There are the well-kept secrets, the obligatory stops and those that are worth the detour. There are above all essentials of all kinds that are good to share. For the pleasure of your palates, The duty therefore imagined an appointment in the form of a gourmet notebook, one theme at a time. The craving for comfort food in times of a pandemic has had the effect of multiplying fried chicken addresses. Like a crisp little lifeline, this classic has the power to make us forget, for a while, the unpredictable that assails us. For your dose of pleasure, these ten addresses are to keep on hand.
MONTREAL
OIivia’s
If Eunjung Ko has loved Korean fried chicken since she was a child, she didn’t expect it to be the star of her restaurant in the Notre-Dame-de-Grâce district. It was after visiting a client, businessman Paul Diaconescu, who has since become her partner, that she realized she had a unique product. Inspired by the light and crispy fried chicken found on every street corner in his native country, K’BOB’s—now Olivia’s—contains no milk, buttermilk, eggs, or butter. It can be enhanced with several homemade sauces, including soy-garlic, and spiced honey.
Four addresses, including the original at 6563 Somerled Avenue
Pumpui grocery store
A secret of Little Italy, the Pumpui grocery store offers tasty Thai dishes on site, including curries that work every time. But the real star of Chef Jesse Mulder’s kitchens is the fried chicken wing dish. Spicy, meaty and crispy, they are served with a sweet chili sauce. A delight well done with simplicity, just like the place and the service of the team.
83 Saint-Zotique Street East
Triple Crown Dinette
A classic in terms of fried chicken that has not aged a bit since its opening in 2012. People come here for its comforting cuisine from the southern United States, of which chicken is undoubtedly the emblem. The chef and co-owner, Colin Perry, originally from Kentucky, prepares it according to the memory of the one served by his grandmother. Crispy as it should be, with a very juicy flesh inside, it meets expectations hands down, in a solo or combo portion. Its “Big Nasty” version is one of the best reasons to go to Little Italy: two pieces of fried chicken wedged between two buttermilk buns, covered in brown sauce and green onions. Only that. For those interested, the waffle and fried chicken dish is back.
6704 Clark Street
Roch the Rooster
By reading his motto #faiteslamourpasladiète, you enter Roch le Coq with the feeling that you will have a lot of fun. And that’s an understatement! A newcomer to the fried chicken scene, this is the playground of six companions, all from the restaurant industry. Among them, Oussama Ben Tanfous, the head kitchen boy who holds the secret to American-style fried chicken. His poultry from Les Voltigeurs farm is bathed in buttermilk and the breading that comes next is just thick enough to make the crunch that we love so much. What we also like is being able to accompany this fine quality chicken with natural wines and bubbles. After Outremont, a second address has just opened in Ahuntsic
1541 Van Horne Avenue
555 Chabanel Street
The Little Vibe
Make way for the flavors of Hawaii and the Philippines with the fried chicken at Petit Vibe, in Côte-des-Neiges. Opened a little over two years ago by three friends who grew up in the neighborhood, the place serves several things… except poke bowls! Here, the fried chicken is seasoned with furikake, a mixture of bonito, kelp, sesame seeds and salt. The result is savory and crispy, served with a sweet citrus sauce, rice and macaroni salad. This is called a low cost trip!
5536-A Côte-des-Neiges Road
Mitch Deli
Chef and teacher Maxime Gagné’s sandwich shop has it all! Not only did he open this place to help his former unemployed students from the Montreal School of Catering and Tourism during the lockdown, but his fried chicken sandwich is terrific. Very crunchy and tender at the same time, the chicken is spiced up with a herb mayonnaise, spicy sauce and marinated onions. Salivate, but not too much! It is currently closed for renovations.
5868 Lorimier Avenue
QUEBEC
The Fries Shack
A project born in the midst of a pandemic, the fried chicken from the Baraque à frites was the lifeline of the restaurant Les Sales Gosses. The unequivocal popularity of their improvised canteen in the summer of 2020 led its owners to find a real place open year-round a year later, in the Saint-Sauveur district. It offers a perfectly browned fried chicken in a Cajun breading made from cornmeal and breadcrumbs. Food lovers will find what they are looking for with trays of three to twelve pieces and variations of chicken in poutine and burger.
334, rue Marie-de-l’Incarnation
Tora Ya Ramen
You don’t necessarily go to Tora-Ya for that, but anyone sitting there can hardly miss a basket of chicken. pop corn Japanese style to whet your appetite. Tender and juicy flesh coated with just the right amount of breadcrumbs. It’s hot and crispy. Addictive, even. With spicy mayonnaise, it becomes decadent!
75 St. Joseph Street East
Chez Bicep BBQ
Like the Dinette Triple Crown, Chez Bicep BBQ also celebrates the flavors of the southern United States with an array of house-smoked meat choices, including ribs and beef brisket. A menu like this wouldn’t be complete without a fried chicken dish, and the one made here is worth the trip on its own. Marinated in buttermilk which gives it all the desired tenderness, it is covered with a light and very crunchy breading, perfect for dipping in barbecue sauce. Finger licking good!
5151 Henri-Bourassa Blvd.
PORTNEUF
The Nocturne
“Chicken O’Mary” is the sesame to gluttony if you come to Saint-Raymond. And if you forget it, just look up and you’ll see the restaurant’s neon sign proudly displaying it. Because this chicken isn’t just chicken, it’s also the story of Mario Iaizzo, a local resident who wanted to compete with none other than Colonel Sanders! It was in his restaurant, O’Mary, that he created the fried chicken that has been making Tout-Portneuf popular for more than 50 years. By a combination of circumstances, Le Nocturne became the owner of the product – but not of the recipe! Every week, the breading mix is delivered by Mr. Iaizzo himself directly to the restaurant. This is called a well-kept secret that is well worth the detour.
434, rue Saint-Cyrille, Saint-Raymond