I was going to write an introduction for this post. Then I realised, FRIED CHICKEN DON’T NEED NO INTRODUCTION!
So I will say: fried chicken with oozing melted cheese. Interested?
I firmly believe that every culture has some sort of fried chicken. And from Korean Fried Chicken – a saucy, glazed fried chicken that combines sweet and savoury – to Ayam Goreng Rempah – a spiced Malaysian fried chicken that uses powdered spiced to create a crisp coating instead of batter – fried chicken is truly an obsession to many, with stalls popping up on just about every street corner in Sydney.
It’s like the bubble tea revolution all over again!
This time, it’s 3Q Chicken that has opened up, right outside Event Cinemas on George Street. 3Q started in Taiwan, and has become popular with many of the locals as a late night snack. As far as I know, this is Sydney’s first stall, and if the crowds are any indication, this might be the next big thing!
We started with the Chicken with Cheese (pictured above). Two halves of a flattened chicken breast sandwiches cheese, and is battered and deep fried so that the cheese oozes out of the centre, like a working man’s Chicken Kiev! I personally really like this – the chicken breast was juicy and tasted like it had been brined, and I’m a sucker for an oozing cheese filling. Good start!
We then continued with the Taiwanese Fried Chicken. This particular variation features chicken pieces that are battered and fried, and seasoned – with pepper being a very obvious spice – and garnished with deep fried herbs. Cause you know, greens. These were what you’d expect fried chicken to be – moist, juicy, crunchy – but not particularly special, and not the best Taiwanese fried chicken I’ve had in Sydney.
So the chicken was doing alright, but what about the sides?
Deep fried Squid Balls – salted squid is made into a paste and shaped into balls, much like fish balls – featured halved squid balls undertaking the same treatment as everything else: battered and deep fried. While it might not be anything special by regular Sydney standards, this actually brings back childhood memories for me – fried squid balls are a staple at Singaporean children’s parties, y’know, back in the day.
And finally Fried Mushrooms. Meaty King mushrooms are cut into chunky pieces and, you guessed it, battered and deep fried. I like how the mushrooms don’t go soggy – some places that fry cup mushrooms end up with a soggy product that is neither here nor there, and not very enjoyable at all.
3Q chicken seems though, to be suffering from consistency issues. Friends who have been since have swayed between liking it and seriously disliking it, with a few preferring Hot Star down the road, and forums online also mention similar issues in Taiwan. Personally, I’m just taken with the fact that there’s oozing cheese from my chicken, and that there’s free flow of sauces on the counter – the way to any Singaporean’s heart. The service can pose a slight deterrent though – my order was taken by a guy who barely spoke English, who then did everything from placing the wrong order (twice!), to not applying a set meal discount (some items on the menu are bundled together for a slightly better price) and getting my payment mixed up. It was all very confusing.
That being said, I’m not a Hot Star person – their chicken breasts are a touch too thick for me – so this would still remain an option for me when I’m catching a late night movie.
Wondering about other fried chicken in Sydney? Check out my reviews of Biru Biru (Japanese Chicken Karaage), Shihlin Taiwanese Street Snacks (Taiwanese Fried Chicken), Korean Food Crawl of Haymarket, Arisun, and Naruone (Korean Fried Chicken) for some crunchy chicken goodness!
3Q Chicken
Shop 8 505 George St
Sydney, NSW 2000
Phone: 0430 578 930
Website:https://www.facebook.com/pages/3Q-Chicken/295238300682267
Opening hours: Monday-Sunday 11am-11pm
