TEMPLE OF HACKNEY (SEITAN): "Vegan fried chicken".

I ORDERED: Most of the menu!  I am not a vegan; I wanted to see how these vegan options stood up to their meat and dairy adversaries. I had the Temple Burger £6.0, Hot Wings £5.0, Regular Chips £2.0 and the Mac N Cheez £5.0.  Now all the "chicken" is made from a meat-textured wheat, which really worked for me. However, if you are a vegetarian or vegan who hasn't eaten meat in a long time, you might find it odd. On to the actually eating of the food; I really liked it! Although it was not actual fried chicken and mac with real cheese, it had different but familiar tastes and smells.

VISIT AGAIN? First thing I will say is that the portions are very generous. The shop is quite small, that of your typical chicken and chip shop but with small tables outside and school-like chairs. It was busy; the tables were full and people were sitting on the pavement outside, eating. It is very chilled out. The service is quick and efficient. There was a queue when I arrived but the staff dealt with it in minutes. Overall, the concept is simple but it works. *A little disclaimer, you may not get to sit down and eat as it is really popular!*

DIRTY BONES: "New York style American comfort food".

I ORDERED: From the brunch menu (Sat & Sun/11am - 4pm) as it was an early Sunday afternoon. I wanted to try the crumpets as they sounded unlike any crumpet I have ever had! I mean a crumpet topped with 14 hour slow-cooked short rib...but unfortunately that had sold out before I had arrived. :-( 

Before you judge me, I did have two dishes: The Mac Daddy Burger £11.0 and yes, the Chicken & Waffles £11.5. The brisket, dry-aged steak burger, pulled beef short rib and mac & cheese in The Mac Daddy was a match made heaven. As for the the Chicken & Waffles, I would say it was a little bit small for a stand alone meal but perfect for what I needed on this occasion. Juicy chicken, a soft and fluffy waffle and a fried egg made it feel very much like brunch.

VISIT AGAIN?  I definitely would. After skipping breakfast, due to a busy Sunday morning, I do not think I could have left anymore full and happy. Considering I had to two mains, Dirty Bones did not break the bank and it has a nice, chilled out atmosphere.

BIRD: "Free range fried chicken, the way it’s meant to be."

I ORDERED: The Original Waffle Burger £14.0. Now I must warn you, this is a LARGE burger and it is not for the faint hearted. It may require a fast before consumption! My choice of sides were six wings £6.0 in the Korean sauce and French Fries £3.0.

The Korean sauce is actually Gochujang (Korean barbecue sauce). I love the stuff and would recommend that you try it and source some for your home. If this doesn't sound appealing, they offer other sauce options e.g. House BBQ, Buttermilk Ranch and Wasabi Lime Mayo.

After a short debate the Doughnut Ice Cream Sandwich £4.5 was chosen for dessert. This is one of BIRD's daily glazed doughnuts with a large scoop of vanilla ice cream in the middle with whipped cream, chocolate and toffee fudge sauces. I can only sum it up as EPIC!

VISIT AGAIN? Bird (Shoreditch) has been a long time favourite of mine. it was one the first restaurant I had visited that is dedicated to chicken and waffles. I could even say BIRD is to blame for my chicken and waffle obsession.  

MR BAO: A Taiwanese restaurant with amazing buns and plum wine in the heart of Peckham. 

I ORDERED:  Sweet Potato Chips w/ Wasabi Mayo (V) - £2.8, Fried Chicken w/ Miso Mayo - £3.9, XO Pork + Chinese Chive Dumplings - £3.6. My fluffy steamed bun choices were Slow Braised Flock + Herd Pork, Pickles, Peanut Powder 3.9, Fried Free Range Chicken, Kimchi, Wasabi Mayo 4.5 and the Beer Marinated Prawns, Pickled Mooli, Spiced Spring Onion.

VISIT AGAIN? Yes I would, though the venue is small and seems to be busy all the time. The menu is great - the pork bun and unforgettable plum wine were my favourites. The place is very chilled out and casual so definitely check it out! 

Ma' Plucker: "The best fried chicken in London!"

I ORDERED: Off of the 3 way chicken menu, I had the maple waffle topped with crispy coated butter dipped chicken breast, with maple chilli glaze £9.75 and the crack & cheeze £5.0, which I thought was steep for one ball. 

VISIT AGAIN? I visited on a mid-week evening and did not have to wait for a table. However, I can imagine it getting quite full on a weekend as it does not have the largest seating area. The vibe was cool and the staff were friendly. I will be checking Ma' Plucker out again but I will be ordering something completely different e.g. the pulled chicken, as the crispy coated butter dipped chicken was not entirely to my taste. 

MEATliquor'ED

I ORDERED: The bacon cheese burger £8.75 which is available "rabbit style without a bun and wrapped in lettuce", a side of fries £3.25 and buffalo wings £7.50, which are some of the best I have had and is consistent across their restaurants.  Other things on the menu I would recommend are the Deep-Fried Mac ‘N’ Cheese (V) £5.5, onion rings £3.5, Dead Hippie Burger £8.75 and if it has been a long day, wash it down with House Grog, which is so good that it is limited to two per person.

VISIT AGAIN? For sure! This was not my first visit; I have been to both the West End and Covent Garden branches. The vibe is the same across all branches; super chilled out with friendly staff. I would say the food is not the cheapest but it is worth every penny.