KFB in Australia - Boneless Hot & Spicy Box review

To bone or not to bone? That is the question posed by every man, woman and child upon first casting their eyes over the Colonel's menu boards. It's a highly controversial subject even here at KFB headquarters. For some, chicken on the bone represents the OG - the truest expression of that special flavour. After all, it led to the 'Finger-lickin' good' slogan back in the day. For other, bones simply get in the way and take up unneccessary extra space and weight. To my mind, there's a time and a place for either option and last Friday, that time and place led me to go boneless and try KFC's new Boneless Hot & Spicy box here in Melbourne.

It's at this point that I should point out that I was severely hungover at the time of sampling the box of delight. As we've previously covered on KFB though, there's nothing finer than KFC when it comes to curing all but the most extreme of hangovers. It was game on.

Now I know what you're thinking - what right does a bread roll have to be in the mix when it's not part of a burger? We'll get back to that later. For now let's focus on the chicken: 3 sizeable chunks that were reasonably well-coated in ETC (extra tasty cripsy) rather than Original Recipe.

It was time to delve in. We've said it before and we'll say it again: thigh meat just isn't as well-suited to being used in a boneless dish such as this or a burger. While it was relatively fat and certainly sinew-free and even though it was clearly well-marinaded, it just didn't have that firm, bouncy texture we love from a good hunk of breast. Something to note: according to KFC's site, the boneless pieces could be either thigh or breast - my colleagues and I however were all served the former.

So let's get back to the bun. I was reliably informed by an Aussie chum of mine that the bun was to be filled with all the other boxed ingredients, thereby turning it into some kind of elaborate sandwich. This of course had to be tried.

The result? It was delicious. Though the bun itself was overly sweet, it complemented the saltiness of the fries and chicken well. The mash and gravy, though still not anywhere near as good as a pot of UK 3-step gravy, added some interesting extra flavour.

So what was missing you might ask? More chicken of course! The UK's Boneless Banquet For One not only features mini breast fillets coated in Original Recipe but also adds a small tub of Popcorn Chicken to the mix. Close then, KFC Australia, but not quite what we'd hoped for.

Oh, the hangover? Yup, pretty much cured post-chicken. The Colonel strikes again.

Taste: 7
Value: 6.5 ($10.95 for the meal or about £5.50)
Innovation: 3

Overall: 6/10

Super Value Tuesday: The Mini-Fillet Challenge

80 mini-fillets. 8 hungry men. 1 fateful night. This, my friends, is the Super Value Tuesday Mini-Fillet Challenge. The premise is simple: each contestant orders a bucket of 10 delicious mini-fillets for £5.99, courtesy of the new Tuesday-only deal. Each contestant must then attempt to eat all 10 mini-fillets in a single sitting. Finish all 10, and become a legend.

Last Tuesday, members of KFB and friends headed down to the London flagship branch at Leicester Square to take on the aforementioned challenge. Each contestant had their own tactics, resulting in much cause for debate as we queued to order. Sides or no sides? Gravy or a dipping sauces? Wolf them down or take your time? For an extra £2 you can get 2 large sides with your chicken, an excellent deal which many of our party decided to plump for. Would this be their downfall? Read on to find out who won, who lost, and the unique perspectives of each contestant.

The Winners: Paddy, Obad, Albad and George

Obad

"In my hubris I believed that I could beat the Challenge easily, going so far as to order two additional hotwings in a cocksure salute to the colonels undying spirit. 30 minutes later, chewing through fillets that should have been delicious, but by now to me tasted like cement. I may have beaten the challenge, but at what cost? That grim xanatos: the toilet becons me, and I fear it's cold porcelain grip."

Albad

"Never before has the phrase 'the sweet taste of victory' been so apt. Having had a warmup session in which I split the 10 fillets with a compadre, I knew that adding sides into the mix would be a mistake. 

The chicken was fresh and extremely succulent, the atmosphere jubilant. As I popped the last morsel into my mouth I wondered whether this would be the highlight of my adult life: will it ever get better than this I pondered? And if it doesn't, I'll die a happy man."

George

"As nostalgic as mini-fillets are, the eating of 10 in a single sitting is not something I would recommend in a hurry. 12 hours on and my mouth is still dry despite the intake of several pints of water. With that being said, the strips were succulent, juicy and undeniably delicious. Next Tuesday?"

The Losers: Paulbot, Ben Dan, Dave

Paulbot

"First of all, I must give a hearty round of applause to the chicken technicians at the Leicester Sq branch for fulfilling a simultaneous order of 70 mini fillets without breaking a sweat. The chicken was hot, succulent and delicious; and for that, I thank you.

