WHEN it comes to the crunch, a new restaurant opening in Reading this week offers the biscuit.
Popeyes has transformed the former GAP store in Broad Street, and will open its doors for the first time on Thursday at noon.
Queuing starts at 9am, and the first two people in the queue for the first three days will win free chicken sandwiches for a year, while the first 25 will receive a free chicken sandwich on the day.
Originally from New Orleans, it is a taste of the States right on our doorstep.
Reading is the 17th branch in the UK, but only the second outside of the capital.
Food is freshly made in an open-plan kitchen. Chicken is marinated for 12 hours in a special blend of herbs and spices, then breaded and battered, before being served in a brioche bun.
The meat comes in a choice of classic or spicy coating, and the bun can be customised, but the default is mayo and pickles.
The menu includes hot wings, which are just on the right side of spicy, chicken wraps, and chicken tenders.
Vegans can enjoy a Creole Red Bean Sandwich burger, made separately. However, due to the liberal use of flour in the kitchen, gluten-free dining cannot be guaranteed.
Fries can be plain or cajun seasoned, and the large portion is … well, a supersized US version.
Side dishes include Mac & Cheese, Mash & Cajun Gravy, and Popeyes Original Biscuit.
This isn’t a UK biscuit you can dunk in tea – it looks a bit like a scone, and is designed to be dipped in either Cajun Gravy or Honey.
There are a choice of nine different dips available, including Voodoo Sweet Chili, Classic Mayo, Mardi Gras Mustard, and a Mango Habernero.
To accompany the meals there is a serving station for soft drinks, while hand spun milkshakes include strawberry and vanilla flavours, plus a speciality range including Oreo and Lotus Biscoff.
A similar selection of ice cream is available too.
The chicken batter is deliciously crunchy. It’s also not excessively greasy, which makes it stand out from some others that want you be licking your fingers after eating.
The meat itself is moist and juicy, it feels like a premium cut above.
Tom Crawley, the CEO of Popeyes UK, is proud of what is on the menu in the new Reading branch.
“Quality is what our customers are looking for,” he said. “We use fresh, good quality chicken with a bit of a crunch to it. It’s a pretty unique thing.”
The company has been in the UK for 18 months, and the Reading branch will be one of 3,500 worldwide, of which 2,500 are in the US.
“The store is in a great location, next to John Lewis and close to the station,” he says. “Reading was very high on the list of places to come to. It was easy to get the site built, and as a town, there are lots of interesting things going on.
“It was a natural move to come to Reading.”
The former GAP store is unrecognisable: it is a bright, open-spaced restaurant which can seat 90 and still have enough space for families with buggies to come through.
On coming in, someone will greet customers, inviting them to place orders via five touchscreen terminals, or from the counter by the kitchen. A third option is to scan a QR code at an empty table and order via mobile.
The company will also be available on Deliveroo a few weeks after launch.
