Chick ’n’ Sours

Rock 'n’ roll and, er, Ant ‘n’ Dec. There’s just a handful of twosomes so meant to be that they share but an ‘n’ between them. if the popularity of Chick ‘n’ Sours is anything to go by, it should probably be fast-tracked to this hall of fame. Lights are set low – just a touch of blue neon – and music up high as diners and takeout customers file in. It’s unsurprising that the atmosphere is set to ‘party’ on a school night, since the man behind the fowl play is Carl Clarke, the chef behind Disco Bistro among other pop-ups. He’s practiced his chops pairing good times with good food, and posters from his former pop-ups pepper the walls.

The chicken is marinated in Southern-style buttermilk and fried in rapeseed oil. It's going to get messy, especially if you order the chicken in a bun (£11): a massive Korean-spiced burger with slaw, hot gochujang mayo, and chilli vinegar to balance off the soft meat and crunchy batter. Fries fried in beef dripping made their feathers ruffle, owing to crisp, super-salty skins. (In case you're wondering, gochujang is a Korean condiment made from chilis, rice, and soy bean paste.)

If KFC (Korean fried chicken) ain’t your bag, the house fry or chicken tenders can be paired with potent dips (£1.50 each). The St Agur and buttermilk may prove too rich for a chicken dinner, but bone marrow barbecue sauce is an ideal accompaniment, sweet and extra syrupy. Those drinks, that music and the low, low lights create plenty of fun, especially when you’re crammed in tightly with neighbouring diners at tables spanning the width of the room.

Google rating: 4.4/5

Phone: +44 20 3620 8728

Address: 390 Kingsland Rd, London E8 4AA, United Kingdom

Service options: Dine-in · Takeaway · No-contact delivery

Prices: £25 and under

Website: http://chicknsours.co.uk/