Unfortunately I can award no such accolade to myself. The first 4 fillets went down with astonishing ease and I felt confident about completing the challenge. Fillets 5, 6 and 7 required a more considered approach, devoured with lashings of gravy and ketchup (my preferred consumption lubricants). Fillet 8, one of the largest fillets in my bucket I should add, was a game changer - even the can of coke I had smuggled in couldn't help to overcome my salty stupor. The meat sweats kicked in, and I knew I was done for. I forced down fillet 9 in baby-sized bites, before throwing in the towel (freshen-up wipe) and conceding defeat. My biggest disappointment? Having to waste that last delicious fillet."

Dan

"It was, as some-novel-or-other put it, the best of times. It was the worst of times. Two incidents, almost twelve hours apart, yet inextricably linked and bridged by imagery as warm and brown as anything since the last Kasabian album.

Alas I am a miserable failure of a man; my dinnertime prowess rightfully mocked as pitiful by Oliver Manboat Horner, next to whom I had the misfortune to sit during our testosterone-fuelled duel with saltiness. Eight pieces of chicken, dipped and drizzled in high-quality gravy, alongside a minuscule percentage of my two trays of chips was all my light-framed body could handle, even washing it down with a litre-and-a-half of Diet Pepsi."

Dave

"I'd had my eye on the 10 Mini Fillets for £5.99 promotion for a few weeks and last night the opportunity to take the 10 Mini Fillet challenge arose. 59.9p per mini fillet is an excellent price although they probably get an extra £2 out of every customer who takes the two large sides for £2. Armed with my box of 10 a bottle of Pepsi and a large tub of gravy I took up position. Two down and I thought how easy polishing off ten was going to be. Four down and i was still going strong and enjoying the intense unadulterated hit of Original Recipe. By six, I was satisfied but felt I still had the wherewithal to complete the challenge. Seven down and I was getting fuller. Unfortunately 8 mini fillets coupled with an article on the BBC website about Bob Crow's fatal heart attack at 52 saw me bow out of the challenge defeated!"

Hot Shots Box Meal, new fries and Kream Balls

It's been slow on the news front recently, but like London buses, you wait ages for one and then 3 come at once. All of a sudden we've been inundated with a bevy of new menu additions and updates, so of course it was time to dispatch a trusty KFB reporter and get a full run-down on the changes.

The first news item concerns the release (or re-release) of the Hot Shots Box Meal, which we can only assume is the most recent TLO. The deal includes a Zinger burger, usual combo of fries, drink and side, plus 3 boneless "Hot Shots", which are essentially giant popcorn chicken with a "fiery marinade" and ETC (extra tasty crispy) coating.

The second story is a real milestone - new fries! KFC UK have apparently been hard at work testing and surveying the British public in an effort to improve on their current offering, the result: "you asked so we changed them". The new fries are described as being crispier and an improvement, but we'll be the judge of that. Finally, the third story, is more of a discovery than an announcement. A KFB researcher recently spotted the existence of a new dessert product - the KFC Kream Ball. Either we missed the press release for this one or it was released under the radar to gauge opinion - either way, it's available now at certain branches, so it's about time we gave it the once over.

First up, Hot Shots. Fans of the old Crispy Strips (RIP), Zinger burger and Hot Rods will love these little nuggets thanks to the light but spicy coating, which gives a fairly distinctive flavour compared to the traditional Original Recipe coating. I wouldn't describe them as particularly spicy (as the Hot Shots ad would have you believe) but they do have a very subtle kick. Overall, I'd say the Hot Shots box meal is worth a go, especially for boneless fans who want a bit of zing.

Next up, new fries. On first inspection, they certainly do look crispier and also have a thinner cut. They look a lot more like McDonald's or Burger King fries now, though nowhere near as crispy as BK and not quite as thin as McD's. Unfortunately, I can't say they are an improvement. It might just be that the particular batch of fries I was given had been sat around for a while (they were a little cold) but they were certainly no crispier than the old fries...nor did they taste any different. In fact I could tell no discerning difference between the new and old fries, expect that they are now smaller. We'll be investigating this further by testing a fresher batch soon.

Finally, the KFC Kream Ball. Ordering made me feel a little ridiculous (not sure if the marketing team were having an off day why they named this) and even caused a little giggle from my server. I opted for the chocolate version which consists of Mr. Whippy style ice cream, topped with an indulgent chocolate sauce and small chunks of chocolate, served in a transparent plastic ball with a nifty little KFC branded spoon. The ice cream was very good and chocolate sauce generously applied throughout, even at the bottom, which was a nice touch and made the last few mouthfuls a treat rather than a disappointing finish. The Kream Ball isn't anything particularly special but it's a good competitor to the McFlurry - I'd like to see more options for toppings in the future, potentially with chocolate bar brands like the ones found in Krushems.

