GOOD EATS #2: WELCOME TO WONG’S.
March 15, 2010
Takeaways are quite the institution here in New Zealand. I'm not sure whether it's due to our history as a British colony, but much like England, the local 'chippie' and chinese takeaway store is a fixture in just about every neighbourhood here. I guess it's our version of having a local deli, taqueria or burger joint. It's a pretty simple setup - you go in, order, it's cooked on the spot, there's no seating, so you take it away. Cheap and cheery. That said, the quality of food from one takeaway to another varies quite a bit, which is why a lot of people swear by their 'local', as if it were a pub/dive bar. You know, it's easy finding fancy restaurant and fine dining reviews & pictures online, but you rarely see people writing about their local takeaway. I, on the other hand, enjoy finding the little hidden food gems before they start blowing up, like a quest of sorts. Much like Sal's pizza, which is now twice the size of its original location and is ridiculously busy during lunch and dinner hours.
Recently while perusing farcebook I noticed a lot of friends commenting on the "best fried chicken in the country". With words and phrases such as "epic", "number 1", "cheap", along with "try this number 1 voted epic chicken in Nexus Magazine, and it's cheap as hell" being thrown about you couldn't stop but wonder what was behind all the hype. Curious, (and, a bit hungry at the time) I did a a bit of digging and found that what they were talking about - a little takeaway store, named Wong's Kitchen, who allegedly produce some of the best fried chicken in the country.
The only problem - it was in Hamilton, about a 90 minute drive south from Auckland city. That would be the equivalent of driving from San Francisco to San Jose... just for fried chicken. The best fried chicken in the country?
After a moment of deliberation (which lasted exactly 37 seconds), I decided to take the punt, and drive down there on a lazy Sunday afternoon to see what the fuss was all about.
After a few traffic blocks, an unco-operative googlemaps app and 120 minutes on the road, we finally arrived at our destination. Wong's Kitchen, nestled away in a small row of shops at the 5 crossroads junction in Hamilton, Waikato. We breezed in and told the guy at the counter we'd heard about the place, had driven 2 hours to try it, and to put together a signature Wong's Kitchen meal. This was what came out.
1 x 20 pack Wong's signature fried chicken wings = $14.00
1 x Wong's signature cheese & mayo chips (fries) = $4.00
2 x cans of Coke = $3.00
Total cost = NZ$21.00 ( ~ US$14.00). You serious? In some places in Auckland that's only enough for a burger and fries for one.
We ordered a combination fried rice as an afterthought, wondering if chicken wings were enough to fill us up..... Put it this way, we didn't even end up touching it.
I loved the packaging. I'm sure newspaper wrapping was banned a number of years ago in the more 'metro' parts of the country. Not here though. I love the nostalgic feel of the newspaper wrapping, it reminds me of some of my first fish & chips meals in this country in the mid 90's. The recycled frozen chips (fries) box tops off the experience.
Here it is, the infamous Wong's fried chicken wings. According to the owner the flavouring and special spice blend has been a secret family recipe for the past 25+ years, from their first takeaway store in the small semi-rural town of Tokoroa, until they moved to Hamilton, a slightly less-smaller town. I tried asking if he could divulge the contents of the mix, but all I got was a cheeky smile and a "get out of here before I throw this vegetable chopper at you" look on his face. The chicken looked like it was lightly crumbed, and you can just make out the hints of the spice mix as you open the pack and take in the aroma. Thanks for cooking us up a fresh batch.
(open image in new tab/window to enlarge)
Finally, the taste test. I think by this point we were just about to pass out from the anticipation. I'm not sure what else to say other than I can see why people rave about this fried chicken. It may not look any different compared to other fried chicken, but you can see why this is so popular when you finally bite into it. The spices. Chinese five spices maybe? I can't quite put my finger on it; maybe a bit of cumin, and thyme? Surprisingly, it doesn't seem nor taste as oily as other fried chicken I've tasted, and the light crumbs on the outside gives it a nice texture biting into it, and doesn't leave your hand in a huge mess like honey soy or buffalo wings.
For NZ$14 (~US$9) it was a lot of chicken. A 20 pack was more than enough to satisfy the two of us, and we're not small eaters. Mind you, they've told me stories of people driving in and eating a 30 pack all by themselves. I'm not even sure if I could do 20 by myself.
Still, by far the most unique part of it all was the unique spice mix. More than 24 hours on it leaves you craving for more, and I'm assured it has no MSG or artifical flavouring added to it. Talk about staying power...
Their other signature Wong's Kitchen Tokoroa special - Cheese & Mayo chips. Amazing. Looks like a mess but highly, highly, reccomended. Definately a guilty pleasure for sure. I would eat this every day if I ran a half marathon and rode 100kms every morning. Still, worth it though.
2nd generation owner/operator Anthony Wong. Thanks for the chicken and the chat.
There's something quite refreshing to see a place with such history (and mystique?) about it that has passed on from one generation to another, and despite its popularity on farcebook, there is little to no advertising out there about this establishment. In other words, Anthony and his crew lets the product speak for itself, which is a rarity in any field in this day and age of being bombarded with advertisements. A nice feeling to know that they're famous for their product, and nothing else.
Well, as you can see, it's rather popular, and we were lucky enough to show up just before the evening rush hour, with dozens of people coming and going for the thirty odd minutes we were there. If you want an indication, they churn through a ridonkulous 150 kgs (330lbs), or approximately 1,050 pieces of chicken every day. Apparently they go through it so quickly that they have to use more than three local suppliers to keep up with demand. Be there quick if you want to try it, because otherwise they might be all out by the time you get there.
The final question - was it worth the three and a half hour round trip?
Yes.
WONG'S KITCHEN
256 Peachgrove Road (Corner of Boundary & Peachgrove)
5 Crossroads
Hamilton, New Zealand
GOOGLE MAPS
Ive had this multiple times, everytime the flavours just keep getting better. This chicken is not to be taken lightly, it's some world class chicken. Ive travelled the world through various country's, states and this chicken is something else, above all levels of chicken ive tasted.
If your looking for anything from a quick snack to a full family feast capable of feeding a large family then this is your one stop shop for everything.
Also just quietly its the best kept secret for dealing with a hang over.
You also cant go past good old fashioned service with a smile and honesty.
10/10