I am going to start by saying that I am not even sure what the name of this place is, but I think it’s called Renforth Mall Fish & Chips. It even says fish and chips on the signage, but most of the cuisine is anything but that. Maybe I just haven’t paid enough attention. All I am sure of is that it is at the Renforth Mall, not far from Centennial Park in Etobicoke, surrounded by a lot of other stores like No Frills, and even a Scotiabank. One more thing I know is that this is hands down, the best fried chicken served in Toronto (Etobicoke to be specific). I will fight you on this one.
It is run by a lovely Korean couple, who are so nice and patient, always wearing a smile. It’s a good location, easy to get to, with a lot of parking outside. Like I said, it is in the middle of a mall. My friend came over one evening, and he suggested we go for some Korean Fried Chicken, which I had never had before, so naturally, I said yes.
Inside, it’s not too big, with seating for between 16 and 20 people. In terms of ambience, there really isn’t much going on, just some old pictures of the food on the walls, and some tables with no tablecloths on them, but the place is always clean. it’s the kind of unpretentious place where the food will either be a revelation or a huge disappointment and like I have already alluded to, it is the earlier.
We were greeted by the lady that runs the place with her husband. It was my first time here, but my friend who had invited me had been there a number of times, so the place came highly rated. He recommended we do the half-and-half chicken wings, so we did. We then had a choice of plain, garlic, paday (not sure what this is), soy sauce and spicy. We went for half garlic and half soy sauce.
We waited for about 10 to 12 minutes for our food to come out. We were talking anyway, so we didn’t really notice the time that had flown by. When the chicken arrived, it was straight from the fryer, very hot and well-breaded. You could see the crunch before you tasted it, and the smell from both of our chosen flavours was not overwhelming but appealing.
Then we tasted it.
Now, I am a huge fan of KFC and have been so for many years. I once took a train to a different city 2 and half hours away to buy a bucket of KFC chicken, such was my admiration for them. But all it took was one bite to question any long-lasting loyalty I had to that brand. It was so good. The crunch on the outside was rewardingly anticipated, tasting exactly how it looked, the meat inside was so juicy and full of flavor, and the balance of the soy sauce and garlic was almost perfect. I would probably have preferred a bigger kick of garlic, but understandably, that’s a preference of mine, not widely accepted by everyone.
It was such a perfect balance of texture and flavour that even my friend who had been there many times couldn’t help complimenting the chicken. The sesame seeds on top of it contributed beautifully to the overall experience, making the entire dish such a joy to have. We smeared the chicken in the soy sauce, and that just seemed to elevate it even more, like that was even possible.
It was a lot of chicken, and we were very well-fed by the end of the evening. We complimented the couple for such a lovely meal and then we left. It was such a good meal. It tasted both like a home-cooked meal and a gourmet experience at the same time, even though the ambiance of the place, or should I say, the lack thereof probably belies its gourmet credentials. I had an amazing time, and I have gone there again since that first time, and it remains, for now, the best fried chicken in Toronto.
Check out my previous article on a very good burrito place where the staff are very welcoming.