The Hot Shots Box Meal and Kream Ball are decent enough (though not particularly exciting), but the jury is still out on wether the new fries are really an improvement. It is, however, encouraging to see KFC responding to customer feedback, something that we'd like to see more of in the future.

KFC World Tour, Part 1: Intro and Slovakia

It's true that 2010 was a quiet year for the KFB team. Looking at the stats, we posted a meager 17 times in 2010 compared with a mighty 84 posts in 2009. "What's up with that?" I hear you ask, "Have you guys just given up on chicken, given up on life??". Well the answer, clearly, is no. Chicken IS our life, and to give up on chicken would be to give up on...LIVING. The reason for our lull in activity is that we were planning something big, something that would bring KFC from the four corners of the world straight to our loyal readers. This, my friends, was the KFC World Tour.

After months of intricate planning including detailed analysis of locations, restaurants and menus, the route was set and every last penny was saved and deposited into an offshore bank account, which was ultimately used to purchase one Round The World ticket - and I was the lucky blogger who would be sent out in search of the answers to so many questions. What is KFC like on the other side of the world? Does the secret recipe taste the same? What innovations are being made that we could learn from in the UK? ...and is UK KFC the best in the world?? It was time to answer these questions, so on August 24th 2010, I set off.

First stop would be in Europe, but where? Here at KFB we have already explored what's on offer in our neighbouring countries; previous field reports from Germany and France are still available for your perusal. So it was time to go further afield, into the beating heart of Central Europe and pay Slovakia a visit - and more precisely, the capital city of Bratislava.

On arrival at the city's most central branch, I was immediately struck by the buzz and hustle bustle of people around the entrance and seating areas. It was lunchtime, and as far as I could see KFC in Bratislava is a popular destination for hungry Slavs.



The branch was small but with a pleasant outdoor seating area, and brisk but cheery counter service. After studying the Slovakian menu for a while, it was clear that the long-standing classics were present; namely the Fillet Burger, Tower Burger, Twister, Buckets, Strips etc., but in addition to this there were some local delicacies, including the "Longer Menu" (essentially a smaller Fillet Burger in a torpedo roll), the "Fuller" bowl and a Tiramisu dessert.



I opted for the Fuller as it looked very interesting: a bowl of mashed potato, chopped Crispy Strips, sweetcorn and covered in the Colonel's finest gravy and melted mozzarella cheese, all topped with a sprinkling of herbs. Sounded delicious...and it was!



The chicken and mashed potato was a well loved combo, delightfully complemented by the gravy which was rich and creamy. The addition of sweetcorn added texture, a sweet flavour and a healthy element to the meal. The choice of an Italian melted cheese for the topping was a surprise and a rarity to see at KFC, but one that was pulled off without question of a doubt and made me wonder why other Italian and more exotic cheeses aren't used more often in the standard menu. All in all, the Fuller was a great, light meal, full of flavour and reasonably priced. My advice: Introduce this to the UK, also throw it in a box meal with a Mini Fillet burger and fries alongside and you've got a strong seller (I imagine it would make a great hang over cure too).

I left Slovakia in high spirits and with high hopes. If every KFC across the world could serve up something as innovative and delicious as what I had sampled in Bratislava, then I would be in for quite an eye opening experience. Of course, further testing would be required...next stop, Austria!

Double Down Recreation

Anyone with even the slightest interest in the fried chicken food market will surely have heard the news about the "Double Down", the fabled double chicken sandwich which was rumoured and being tested by KFC as far back as last August. If you aren't aware (and if you're reading this you really should be) the Double Down is a chicken sandwich/burger of monstrous construction...I'll leave it to the official KFC US website description and promotional pic to explain the details:

The new KFC Double Down sandwich is real and it's coming April 12th! This one-of-a-kind sandwich features two thick and juicy boneless white meat chicken filets (Original Recipe® or Grilled), two pieces of bacon, two melted slices of Monterey Jack and pepper jack cheese and Colonel's Sauce. This product is so meaty, there’s no room for a bun!

Well, the good news is they are actually making it and you can go into any KFC and buy one...delicious! The bad news...it's only coming out in America *sob*. We here at KFB have investigated and called in to the mothership, at UK KFC headquarters in Woking. Our contact there told us in no uncertain terms:

"...we have no plans to bring the Double Down to Britain at present."

A great shame, but we can hope that if it's a huge success in the states, we might at least see it tested in the UK eventually. Here at KFB however, we can't resist the allure of a new KFC product - especially one that has sparked so much interest and caused such controversy. If only there was a way we could try a Double Down in the UK....oh but wait, there is a way! We have the ingredients, let's recreate it!

