hands you over the bag (unless you get delivery chicken but SE5 hasn't been blessed with this luxury apart from those fucked up halal pizza-kebab-chicken-curry-puke hybrids with nasty psychedelic food collage menus, hell no). it's a ritual that depends on the awkward boss/boss relationship. so i dunno how i feel about finding this in peckham netto:

frozen SFC.

even ~~kfc~~ they who shall not be named didn't cross this line. i'd try it for you guys but i don't have a deep fat fryer and wtf is the point in reviewing oven-baked SFC.

10/10 for packaging and website design alone though, it's immaculate

This will make you choke on your Nandos

2009-05-29T16:56:00.000-07:00

Andy Peters rapping and dancing? Ah man, its like they saw this blog, and was begging to get posted.

Original and the Best?

2009-05-27T16:12:00.001-07:00

A few months ago now my friend Mr M C Child came to London town. He was visiting from the US west coast and he had only one thing in mind. Chicken. And he wanted the Junior Spesh. He wanted that special kind of nourishing. He wouldn't settle for the local Peckham chicken. He wanted SFC and nothing less. So with this mission in mind, we headed over to Canning Town, E16. This is our story...

Boomnoise & Child's day out from Michael Hodder on Vimeo.

2009-05-26T15:47:00.000-07:00

Didn't have any food in the house so I hit up Camberwell KFC for dinner just now. But then I remembered they give you your chicken in paper bags now not boxes, plus the bro who served me failed to put any salt sachets, napkins or lemon fresh wipes in with my order! So I had to put up with unsalted chips, and greezy hands. No fork for my coleslaw either. The chicken was ok but the meat was a bit dark, you know? Usually I don't mind that but compounded by the shabby level of service/presentation I should really have opted for Morley's across the road. Their chips are also much crispier than KFC's...
If you ever find yourself in Camberwell Church Street, trust me don't be put off by the price difference and choose Morley's each and every.

Penge Favorite Discount Card

2009-05-25T17:54:00.000-07:00

Favourite V Favourite (Chicken Beef)

2009-05-25T16:30:00.000-07:00

A Chicken War is taking place just a few doors down from each other on Lea Bridge Road near Bakers Arms, Leyton, London.

This shop opened up a month or so ago: "New Favourite"

The shop below has been open opposite approx 30 seconds away for nearly twenty years. I wanted to interview them, but they were closing up, so they said I could come back tomorrow and do it when the managers in. I will probably forget.
In case their customers are confused by two FFCs on the same road, the older (and probably better through their years experience) they have put up this sign in the window.

I think it also doubles up as a warning shot to the other store.

How is the new favourite going to respond? Only time will tell.

I will keep you updated

The Daddy

2009-05-21T08:27:00.000-07:00

Today I had a big daddy burger from KFC. Its a sick burger if you don't know about it. Chicken, cheese, hash brown, bacon, lettuce, tomato, with zinger sauce and pepper mayo in a bun. dope.

My only complaint though with this ripper of a burger, is while eating the remaining few bites I found this little fucked up piece of tomato. I would expect this shit from Chicken Cottage, but KFC should have higher standards in my opinion. This however will not deter me from eating at KFC or eating this product again, a fucked up piece of tomato is a small price to pay for the joy that comes with The Daddy Burger.

Purchased from 88 Chiswick High Rd, London.

Chicken Fried Bacon

2009-05-21T08:25:00.000-07:00

KFC Gourmet Lunch...

2009-05-21T08:01:00.000-07:00

The other day I decided to try the newest treat at KFC, the Chicken Panini. I opted for the spicy chicken option which comes with a Zinger fillet and roasted pepper chutney rather than the Italian chicken which comes with a sunblush tomato sauce (I have no idea what makes fried chicken Italian). Quite dissapointing, I think this could have worked if they had used less bread, or tried adding salad. Not one of KF's greatest creations and at £3.49 just for the sandwich alone I'm thinking I would have been better off to grab a junior spesh!

I give this product 2 chicken legs out of 5. par.

meet MR Chicken

2009-04-20T10:19:00.000-07:00

Longtime follower first time poster mr Bok Bok here. Hi, hi.

I'd like you to meet my good friend Mr Chicken

true stories!

Also I've been meaning to post about this for months so here it is: I just had to say that if you haven't had Popeyes or some other chicken shop in America you haven't really had fried chicken. Sorry to be a snob about it but that's just how it is.

