Chicky's: 100 Chicken Wings!

I haven't blogged for a while: partly because I've been swamped in work and partly because I haven't really found anything worth blogging about. Until now that is. The establishment in question is Chicky's, a burger delivery place competing with the likes of Simply Burgers, Burgering House etc. Only thing is, there is no competition. Chicky's wins hands down without even breaking a sweat! On size, on quality and on value!

First time I came across Chicky's was a while back on Onemans Blog, as a side note to another burger place I was looking into. I made a note of it; a ToDo if you like, and that was as far as it went. To be honest, its sixty's diner décor put me off a bit, and the photos of towering burgers seemed too good to be true. A month later I get an e-mail from a burger loving friend about this place, same blog, telling me we should try it.I thought to my self, 'same blog?... not too much media coverage out there... how good can it be?', and that's as far as that went. Until, that is, by some perverse twist of fate, that friend of mine and I happened to be hungry on the same day, at the same time, and craving the same kind of food! Ok, I was going for drama there, it's actually not uncommon for that to occur: we're always hungry, and any time is burger time, the twist however was that my friend called me to suggest trying the new burger item on the New York Sandwiches menu.

Long story short, on the way there I remembered that Chicky's was close by so suggested trying that. My friend went one step further by raising the question 'Why can't we do both?'. A valid point, and so we did. Problem was we got carried away at NYS and ordered two burgers and two sandwiches between us. By the time we were done, we were more stuffed than a turkey on Thanksgiving! But, that wasn't going to stop us! We promptly made our way to Chicky's, telling ourselves that the walk was going help us work up an appetite. (On a small side note, after the NYS meal, my opinion of the place hasn't changed a bit since I first went: nice but well overpriced!)

We soon arrived at Chicky's and started going through the menu. First impressions, not really the sort of place you'd go out to eat. Effort has clearly been made on the décor but it doesn't really have that warm inviting 'sit here' feel. The fact that there was nobody else eating in didn't really help that anyway. We went though the menu and decided on chicken (given the name of the place). I went for the Spicy Louisianna and I believe my friend went for the Chicky's Classic. We went to the counter, ordered and waited. Not long after, the food arrived.

The Décor 

The Menu

Towering above the counter, monuments of glorious burgers 

Oh my god! Now, baring in mind that I was stuffed, the burger went down like it was custom made to navigate effortlessly through my mouth and down my oesophagus! Not to say that it was small - because it wasn't - but eating it was easy sailing. After a few bites I was left wondering why this was. I had to put some conscious thought into it. Like riding a bike: it's easy to do so you don't really think about what you are doing, but try to become conscious of your unconscious and you realise that you're making tens or hundreds of tiny adjustments in order to keep the bike balanced.

I first slowed down my chewing. That's when I realised that every bite I could feel the crunch of the chicken crust. Then I looked into the burger. It was clear why it went down so easily: thick hearty slice of tomato, similarly the onion: as if to make a bold statement. The condiments were part of the burger, they were put there to make a difference, not just something to claim is in there and for which to charge more. The tomato added the juicy lubrication that made swallowing so easy. The same with the onion coupled with a pleasant 'crunch'. And then I looked at the chicken: juices oozing out of it, screaming, 'I've been cooked to perfection and not a second longer'.

My friend concurred and we made a point to say that we have to come again when we are actually hungry and try more stuff. To that end, we went back to the menu to ponder what we'll be trying next time we visit. Clearly we had to try the beef burgers, but two more things stood out. One was a couple of their burgers that used Texas toast. If not for novelty value alone that had to be tried (and when it was tried, novelty value wasn't the only thing we got!). The other interesting thing was the chicken wings. The interest was twofold. On the one hand the they offer a choice from ten different sauces to go with the wings. More interesting however was their choice of how many you could get. Six, twelve, twenty, thirty, fifty or one hundred! One hundred wings! I was drooling just thinking about a mountain of chicken wings in front of me. Of course they would have to be served in one container (which has not been confirmed yet), but just imagine!

