We heard there was a new food challenge in Vancouver, and we had to give it a try. This is NeNe’s very first eating challenge, a contest of strength and determination that ends in a prize for those who come out on top.
Ongoing for the foreseeable future, restaurant goers can opt into this time trial of fire. To enter and participate, contestants need to call ahead and make a reservation at one of the 2 NeNe locations, announcing their intention to compete. They can only do so between 2-6pm, daily. And depending on the location, a table can be reserved.
The goal is to finish a serving of their specialty spicy chicken in under 5 minutes. Nine boneless pieces smothered in a sticky hot sauce that promises pain and tears for the daring.
In our group we decided to go into this cautiously, sharing two orders between our 6, egging each other on to finish as many pieces as we could. There were tears and heavy breathing, panting and wincing that our bottles of ice-cold beers could not help to remedy. One of us was declared the best; however, as we didn’t abide by the rules of the challenge in full, we could not win.
Had we, and for those who finish the 9 pieces within 5minutes, your order of super spicy chicken is free, and you will be gifted your choice of a family-sized chicken in either the green onion and garlic flavour, or with their newer creamy-on dressing. And I can confirm that either is an amazing prize. Both are my top two go-to NeNe chicken flavours; and that says a lot, considering NeNe is my favourite brand of Korean style fried chicken.
Each comes with their original chicken as a whole bird, and to it you add-on the sauces and top with fresh herbs and greens. The creamy-on is a thick and lush garlic dip that gets balanced out by thin slices of raw white onion. I am not a fan of uncooked onion, but love this dish in its entirety. Sweet and salty, crispy and creamy, salty and tangy; it has everything and toppings for continued eating interest.
My second favourite NeNe order is their green onion chicken, available as bone-in or boneless; I prefer the former as I find the meat closest to the bone the juiciest and tender. However, more often than not, more people prefer boneless for ease of eating. The green onion chicken comes with a saltier soy and garlic sauce for dip or drizzle. And similarly, to the creamy-on, the whispers of julienne green onion make the perfect fresh factor for balancing all the rich garlic flavour.
And for those who like multiple flavours you can do a mix and match box, choosing to combine some of their popular flavours like the spicy and sweet chicken or their chicken coated in a cheesy dust. This is not a part of the challenge or a prize you can win, but worth mentioning since we are talking about all things NeNe chicken.
In short, for the competition or not, NeNe Chicken is a great place for Korean style friend chicken and the one I will continue to recommend above all others.
Nene Chicken
1231 Davie St, Vancouver, BC V6E 1N4
(604) 336-2779
nenechicken.ca
Check the inside is cooked by poking in the end of a sharp knife – the juices should run clear. If not, keep cooking for another minute and check again