These 5 specialties from Chicken Deli are affordable yet sumptuous

A new seemingly fast-food restaurant that offers grilled chicken and much more is open to Cebu. The targets: Cebuanos and those who wish to satisfy their hunger by way of devouring that marinated and grilled chicken on a stick. Chicken Deli is the name of that resto and it so happened that an Escooper was invited to try its specialties inside its brand in Colon Street.

What is with Filipinos liking grilled chicken? Perhaps, the affordable way to marinate and cook it on a charcoaled stove or grill is the factor for its popularity. But instead of the home-cooked grill, Filipinos are now spending their time, dining out in a restaurant with an ambience of a fast-food chain. But in full culinary honesty, it would require waiting time from the moment the customers have to queue onto the cashier to order up to the time they have be seated to be contented with their orders. So yeah, they are far from being called fast-food.

Taking the argument aside, the Chicken Deli, which has been open for 33 years in the city of Bacolod, has been venturing out in the queen city of the south with a goal to take a small piece of the market share of the culinary markets that favor the grilled specialties.

Let us call this restaurant a risk-taker for opening in one of the most hard-to-please geographical markets with demographics that have discriminating tastes. They still have to prove something.

And that’s why planned my quest for the first visit. Much to my surprise, the restaurant drew in a crowd of diners that continually filled the dining seats from the time I went there at 6pm to almost 10ish. And even at 9, where most people should have been going to their respective places, the resto still managed to attract new diners.

Perhaps, their location must have something to do with it: at Colon Street, where many shoppers looking for the best deals go.

Colon street used to have the notoriety of being the haven of some not-so-favorable events, but it eventually changed into a street fashion and street food destination. What is even surprising is that just beside this grilling resto is Starbucks. This oldest and famous street attracts crowd everyday and even at night.

But enough of the infos, what I want to share here are the specialties that seem to be advantageous for Chicken Deli.

Thier chicken grill is something normal. Not meant to discredit or being unappreciative, but their “chicken inasal” is something that we most Filipinos usually want to have on the table.

Theirs though have been marinated but I think what is needed– in which I failed to realize during my dining visit– is a sauce that would really  stand the inasal out from the competition during the time this specialty is served. But regardless of what you regard about my discriminating taste, the grilled chicken is still something you have to really seek out at Chicken Deli. Because that’s what is named after, right?

The boneless bangus is really awesome here.

I am a veggie+fish guy. I know. I sometimes add chicken when I don’t anymore have any say on what food I have to eat when all food items are laid out.

But goodness gracious, their bangus is really something that I have to really go after when I want to go there again, which, by the way, I have to some other time next month. It’s when my hectic schedule allows me.

Now, back to bangus… the milkfish specialty, had been marinated well. Its fat is still something to be desired and yet still partly existent even if it deep fried. The thing about their bangus is that it wasserved on a hot metal plate, which I think had helped in soaking in the sauce to bring more aromatic flavor to the dish.

This bangus soup is also veggie-licious.

The stew that I also craved is the standout. Though the way it  was served was not really Instagram-worthy, the aroma and the taste really brought the distinct yet desirable appeal to his stewed dish. My tongue would be the judge of that.

Chicken-sisig is less appealing to the eyes but it’s awesome to flick inside the mouth.

And when the spices and the chopped meat danced around my tongue, much of the culinary goodness happened. Though I would rate the dish 3 out of 5 stars, it would still be something I would like to order when my budget would only be less than 150 pesos.

Again, the presentation didn’t really bring justice to this simple dessert.

But at 50 pesos, this one leche flan really brought the crave for sweets out of me. It was even better than the one served from a much more expensive home-grown restaurant here.

Chicken Deli doesn’t only serve chicken and bangus dishes. They also have meat that other patrons can really go for and enjoy. But because I am technically biased to dishes that are not categorized as red meat, then you have my reason for just including these specialties in this post.

The Cebu-based bloggers with manager and crew

Making new friends and acquaintances

This restaurant that serves grilled specialties but with the ambience of fastfood can be found at Colon Street, at the ground floor of Super Metro Colon.

If you ever venture out in this resto, you can choose my specialties or you can be brazen to try the meat. Whatever suits your palate is fine with me.