Out & About #425 | Mr. Chimaek

​Korean Fried Chicken has officially earned the title of "KFC" in my heart, easily winning over Colonel Sanders with greater depth of flavour, a more cohesive profile, and a no-fail crunchy exterior. Not to mention: the varieties are seemingly endless.

For fellow Korean drama fanatics, the term "chimaek" shouldn't sound foreign. It depicts the well-loved combination of fried chicken (pronounced 'chikkin'/치킨) and beer (maekju/맥주) - much like bar bites and sangria pitchers on warm summer evenings.

​The specific chicken genre is normally difficult to find outside of Koreatown (both at Christie/Bathurst and Yonge/Finch) or within the vicinity of the downtown core. K-Pocha was Mississauga's only similarly-styled establishment (until The Fry came along), though it was sad to say that other areas in the GTA were devoid of the privilege until recently.

Not too far from the Kennedy exit on the Express Toll, Mr. Chimaek is skillfully hidden in a small plaza, storefront camouflaged by shrubbery and a longstanding Pizza Pizza.

​The small asphalt lot proved sufficiently spacious for our purposes on a weekday afternoon. Besides the greasy fast food chain, other establishments retailed services or unprocessed meat.

​On a quiet weekday afternoon, three tables were occupied - either parties of four or five. A reception desk was positioned immediately in front of the entrance, while a curtain-less kitchen was spotted behind. Seating was distributed along the north-facing side of the restaurant, in addition to a strip of tables near the depths of the space.

A lady donning a dark copper bob greeted us with a beaming smile, and gestured towards one of the many spacious tables. The wide chairs featured bouncy padding on both their backs and bottoms, lending bounciness to its otherwise rigid frame.

​The menu took the form of clipboard; its numerous pages listed offerings ranging from hamburg steak lunch sets to an astounding variety of mild and spicy Korean fried chicken.
Admittedly, the thirty-four dollar price tag for the Half & Half was a bit much to stomach at first. But we later discovered the exceptional value of such an item.

A chilled selection of soft drinks, import beers, and soju was also available for the non-drivers.

​Appetizers took the form of plain popcorn - no butter, no salt.
Steaming cups of hot barley tea were provided once customers had settled on their meal(s) of choice. The single member of front-line staff had delivered the beverages in Stainless steel cups after order placement, along with a plastic bag-lined bone bucket.
Astonishingly enough, the exterior of the Stainless steel cups did not exhibit signs of condensation nor temperature changes given the heat, or lack thereof, of the contained beverage. Such stellar insulating properties have yet to witnessed elsewhere to this date.
Ice water was also delivered upon request; an ice-making machine ensured ice cubes would be available at all times of the day.

< Pictured above and below: Half & Half Chicken - Original and Rice Powder Fried Chicken, Moosehead >

​Sides of corn salad and pickled radish made their way over while chicken-frying procedures took place. The corn salad, which was more alike to coleslaw than salad, comprised of sweet corn kernels and finely chopped cabbage in an aqueous cream sauce that utilized a distinct base of vinegar. It was hearty from the carbs of the kernels, though refreshing from the addition of an acidic element.
White and pink pickled radish filled another container; the level of astringency was on the modest side, dissimilar to store-bought radishes boasting forced saturation.

​The Rice Powder Fried Chicken was crisp and extremely fragrant - captivating upon the very first touch. Its flavourful exterior retained a slight kick of heat while offering supple and tender flesh.

Suitable for even those with the weakest tolerance ever, the Original Fried Chicken was completely mild with thin yet textured breading. The just-cooked white meat was absolutely scrumptious, albeit a tad drier than that of the Rice Powder variation. While its seasonings probably did not exceed the basic salt-and-pepper blend, the art of frying had changed the game entirely.

View the full album HERE !

​​Portions were ginormous in comparison to MyMy, and far more enjoyable on that note. A full order sustained cravings for three separate meals afterwards, even managing to maintain the same degree of deliciousness with re-toasting.

​The production rate of chicken wasn't particularly speedy, given the circumstances of the visit, however the service compensated by being ridiculously attentive. Insanely strong observation skills were concluded when corn salad and tea were immediately refilled as the container/cup was set down. In addition, requests were fulfilled with utmost promptness and courteousness.

One of my primary concerns for dining in close proximity to an open kitchen was the fear of oily fumes infiltrating into everything and anything around me. Despite our relatively accessible coordinates, minimal grease clouds filled the premises. Unlike Nuri or Mickey's, I was able to depart without greasy-smelling strands (and oil-bearing clothing).

​Situated at the furthest depths of the establishment were individual bathroom stalls. The Wonder Woman (ladies') stall takes the form of a L-shape, while the Iron Man (men's) was a boxy, spacious stall.
Adopting a rustic, nearly industrial finishing, the addition of pop art and manga installations added a dose of whimsy. An avocado-shaped basin, diffusers, non-commercial type hand wash and lotion duo were other components of the space. The most intriguing factor was, no doubt, the square toilets.

​The seating area was on the dim side, but shared a cohesive, cozy vibe overall. It was stated that all furnishings hailed from Korea, from the wide, bouncy chairs to monogrammed tables. Light fixtures taking the appearance of inverted metal buckets bearing the restaurant's name had been installed above each table.

​Seldom do I nominate a second visit to a veggie-less eatery within a week of tasting, though I can firmly declare that Mr. Chimaek and their high-quality products deserve every bit of exposure to those within (and outside of) the GTA.

I decided to swing by Pacific Mall briefly, then Midland and Finch afterwards for an iced beverage to take home. Orangecane tends to rave about The Alley quite a bit, so I decided to give their newest outpost another try.

​A sample of the Jasmine Milk Tea was presented to me at our time of entry. The small amount of the drink was decent, however the same cannot be said for the full-size version.
The base of Jasmine Tea was depicted as a green tea with floral notes, though the result was closer to a strong green tea that had been oversteeped to the point where astringency was present.

Milkiness was owed to milk powder, and the milk pudding I had added failed to meet freshness standards. Moreover, the portion consisted of fairly small chunks that neither bore the same level of sweetness nor silkiness as egg pudding (à la Three Guys). One could easily source a tastier beverage for less at any of the surrounding bubble tea vendors.

​Morning Dawn, one of the two layered bottled beverages, was truly anticlimatic and frustration-inducing. Available in only one size and exempt from sugar level alterations, the result, as expected, ended up too sweet for our preferences. The plastic jug in which it is contained is a gimmick that fails in terms of user-friendliness: mixing the layers is as tedious a task as attempting to consume the drink without spillage.
The top layer of butterfly pea tea is bland, as is the bottom-most green tea layer. he mango slush, evidently compiled using mango syrup and/or synthetic mango puree, was excessively sugary and consisted of several blocks of ice that failed to incorporate themselves into the drink. Layers were poured (or spooned) into the jar via a funnel, such that the colours would remain distinct due to density differences. The hefty price tag of $7.50 did not justify this mediocre-tasting creation whatsoever.

The estimated creation time was 7-9 mins, but the entire wait time approximated 15 minutes during off-peak hours.

​Located in the back is a single stall handicap washroom whose door-opening features do not function. Minimal cleanliness was observed; it also reeked of low-grade toilet spray to the point where an oncoming migraine could be felt. 

The male member of staff behind cashier was able to clearly describe the offerings on the menu, but his voice possessed a half-hearted, sales pitch-like tone, which caused the ordering process to sound more deceptive than genuine.

As with its other spots, the interior is cozy, but repulsive washrooms, unjustified price tags, inefficiency during off-peak hours, and lacking customer service will not have me returning, even if parking is not an issue.