Arnold's Fried Chicken

Price point: $43.10 for a 3 person set meal (9 pcs of chicken, 1 coleslaw, 1 mashed/whipped potatoes, 1 fries, 3 buns 3 soft drinks & family potato platter)

Context: City Plaza, Geylang (a stone's throw from Ashidiq's house).

Before: Despite eating the remnants of a Cold Storage roast chicken leg at 2am the previous night, I man'd up and prepared to make my cheeks glisten. As an avid, if infrequent consumer of KFC, I was curious to see if the much hyped Arnold's could loosen the Colonel's fibreglass grip on the holy art of fried chicken.

First impressions: Unlike most fast food 'restaurants', we had to actually sit down in Arnold's and wait for the heavy-set Malay waitress to unenthusiastically take our order. Not long after, ceramic plates were set down, setting the stage and the table, for possibly my most gentrified fried chicken experience ever.

During:
First to arrive were the french fries, which made an immediate good impression. Crispy on outside and with enough girth for a fluffy interior. Arnold quickly fired out the potato platter, an arrangement of waffles, crisps and wedges. As the waitress guided the basket past my ear, I am sure I heard the angelic sizzle of hot oil. Next up the coleslaw, which I found too sweet for my liking, but would prove to be vital in offsetting the 12lbs of sodium I was about to ingest. Finally, the main event. Deciding to test Arnold's mettle, I selected a breast, a notoriously dry choice favoured by uneducated Ang Mohs. My fears were instantly allayed by the fact that it far too hot to even bite into. After sufficient cooling, I found the batter light and crisp, and the meat tender, though perhaps lacking some of the Colonel's secret flavour. Luckily, a zingy chilli sauce was on hand to perk up any short-comings. What wasn't on hand however, was enough serviettes to deal with any rogue chicken coating my face. I quickly inhaled my second piece, a drumstick which was a revelation in squirty, umami goodness. In my mind, Arnold hadn't just beaten the Colonel, he'd and some guy he met on Craigslist had held the old gent down and brutally raped him with his own walking stick. Then, successfully beat the charge in court.

After: Hot, succulent chicken which slightly lacked KFC's original batter taste but made up for in freshness. Fries good enough to tempt a 6 year old to get into your rusty, Datsun station wagon.

Total Score: 8.5/10

Last words: Forget finger licking good, I'll happily the nibbling the chicken flavoured skin under my fingernails for the rest of the weekend.

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