I don’t usually consume huge chunk of meat for meals. It’s just not me.
However, I do have a soft spot for grilled chicken as it just smells ridiculously nice and taste ridiculously good. Even so, I don’t do that often. It is usually a treat when I have any. Hence, I don’t go to grilled chicken places that often.
When my friend who lives in the city was so excited about Chargrill Charlie’s opening down the road from my place, I don’t understand why. I said, ‘it’s just another chicken place’. But she insisted me to let her know and she said she will make a special trip over again just for dinner there. I did not understand the fuss.
It finally opened last month. To my surprise, I have been there half a dozen of times already.
Without a doubt the chicken is very nice. Juicy, tender and that taste that is as good as it smells, is definitely one of the drawcards for me to keep going back. However, it might come as a surprise to some (probably not people who already knew it), the main attraction that brought me back again and again was their salads.
Though not a vegetarian (otherwise won’t be eating chargrill chicken), I have been long looking for a proper salad place. Yes, there are sandwich shops that do occasional salads, but I have yet to find a place that sells a proper and yummy potato salad, which is my all-time favourite. This changed when I saw this item in the salad area of Chargrill Charlie’s.
From my experience in the past, a lot of takeaway potato salad have some common problems – potato undercooked, unskinned, not even or over-saturation of dressing, and not much stuff to balance off the starchy feel of the salad. I was cautious when I saw potato salad available at Chargrill Charlie’s, but as desperate as I am for a good potato salad, I decided to give it a try. I bought a small one for takeaway on my way back from my daily walk to reach that dreadful but essential 10,000 steps goal just to test the water. But oh my, that was the potato salad that I was looking for! The potato was properly cooked then chilled – so it has enough crunchiness but releases the required starchy texture to balance it off. Then the proportion between boiled eggs and potatoes was just right to give you a variety of texture and taste, but without conflicting each other. Further, the dressing amount was just right – it gives you the required palette without overpowering the main stars of the dish. But what I think was ingenious was the inclusion of occasional pieces of prickles that helps to remove or balance out any risk of over-starchiness of the salad. Considering most people are eating that with pieces of meat, this salad managed to offer the fresh intermission you needed between bites without overfilling your stomach. Some people might find it crazy for me to gaga over a potato salad, but as most will know, when you found the perfect version of what you love, it’s priceless.
Since that first encountered, I basically went back every time for the salad. The chicken and other items became side dishes for me but that’s ok. They are nice, just that I am addicted to that potato salad after being starved from a good one for so long locally.
Of course, I needed to branch out and try other things. Otherwise, it would be just missed opportunities. I have discussed about their chicken but I have tried other things too. Some other particular items I like included the cheese cauliflower. I am always a huge fan of broccoli and cauliflower; I always have them in most of my cooking. Not a big fan of cheese (put away your judgemental looks now) but this cheese cauliflower is special because it has the thick and ‘thready’ texture (showed that I am not a food critic lol) I want without the overpowering smell of cheese. I also love their Charlie’s Chopper salad. With avocado and tomato, what’s not to love? The Japanese Coleslaw was also great too. I haven’t thought of mixing Japanese salad with coleslaw but it seems they have figured out everything. I have also tried their grilled salmon (apparently they did it differently on different days). It was good but I will recommend not to eat it at a table under a fan, as it will get cold quickly. That’s the last thing you want with cooked salmon.
All in all, it was a more than just pleasant surprise for me with Chargrill Charlie’s. I always intended to try as my friend talked it up so fervently. But in no way I would have expected that I found my perfect local potato salad joint. For me it is worth the effort to go down the road to just get that salad.
I read that Chargrill Charlie’s was a local joint and they are just returning. If so, welcome home guys and really glad to have you back. 😊
You can find out more about them on their website.
