Winner Winner
Why did May-Lee cross the harbour bridge? To get her hands on some Winner Winner . The North Shore doesn’t have a particularly great number places I’ve enjoyed eating at, but the well-loved chicken store originating from Hamilton East has come to roost in Takapuna.
I have previously considered driving to Pukekohe just for chicken after a rave review from a friend after he tried Winner Winner in Wellington. My greenhouse guilt got the better of me then but couldn't keep me from driving 10km from home to try it on a recent visit to Auckland
The restaurant is clean and bright with an industrial beach house vibe. Dark navy slats contrast fine, white tiles gilding the counter front. From where we sat you could see chooks turning slowly on a rotisserie in the open kitchen.
Winner Winner if you haven’t figured out already is a chicken shop but the menu does cater for vegans brave enough to step foot into this house of white meat. You can order as much or as little fire-roasted free-range chicken as you like which can be accompanied by a number of their delicious side dishes and salads. But they’re most famous for their buttermilk fried chicken which comes in original, hot-dipped or proper hot seasoning. For the less collectivist among us there are burgers and rolls to aptly fill one’s stomach with.
Mitch and I wanted to try as many things as humanly possible, and started with a plate of their cheese and gravy loaded fries. Also known as poutine, Winner Winner’s version was excellent: the crisp and sturdy fries were doused in a rich, flavourful gravy; it was just the right consistency and fragrant with a bouquet of carrots and celery; the cheese curds on top were meltingly stringy. The ratio of crispy to slightly sodden fries was perfect. Needless to say we finished it all.
Next to arrive was the hot dipped fried chicken sandwich which came on a buttery brioche bun, served simply with iceberg lettuce, American cheese and a spicy mayo. The chicken was perfectly fried. I’m sorry to use that word again but it was the only way to describe it. Oh so crispy without a skerrick of grease, the chicken juicy and flavourful. The chicken was the star player and the accoutrements the perfect supporting acts. I will reluctantly admit that this was our second fried chicken sandwich we’d eaten in as many days and the one we’d had at Peach’s Hot Chicken the day before wasn’t up to their usual standard.
I’m a sucker for gravy rolls (historically always ordering Bird on a Wire’s chicken rolls on the regular) and Winner Winner’s did not disappoint, although the behemoth that arrived left me slightly concerned about how I would translate the roll from plate to gullet. What arrived was a hot, crispy baguette splayed open and overflowing with pieces of juicy fire-roasted chicken, slaw and more of that good brown stuff (I’m talking about gravy btw). This one calls for A LOT of napkins. It was delicious and ample enough that sides would not be necessary, but where’s the fun in that?
To curb the self-loathing that would inevitably ensue from ordering that much beige coloured food, we also ordered a side of charred seasonal greens with garlic, chilli and almonds which was smoky-deliciousness in itself.
The long wait for our last side was totally worth it as it deserved our utmost attention. The WW fried mushrooms with vegan mayo arrived fresh from the fryer and were the most moreish things I’ve ever eaten. They are what KFC’s popcorn chicken wishes it could be: bite size nuggets of mushrooms coated in Winner Winner’s secret herbs and spices (whatever they may be) and given the same beautiful treatment in the fryer Mitch’s fried chicken burger had received; it is hard to believe it was deep-fried. They are oh-so tasty and the mushrooms densely meaty. Vegans rejoice because this one’s for you.
Not only was every one of our dishes a pleasure to eat, but the manager on duty that day was an effervescent young woman whose warmth and enthusiasm made our meal that much better. We some how rolled out of our seats and down along Takapuna Beach afterwards to walk it off; I suggest you roll down to Winner Winner and do the same.
Winner Winner
16 Anzac Street
Takapuna
Auckland
Ph. (09) 486 0755
@winnerwinner_takapuna
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