Oh, hey Joe!

Joe's Southern Kitchen and Bar
300 Kentish Town Road
NW5 2TG

So the journey continues, as a sucker for some succulent fried chicken, I'm always on the hunt for places that match my stateside experiences. With a catch up pending, what better opportunity to sample Joe’s Southern Kitchen and Bar in Kentish Town. 

I’d been meaning to visit the Covent Garden branch, however my soft spot for parts of North West London, meant I could not resist the recently opened Kentish Town branch. Located on Kentish Town Road, 3 minutes walk from the station; with parking on the surrounding roads (free after 7pm), you really can’t miss it. The décor lends itself to a shack, quite like a typical rural fast food joint in the south of the America. An almost extended red leather chaise lounge sofa circles the restaurant with stand-alone chairs the other side of each table.

After we got over the initial “it’s been so long” conversation, we got straight to it with the menu. Skipping starters (which is rare - for both of us), we scanned the variety of bird options. Grilled, Southern Fried, Tabasco Honey, and Nashville Hot all had their own individual pro’s but as the sweet tooth woman I am, I went with a quarter Tabasco Honey and mashed potatoes, and my friend went with half Nashville Hot and chilli beef fries.

We’d also arrived mid happy hour, so got involved in that pretty promptly #midweekturnup. 

My friend went with the 'Rumdog Millionaire' and myself 'Peach and Whatever'.

We waited a while for our food to arrive, but this timescale may have felt extended based on the hunger levels between us. Nevertheless, we spent the wait chit chatting about what’s been happening in last 6 months - that was the last time we actually met properly for dinner, how time flies! Soon after my friend started spilling the tea, our food arrived.

First of all, A+ for portion size, for the half chicken size especially! My friends basket was over flowing with protein! As described, the Tabasco Honey was sweet but not particularly hot, which was a tad disappointing as I was looking forward to the fusion of the two. The mashed potato though was a winner! Super creamy and hot (with heat). Mashed potato is a difficult one to keep hot once out of the pot so I was impressed. The gravy had a really hearty, wholesome flavour which complimented the carbs.

I've been making much more effort to eat a more balanced diet so on that basis, this was a real treat but one I can't give in to, too often. I'd recommend it for a pre gig dinner or a casual catch up. The staff are attentive and friendly, making every effort to ensure your dining experience exceeds your expectations.

Overall WOM Rating: 3 out of 5

Verdict? CHEWS