NYC fried chicken is like what the chicken in the pictures in KFC looks like! Ever since I got back to the UK I've had to put up with our soggy imitation of friend chicken. We're getting such a raw deal trust me.

Junior Spesh At East Village

2008-08-21T14:07:00.000-07:00

Rusko on the decks!

Mental

Dub Files Launch from Butterz on Vimeo.

Supermacs? Who or what is a supermac?!

2008-07-17T04:17:00.000-07:00

I come across this in Dublin, Ireland.

I didnt try it, i figured as soon as I stepped in I may have been sued for copyright infringement.

Im scared. Supermacs?!

Chickenland

2008-07-07T13:46:00.000-07:00

Gaze upon the wonder that is Chickenland by Therese Stowell, which

mimics the rational structure of the American flag in displaying a grid of 49 London fried chicken shopfronts. The not-shown parent is KFC, an American capital and cultural export. Each brightly lit variant beckons through the night, emanating the promise of the American dream.

Also, here are 122 examples to help you design perfect chicken shop name and signage:

http://badgas.co.uk/chicken/

My favourite is:

7. Where the fuck is New Taxas? Or Old Taxas for that matter? These guys should go back to the drawing board. Hardly surprising that it's closed.

Dixy Chicken, New Cross

2008-07-01T08:42:00.000-07:00

This is the only photo I have. It is as blurred as my vision perhaps was at the time.

My girlfriend and I entered this particular branch of Dixy Chicken late friday night, and despite the fact that the kebab shop next door was rammed, Dixy was empty par a lonely looking, possibly Turkish, man behind the counter. He struggled to understand a single word either of us said, constantly trying to get us to buy something else other than the original order. We got there in the end but it was a struggle.
He didn't even give me my drink at first, I was almost out the door before he clocked it. Deducted a point for that.

Anyway...
I plumped for a 2 piece meal, chips, can of Dr Pepper; £3.50
The other half, a chicken burger with no drink; £2.50

He'd put the chicken in the box first, so I shit myself when I opened it- there was just mountains of chips and I thought I'd been stitched up. Which I had, but not as a result of missing chicken, but by the awful bland nature of the chips themselves. No taste bar the salt and vinegar I'd thrown on them, there was no crunch and no colour.
The chicken though, was a pleasant surprise. Nice crisp to the skin, not too salty and decent white meat- none of the off-colour grey meat you're getting in these places sometimes.

As for the chicken burger, the bite I had was a little dry but the salad wasn't bad- the lettuce seemed fresh and the tomato was alright as well. A bit too much mayonnaise, though.

Overall, 6/10.
The chicken itself was alright, but poor chips, average burger and really shitty service ruined it to be honest.

HFC, Elephant & Castle

2008-07-01T04:10:00.000-07:00

The other day I was really ravenous on my lunch break, and no kind of sandwich was going to do, so I wandered to the not-hugely-appetising surroundings of HFC on London Road, near Elephant & Castle roundabout. I normally like a combination of spicy wings and regular chicken, so even at £3.49, two pieces, three hot wings, chips and drink seemed pretty good value (even if it’d normally be £2.99 in Dalston).

This is one of those chicken shops that I have no idea how it does any business – it’s hidden away behind some trees, under a balcony, on a busy street for cars and buses that no-one ever walks along. It’s opposite South Bank Uni, but I’ve never even see the students from there go in it. Anyway it was clean, which is something. And it had plants up, which is nice for the atmosphere, makes it feel a bit more classy than your average budget chicken shop.

The chicken was pretty mediocre though. It was freshly cooked, but something lacking in the recipe… I wonder if HFC/SFC/all them ones get their spices in a bog-standard packet? I don’t suppose the coating is mixed up fresh on site.

Also the chips were the usual crap you get in these places – freshly cooked but lacking any kind of crunch – just a bit greasy. It was a hot day so there was no way I was touching the mayo on the counter, just salt and pepp…errr. The hot wings saved the day – crispy without being stale, and they had a proper spicy kick. I should’ve just got a hot wings meal in retrospect.

Verdict: not brilliant – not awful, it was freshly cooked and did the job – just not brilliant. 6/10

When I feel rich I go KF.... KFC Cancun Mexico

2008-06-28T04:12:00.000-07:00

I went over a year ago and I remember the experience clearly. One thing that was odd, was half of the restaurant was KFC and half was pizza hut. But, Pizza Hut I dont do, so I proceeded with ordering.