This was all about a month ago and since then I've been again and again and verified the delicious goodness of the beef burgers too. In particular I tried the western burger (onion straws: amazing!), and the mushroom burger (I could sooo taste the mushrooms: they were as if I'd made sautéed them myself - the real thing - none of that canned crap I've had one too many times before). So why has it taken me one month to spill the beans on this place? Because just last night I went there again, but this time I had my camera with me!

Texas Burger

Texas Chicken

Chicken Burger

Popcorn Chicken

Twenty wings with Hot Sauce

And where, you say, can I find these babies? Well, if you live in the centre of Athens and are lucky enough to be close by (unfortunately I'm not) you can get them delivered from the Ilissia store (210 7772463), but if you're keen on going there as I did so that you can have everything straight off the grill, here's the map. 

View Chicky's in a larger map

There's also a Pireus store that only does take out and delivery in case you live round there (210 4125119). 

Related Links:

Chicky.gr
Chickys.com.gr
@Facebook
@Oneman
@Foursquare
@Athensmenu.gr
@FoodSpotting

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Bierkeller: An Enjoyable Visit

It was around the beginning of November when I was meeting up with various friends to tell them about my adventures in Spain and beyond. As one does when telling 'those' kinds of stories, when arranging to meet one of these friends, I told my friend we needed beer and a quiet warm environment. My friend suggested going to 'Bierkeller' which he had not tried since it had turned from being called 'Mozart'.

The place was pretty empty when we went in (not a surprise on a weekday evening) and just as we were about to get a table, I remembered the good times in Madrid and thought to myself, 'nothing bad ever came from sitting at the bar', so I suggested it, and that's where we sat.

We started off with a snack, just to go with the beer (I was dreaming of a light dinner). I was immediately drawn to the 'ΣΑΛΤΣΙΤΣΕ' (a play on the Greek word for 'sauce' made to sound German) because of its promise of chilli heat. My friend was otherwise inclined but after having a conversation with a guy dressed in chef whites (we got the feeling he was the owner), who warned us about the heat, we decided to go for it.

ΣΑΛΤΣΙΤΣΕ: Pork Sausage with a Thyme, Honey, Chilli, Garlic and Red Wine Sauce

Home Made Bread

Though tasty, I can't really say that it was special and there definitely wasn't, in any way, shape or form, any chilli heat. A bit of a disappointment really, but not that I was really expecting much at the time.

My friend however did have an expectation: to fill the empty hole in his stomach! I couldn't keep him under control and no sooner had we finished this snack than he was ordering a Currywurst and a Pretzel!

Currywurst: Berlin Sausage with Curry sauce

Pretzel

The currywurst was better, but by the time we had finished it we were more taken by the barmaid with whom we had become friendly, and had been exchanging stories and general chit-chat. When I pointed out that she had no alcohol in the coke she was sipping on and that that prevented us from cheers-ing her, she was swift to pour herself a half pint. 

We were having good fun, the beer had been flowing and the story telling had got me nostalgic. I had forgotten any notions of a light dinner and was craving the 'Hunters Schnitzel". It didn't take much persuading my friend and off was the barmaid to the till to place the order!

Hunters Schnitzel: Schnitzel with a Mushrooms, Onions, Cream and White Wine Sauce.

The guy in chef whites and waiter took it in turns to come talk to us, ask us about the food and tell us the story of what they've tried to 'create' in this place. We told them we were happy and my friend made a point that the Schnitzel was much better than when he had tried it while the place was still 'Mozart'. Meanwhile I wondered if me snapping away with my camera here and there had anything to do with the attention we were getting or if all customers were getting this kind of treatment. Either way I wasn't complaining, enjoying it more like it!

By now we were having too much fun ordering one thing at a time. For novelty value if nothing else we asked what was recommend. They said generally the 'Pork of the Cellar' or 'Frankische Schaufele' for those who 'know' (according to their website), was highly recommend but given we'd already eaten, and that it was for two to three people, it would be a waste because we wouldn't be able to finish it. I was tempted to try as was my friend, but we decided to keep things civil. 

The next recommendation was a selection of sausages which we went for. (And for whoever is thinking we over did it on the food front: two starters and two mains: not that much food! It's the beer we had that you should be wondering about).

Three Sausage Selection

The sausages were as one would expect. We happily went though them continuously chatting with the barmaid, generally having a nice time. And then it was time for desert. On the house!

