You’ve got Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen in Port Coquitlam. There’s LA Chicken near No. 5 Road and Cambie in Richmond. And HiFive Chicken 24 on SE Marine Drive in Vancouver, too. Who does fried chicken best? I’ve been intrigued by Downlow Chicken Shack for months. Well, we finally got around to hitting up the Commercial Drive spot not too long ago. While hardly the cheapest option, DL Chicken largely lives up to the hype.
You could drive by Downlow Chicken Shack a hundred times and never notice it was there. It really doesn’t look like much from the outside, except for that giant chicken in the window. And, depending on how busy it is, you’ll probably notice the line-up extending out the door too.
As you enter, the massive menu will be on your right. From what I can gather, the “sando” (sandwich) is more of the go-to option here for a lot of customers, but you can just as easily opt for chicken by the piece or tenders instead. Just about every piece of chicken can be adjusted to the heat level of your choosing.
Keep in mind that this is Nashville style hot chicken, so this fried chicken is “supposed to” have a little bit (or a lot of bit) of kick to it.
We made the rookie mistake of just joining the group of people near the entrance. The cashier is actually located toward the back of the place on the left. That’s where you’ll place your order. The people hanging out near the front counter are just waiting for their takeout orders. Even if you’re eating there — seating is very limited, so be prepared to get takeout — you still need to order and pay at the cashier first.
The Original Sando ($12.50)
Nashville spiced chicken breast, DL sauce, sweet ‘n sour slaw, pickles, pickled reds
The best way to judge any eatery is to order the thing that they’re best known for or the thing that they’re most proud of. The standard. The thing that all the regulars get. You don’t go to a steakhouse and evaluate it based on the chicken and pasta. So, for Downlow Chicken Shack, we started with the original sando. You can fancy it up with bacon or a fried egg, but we kept it simple.
We opted for “hot” for this hot chicken sandwich. Downlow Chicken Shack describes that as “you’re gonna feel it.” And yes, I felt it. Susanne has a higher heat tolerance than I do, and she said this had just the right amount of kick to it, though the spice rub gave the skin more of that granular kind of texture. The generously-sized chicken breast can be a touch dry, especially in the thicker parts, and the whole sandwich can be quite messy to eat. Even though it would’ve made for an even bigger mess, some more coleslaw for balance would’ve been appreciated.
This is a serious hot chicken sandwich and it shows. DL Chicken Shack only serves fresh (never frozen) chicken that’s hormone-free, antibiotic-free, free run, non GMO, and grain fed. These are quality birds.
Baked Beans ($5.00)
JN & Z bacon, onion, spices
We got this as part of the sandwich and a side combo for $16, which nets you a savings of $1.50 compared to ordering these two items separately. I liked having the taste of bacon in there, giving the baked beans a smokier kind of aroma. Realistically, it’s a bit on the heavy side, since you’ll already have the carbs from the sandwich bun and the breading on the fried chicken, so going for a side of slaw may have been a better choice. Or skip the side altogether.
Chicken and Waffles ($12.00)
Two boneless thighs, cheddar scallion waffle, smoke jalapeno honey mayo
For the chicken and waffles, we decided on the “medium” heat level. They describe that as “a little burn.” Now, I’ll say that I’ve developed a moderate tolerance for heat over the years — we’ve even dabbled in a couple of the Hot Ones hot sauces — and this was just the right amount of kick for me. The first couple bites can be a bit of a shock, but I acclimated quickly. The honey mayo (even though it has jalapeno in it) helped, as did the doughiness of the waffle.
The boneless thighs were noticeably juicier and less dry than the chicken breast. I tend to prefer dark meat anyhow, so this didn’t come as much of a surprise. The thighs are noticeably smaller than the breast too. Even though it’s just one waffle (four quarter-sized wedges), that’s more than enough for a hearty lunch. The scallion made me think of Chinese green onion pancake.
Between the two, I enjoyed the chicken and waffles more than the sandwich. Next time, I might just go with two thighs and a side of slaw. Or I’ll try the fries, which come with the same medium dusting of spice as the fried chicken.
That’s what the “hot” chicken skin looks like, if you’re curious. It’s a fair bit redder in color than the brownish medium fried chicken.
Beyond that, you can go for extra hot (“are you serious“) or side of milk (“does this need explaning?“), or you can scale back to mild (“lightly dipped and dusted“) or classic (“no additional spice, hit of honey“). In lieu of the standard heat, there’s also lemon pepper (“an Atlanta classic“) or jerk (“an aromatic mild jerk dust“). I heard that DL Chicken Shack also has specials from time to time, like a banh mi chicken sandwich. Keep an eye on their social media or official website for that.
If you’re looking for a proper Nashville hot chicken sandwich (or Nashville hot fried chicken in general), this is the place to go. It’s super legit and the heat is no joke. Order the thighs. Or come back for $2 Wing Wednesdays.
Downlow Chicken Shack is located at 905 Commercial Drive, near Venables Street in Vancouver.
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