I made the effort to buy stuff we don't have in England so I got, Crispy chicken, with dumpling, mash potatoes and curry sauce. Here are the pictures:

This is the infamous crispy chicken, it is like a big hot wing.

The chips were different to the ones in England, felt pretty cheap.

The curry sauce did a lot

I give KFC Mexico 3/5. Because it was so hot you couldn't really enjoy it, but the different menu was a refreshing treat.

Elijah - www.butterz.co.uk

Walkabout Bar, Birmingham

2008-06-27T09:23:00.000-07:00

The Walkabout Bar Birmingham, home of the Kangaroo burger. Thats right, remember when you used to watch Skippy on the TV, well here you can eat him*. A quick browse of the menu shows that if you go in here there really is only one choice, Kangaroo Burger. Two meaty chunks of Kangaroo in a bun with onion rings slapped on top just for the hell of it.

Don't let the green man distract you, I was not dining with the incredible hulk, just Black Gerbil1. After removing the oddly placed onion rings from the bun you find a burger which will top pretty much any beef burger you have had in your life. Flawless meat, with a taste which you just can't put into words. Sadly though, this was the only part of the meal they have tried with. The blatent home fries do nothing for me, I can cook them myself at home. But I won't let that distract me from the fact that this was the best Kangaroo burger I have had in my life (this was also the only Kanagaroo burger I have had in my life).

All this washed down with a bottle of Fosters Twist made a somewhat filling lunch. With this coming in at just under £10 for the lot you can't really complain. Junior Spesh hits Stockholm coming soon...

*Note that you can't actually eat Skippy, he probly died time ago.

2008-06-25T11:13:00.000-07:00

Chicken Hut
Corporation Street, Birmingham

Chicken Hut, situated in Birmingham city centre just, is without doubt one of the finest establishments of its kind. Whether going for an afternoon snack, crawling home from the pub or coming in from the casino at some stupid hour; you can be assured that chicken hut will be open.

The chicken served is of a very high standard, in particular the fillet burgers which seem to consist of a fried whole chicken breast. The chips can be a letdown being fairly standard "french fries", though this is more than made up for by the chicken & the exquisite chilli sauce. At £2.99 a burger meal is competitively priced.

no matter what time you visit you are likely to be served by nas (pictured) as he works 12pm til 4am five days a week. He is very friendly (he once invited us back to his house for "rice & meat"). If you are ever in bimingham i would strongly reccommend it!

9/10

Times Square, New York City (USA): McDonald's

2008-06-24T17:49:00.000-07:00

With the first location of our blog, we thought we'd go for somewhere we all know and love: McDonald's. Not just any McDonald's though. The lights are on and the doors are open 24 hours a day. The location in Times Square is fantastic. Toys R Us just round the corner and a US Armed Forces recruitment base just across the road. You can't really ask for much more than that.

When I stepped inside, the queue looked a bit big, but it moved quickly. I was served by a young woman, mildly attractive, who commented on my "European" accent. After briefly forgetting that Americans generally don't use coins, I closed the coin pouch of my wallet and went into the note section for the bucks. My ingrained routine of ensuring I get rid of all my change at the fast food shop almost led to embarrassment on this occasion.

My order was an Angus Deluxe burger meal at $6.49. At the time that was worth £3.30ish when converted to good old Pound Sterling. Considering the cost of an "Extra Value Meal" in the UK and the larger size of the burger as well as the "quality" of it, it was definitely a steal and fantastic value for money. I think even now, with this global credit crunch and inflation malarkey you still get a good deal.

The interior décor was nice, and there were models of famous landmarks within NY. I'd visited most of them already but had I not, they would have given me plenty of ideas of places to go.

The burger itself was very good, very filling and the entire meal had enough calories to satisfy the daily requirements of a man, his wife and his 3 kids. All in all it was a great gastric experience. I think for the first time ever in my life I could actually taste beef in a McDonald's beefburger, I'm not sure if I was just imagining it though. Perhaps the décor was just a really clever ploy to get me to concentrate on what was around me, rather than think about, let alone notice the quality of the food.

Nonetheless I would definitely recommend to anyone out in those ends. Rating: 10/10

JUNIOR SPESH

2008-06-24T10:56:00.000-07:00

Big up Mos Dan first and foremost. This blog will review different fast food shops across the world, so when you hit up a junior spesh in another ends you will know where to go.