Palatschinken: Classic Austrian Crepes with Jam, Chocolate, Nuts and Icing Sugar

Simple, almost childish (the jam dominated in terms of taste), but decadent and delicious!

Front of the bar

Entrance

Overall, the food was good. Nothing wrong, but nothing that brought tears to my eyes. I wouldn't go out of my way just for that. The people on the other hand were amazing, and for that alone I would highly recommend a visit! At the end of the day, we really enjoyed our visit and hope to visit again soon in order to try the Pork dish!

http://www.bierkeller.gr/
http://www.athinorama.gr/restaurants/data/places/?id=10000092
http://athensmagazine.gr/portal/restaurants/businesses/3745
http://athensmagazine.gr/portal/reviews/10320
http://www.facebook.com/pages/BierKeller/247504368618590
http://www.beer.gr/beerhouse/579-bierkeller

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The Time of my Life

You know what they say: that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I have a story that I am gagging to get out. I am bursting with fondness and want to shout it out to the world. I want to tell everyone to stop! To take a break. To look around them and to see the best in everything that surrounds them. My problem is I don't feel I can tell a story well enough to do the actual events justice.

"Good so what will it take to get to Greece..."

"Just say the word. Short flight. et voila!"

"Word"

The conversation between two people, each with a friend to go with them, who were complete strangers less than a week ago. The conversation between two people who had met in a bar and had a drunken night of fun. No! Not that kind of fun! The sort of fun you have with your friends, dancing your troubles away untill the early hours of the morning (OK, and maybe just a tiny bit of the other kind of fun ;) ).

"omg they dont stop... its almost 6 in the morning and the disco is still going on... The clubs in the usa have nothing on the clubs here"

Ofcource, 'here' was not Athens. 'Here' was Madrid, and the next day, the girls in the story were destined to fly to Paris. And yet so early in their acquaintance, a proposal was made. 'You should come to Paris with us'. The two boys will forever kick themselves in the behind for not getting on a plane the next day and going.

And yet, a few days later, it was the girls who were getting on a plane and heading to Greece. And as shocked as they were at themselves for going, the boys were at them for coming. Neither party knew what to expect but both buzzed with excitement and anticipation!

As it turned out, one of the boys fell ill, and it was up to the other: the quiet and mildly shy one, to show the ladies the best that his land had to offer. As it turned out, that boy was me, and the only way I can describe the next two days is the best experience I have had and every wish to have in my life! And I get asked by my friends (boys being boys), did you get it on with any of them? My answer I believe is as revealing as it is unrevealing: "If I had the choice of not doing everything we did but having a group orgy instead, or doing what we did, I'd go for what we did; every time; hands down!". That is how much a cherish the fun we had.

So there I am, waiting at arrivals gate B, a nervous wreck, thinking how my friend could have left me to deal with two sensationally gorgeous women on my own, when I see them walk through the sliding doors, and everything goes away. And I walk straight up to them, two girl, four cheeks, four kisses, "because this is how we say hello in Greece", and off to the car we go.

"Wow, a mountain. Back home we only have speed bumps." This was the first taste I got of what was to come. The joy that I was to take from showing and exciting people with the simplest of things.

We made our way to the hotel, chatting continuously allong the way, like we had known each other for ever. A quick check-in later and short wait in the lobby and we were off again to the coast. To Mikrolimano and a place called Amos, for a seafood dinner and a walk by the coast.

View from the Table

"In Athens and it is amazing so far... Octopus mussels and a whole fish were part of my dinner tonight, along with mastiha and fresh donuts and ouzo? Totally out of my element and I love it!"

There is not the tiniest of exaggeration in my words when I say that tears come to my eyes thinking that something that is so simple for me; something that I take for granted, can spark so much enthusiasm, so much joy in another.

After our walk we decided to head back to the hotel considering we had to get an early start the next day in order to see everything. But not before a quick drive by tour of the centre. "Look, ancient stuff", I cried as we went by the Temple of Olympian Zeus. They were impressed at a couple of columns, so I can't imagine what went though their mind when they got their first glimpse of the Acropolis, all lit up, as we whizzed by Monastiraki Square.