So today I set foot into KFC in Bethnal Green, London to pick up the ingredients. There are admittedly a few limitations here: firstly, Bethnal Green KFC is a halal branch and as a result, doesn't sell any product with bacon. I would have to leave this out for the recreation. Secondly, I would have to settle for the single cheese slice that comes in the Fillet Tower burger, rather than the Monterey Jack and Pepper Jack cheese slices in the real DD. Finally, we are missing the crucial Colonel's Sauce. One BIG plus though...I could throw in the hash brown from the Fillet Tower burger to sweeten the deal.

So, taking the Original Recipe fillet breast of chicken from a Fillet Burger and Tower Burger, plus the cheeses slice and hash brown from the Tower Burger, I was able to recreate what is essentially a modified Double Down.



The big question: How did it taste? Biting into the Double Down (recreation) was like a dream come true. With any normal burger the bun serves as a mere containing vessel for the contents, the real meat (as it were) of the meal. Of course, we love the kasier bun used in the Fillet, Tower and Zinger burgers but when all is said and done, the peak of flavour and taste comes when you hit the filling. With the DD, the taste sensation is immediate and the Original Recipe flavours are the first thing you experience. This is complimented finally in a climactic sensory overload by the delicious filling (in my case, hash brown and cheese). I can only imagine what the real thing would taste like with the Colonel's special sauce.



Ignoring health and dietary implications (as we always do here at KFB), the DD as sampled by my recreation is everything we have come to expect from the Colonel, but doubled up. The Double Down is set for huge success, and I for one welcome the day when it arrives on our shores. Next up, a recreation of the Double Down with the same filling as the real thing...and while we're at it...how about a Zinger version??

Blazin' Boxmaster

The Blazin' Boxmaster, KFC's newest main item offering. If memory serves; we have seen a version of the Boxmaster previously, but not, in this revised format. Zinger lovers are often left out in the cold by the inclusion of only standard original recipe fillets in new product launches, but the Blazin' Boxmaster does not disappoint.

It was trialled by Rob Fentem and myself on February 10th at Manchester's Regent Road branch at 9pm along with a large side serving of gravy which revealed itself to be of hallowed 3 step variety.

I'm always slightly wary when entering a KFC that has security glass as this one did but the food however was of a high standard, hot , fresh and juicy as Harland hentended.

The Ingredients

Zinger Fillet
Hash Brown
Cheese
Hot Salsa
Crispy Bacon
Jalapeno Mayo
Lettuce
Wrap

Since the original launch of the Big Baddy burger in October 04 I am not sure if I have personally been able to reconcile KFC preparing, selling and serving bacon. Their name is very clear on their product and often constrains them, but chicken and bacon have been proved time and time again to be good culinary partners.

Moving on,

The product was served in an innovative paper wrapper with a cardboard belt with simple fastening device. Included in this was an integral identifying device to differentiate between the Blazin' or BBQ versions. Whilst the packaging was good, when put into context with the product. it was weak. One expects a product such as the Boxmaster to be in an actual box and that the product in some way masters the box either by being so large as to be it sole occupant or some other unthought of device for portraying its imperious pretensions over said box.

Once removed from the packet, the product itself was very dense thus giving it a very weighty feel. The Bacon in fact looked absent upon a cursory visual inspection but was in fact within. many of the ingredients are known to us due to their positions in other products but what is new here particularly is the Jalapeno Mayo (and Harland said it shall be good) and it was good. It was hot and added a significant new dimension to the menu.

Essentially though this is a ZT with some added extra hot sauce but suffering from wrap syndrome, a phenomenon whereby one eats to the end of the product and instead of being left with some amazing final bites, ends on 3 mouthfulls of what is virtually all wrap to contend with, thus ensuring the final mouthful is a disappointment.

All that said. . . . I would entertain another but as so often is the case it's no Zinger Tower.
6.5 out of 10

Boneless wonders

For years now I've been somewhat of a pariah in the chicken eating world. the 'bird' is the most scrumptious of all the meats and with 11 simple additions becomes the world's greatest foodstuff. My problem, however, is that I've always found the menu limited due to my inability to eat chicken on the bone. For years I got by with fillet burgers, then in time 'zing' was introduced to the menu. Now however the proportion of boneless products on the Colonels menu has mushroomed. we now have more choice than ever before and 'boneless' has actually become a buzzword. There are mini fillets, crispy strips, fillet burgers, fillet towers, twisters, popcorn chicken, the wrapstar (will it make a comeback) the original boneless box, the slightly larger 15.99 boneless box and recently the boneless variety box. but the newest addition the "boneless bites flavour station" with barbecue, sweet chilli and fiery pepper sauces to choose from. This burgeoning class of boneless foodstuffs is heartily welcomed. Score 1 for the colonel!