Chick and Beers Review – Burlington Road. “The crunchy exterior gives away the soft, gorgeous chicken within that’s ripping hot and bellows steam as you bite into it”.

The first Chick and Beers is located on Burlington Road, if you want to get technical it’s the B282 that commences at The Watchman Pub, where the cop shop used to be by the Fountain round-a-bout on New Malden High Street. Along this stretch, you get a handful of South Asian groceries, Korean bakeries, coffee shops, car rentals and a motorbike shop. There’s even a sushi restaurant and a place called B&Q, PC World and Harveys to pick up some house-hold stuff. Keep going under the A3 underpass and you’ll find the majestic Jin Go Gae, and further down you can find Chick and Beers. Whilst writing this, I’m thinking about how I got my senses cheekily slapped about by their platters of fried chicken, some the shade of Essex fake tan gone wrong covered in a sticky glaze made from sweet-salty chilli sauce. Soy, gochujang, honey and chilli make a case from themselves depending on what you pick as do sprinkles of crispy shallots. Bouncy K-pop chimes in the background whilst pints of IPA get poured. I like it here.

We try the “half and half” £18.50 which is the whole bird, neck and all, hacked into pieces, battered and then fried until crisp. I applaud them for not wasting a single piece of the humble chicken, others should take note. One half of the bird gets the drenching in glaze, whereas the other stays blonde. If the blonde needs sauce in your opinion, then you can get some on side like how we did. The result is a crisp coated, fresh from the fryer bird, with a crunch so glorious sounding and satisfying it will have you grazing until your hearts content. The crunchy exterior gives away the soft, gorgeous chicken within that’s ripping hot and bellows steam as you bite into it.

I take great delight in the pots of house-pickled daikon – crunchy, tangy little cubes that do their job as a palate cleanser while sneakily ticking off part of your five a day. I love them.

The second time around, we had a chance to chat with one of the owners—a lad with a wise head on his shoulders and a clear passion for what he does

We couldn’t fault the chicken, it stayed consistently good.

Fast forward 4 years and I’m back. I came back to celebrate quality, deep fried protein, a lot of deep fried chicken, the crowd pleaser of choice and the definition of comfort food with bells.

We go half and half – glazed and glazed (£18.50). One side sweet chilli, the other garlic soy. What lands on the table is deeply flavoured, heat-laced chicken with a luscious, tender cook. The crunch? Immaculate. The balance? Spot on. Salt, sugar, spice, and that umami hit come together in a way that gets me hot under the collar. It’s exactly how I remember it – addictive, unapologetic, and impossible to stop eating.

From the chicken rehab section, we go for fries (£3.50) and jalapeño poppers (£5.50). The fries? Golden, crisp, and primed for my greedy chops. The poppers? Batter-cloaked, mozzarella-stuffed, delivering a molten, salty torpedo straight to the mouth. This is booze food, no question – built for those looking to chug beer, get merry, and snack their way through the night. They’re in the right company right here.

The sweet potato fries (£4.80), deceptively simple but highly recommended for their crunchy exterior and deep, sweet, nuttiness. Don’t leave without ordering them as they’re sublime.

We also order the sticky spring onion nuggets (£13), and it’s clear they’ve had the same due care and attention. More deep-fried bird, golden and crisp, but this time drenched in a sticky, glossy glaze that clings to every piece. The chicken stays tender, succulent, each bite packing that perfect balance of crunch and chew. Spring onions come in with a welcome hit -fragrant, punchy, adding a zingy freshness that keeps things from getting too heavy.

We keep the garlic soy glaze rolling with these wings (£10). Like the rest, they hit the fryer until golden, craggy, and crackling with crispness. The flesh? It slides off the bone like it’s got somewhere better to be. But there’s just something about wings – the way the meat clings a little closer to the bone, soaking up every bit of that deep, roasted flavour. More work, sure, but infinitely more rewarding.

We stay on theme with another round of wings (£10), this time slicked in sweet chilli glaze. They come out shatter-crisp, each bite giving way to tender, juicy flesh that peels effortlessly from the bone. The glaze? Same as before, a balance of heat and honeyed sweetness, clinging to every craggy edge. Wings just hit different – the closer meat-to-bone ratio means maximum flavour absorption.

Verdict

When did I go? Apr 2018, May 2018, Mar 2022
The damage: Expect to pay £15/20 per head with a beer
The good: I’m utterly smitten with this no-frills, all-thrills Korean fried chicken. It’s a revelation in New Malden. The owner lets us in on a little secret – once the chicken is fried, it goes on a cooling rack and gets the hair dryer treatment. No, not the legendary Fergie-style dressing down Beckham once got, but an actual blow dry-for that next-level crisp factor. They packed our box to the brim, we emptied it with glee, and our palates left grinning. Oh, and if you’re still craving something sweet, there’s a massive Krispy Kreme parlour across the road. You’re welcome.
The bad: It’s fried chicken, kids – so eat responsibly. That means moving enough so you can eat as much as you want. Now, if you’re going half-and-half with garlic soy and sweet chilli, do yourself a favour, switch up the wings. Go Cajun. I had them at their Coombe Road spot, and they were sublime – bold, spicy, and peppery in the most beguiling way. Otherwise, all that sweetness will steamroll your palate. Variety is the spice of life, after all.
Rating: 4/5
Would I go again? Yes
Address: 282 Burlington Rd, New Malden KT3 4NL
Web: https://www.chickandbeers.uk

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