Next day I picked the girls round ten, which was quite an achievement considering we didn't get to sleep till around two. And because breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and coffee makes the world go round, I stopped by a Grigoris to get cheese pies, spinach pies and Freddo Cappuccinos!

We made our way to an underground station where the girls witnessed first hand the nightmare of finding a place to park and gave major respect for my parallel parking technique!

I was so busy chatting and not paying attention that when we switched lines at Sytagma we got the train in the wrong direction and had to turn back at the Panepistimio stop. But that was fine: I just pointed at all the 'Ancient stuff' that was on show at the station. Stuff that was unburied while the station was being built.

Eventually we got to the entrance of the Acropolis and made our way up. Words cannot describe the ascent and descent. We visited the acropolis museum next, had yoghurt with various toppings as a snack as we made out way through Zapio to the Panathinaiko Stadium. We went by the temple of Olympian Zeus, but didn't make it in time to enter.

Odeon of Herodes Atticus

The Erechtheion

View From the Acropolis

View From the Acropolis

The Parthenon

And again, The Parthenon 

The Acropolis Museum

Panathinaiko Stadium

Passage Under the Panathinaiko Stadium

Temple of Olympian Zeus 

'How often do you hear a girl cry out with joy', said one of the girls as we entered the top level of the Acropolis Museum. I looked at her with the corner of my eye and raised my eyebrow. "I walked right into that didn't I", she continued. We laughed.

Eventually we made our way to Syntagma square, stopping by the Hard Rock Cafe to take picture (that was a special request). We took more pictures of parliament and of the girls with the Tsoliades. Next up Karaköy Güllüoglu for the best Baklava I know of. I was amazed how the overwhelming sweet syrupy taste didn't slow down one of the girls who had four or five pieces just like that!

Assorted Balkaba from Karaköy Güllüoglu

No time to ponder the differences between Greek and Turkish Baklava, and we're off to the Tourist shops on Andrianou street. All the way down to Monastiraki we walked, and straight to Bairaktaris for a soublaki. Then it was through the flea market, then the pedestrian road past Keramikos and to Gazi, where we took the Metro back to the car and back to the Hotel to freshen up for dinner.

We had seafood on the first night, so my plan was to go for meat on the second. And what more fitting a place than Ladokola. A place where instead of plates you get greaseproof paper, and the meat is tipped over in front of you in a huge pile. We had a salad and some mixed greens and a mixed grill for three. We also got some Mousaka and was hoping for stuffed tomatoes and green peppers but they were out. And of course lots of wine.

Pile of meat, fries and pita at Ladokola

The girls were surprised at how the wine was flowing. They said back home, they'd have a glass and sip at it throughout the night. "Seriously", I told them, "Can you image the ancient Greeks, sitting round a feast slowly sipping at a glass of wine?". Then there was the thing of looking at each other in the eyes before drinking up. Nobody wants a year of bad sex! "You look at me before you swallow that!" snapped one of the girls at the other with a passion unseen before. Clearly she took her sex life very very seriously. We all burst out laughing at the myriad of interpretations her statement could take.

As the meal came to an end, the question of 'what next' came up. The idea of Bouzoukia came up, but in the sense that is portrayed in the movies: plate breaking. Unfortunately, not only was I not aware of where we could find this (apparently I've just read that it's been banned by law since the 1970s!) but the next day, the girls had a 9am flight so we could't really stay up that late. We settled for a few drinks at Baba au Rum and when made out way back.

The next day it was a miracle that we all managed to wake up and arrive at the airport on time. The girls checked in and we had just enough time to sit down and do the last thing on my to-do list. Have a Frappe. Eventually I took the girls the entrance of the gates area where I could go no further. We hugged, "because that's how we do it in the US", and said goodbye.

And that is the end of my story, and I know I haven't been able to portray a tenth of the fun we had, but I hope that I have given you a tiny insight into it. And you may ask, now that they are gone, half way around the world, how do I feel? I feel grateful. Grateful to have been given an opportunity to share what I am lucky to have with others. To give them joy and happiness. To share with them an experience that we will always remember. I feel grateful to have had this rare opportunity to make friends that I hope to keep for life.

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