Hot Star Large Fried Chicken

Stall 535, Shilin Nightmarket, Taipei
Visited 25th October 2009
In my girlfriend's Cantonese Travel Guide they listed Hot Star Chicken as 'No. 1'. Last time I was in Taiwan the large queue led me to this very stall and the fact I'd tried the chicken before simply made me keener to get back to Shilin Nightmarket to try it again. After a day spent exploring Danshui we dropped into the market on the way home for a feast of the snack food that Taipei is famous for.

Life's pretty easy at Hot Star Large Fried Chicken; you've got the simple choice of a fried chicken fillet without bones (more convenient) or a fried chicken fillet with bones (bigger and definitely the way to go!). The next difficult decision is how much spicy you want it. The massive fried chicken fillet we were presented with was truly gargantuan. Obviously made from a whole chicken it was even bigger that the legendary palmers of the Skinny Dog. Hot, fresh and surprisingly tender the thing was good. The spice mixed tossed all over it gave it a nice chilli kick and for a piece of fried chicken it was remarkable oil free.

My local late night stable in Yuen Long, Big, Big Chick, is based upon this style of Taiwan fried chicken. However much I love Big Big Chick, Hot Star Large Fried Chicken leaves it for dead. While it's probably outrageous to suggest flying specifically to Taipei to get involved with a piece of fried chicken bigger than your head, if you get the chance check out Hot Star Large fried Chicken!