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| - Chicken smashing!!! Okay, I must admit that I arrived at Icehouse with high expectation after seeing it aired on Food Network TV Canada few weeks ago while in Ottawa. I have a couple on my list after my Ottawa stay and is trying to clear as much as I could if they are within reach.
Since Icehouse is within our radar, we decided then to explore the area where Saint Laurent Boulevard would lead us. The street is long and in between, I spotted some of my "must-eat" gems and marked the landmark to make a return.
Turning right into one of the lane, I enter a quaint street away from the crowd from St Laurent and into rue Roy E. I excitedly trying to eyeball for Icehouse while focusing on my GPS assisted google map working in the background. Smart enough, I knew I have arrived! I rolled my eyes to the left and couldn't hide my excitement when I saw the signage with a calf standing atop the grilling at the entrance.
The day's business has just began, it's 15mins past 4pm. We were their 1st couple on Thursday! We chose our 2-seater and the lady came to us with a glass of tap and asked if we wanna start off with some drinks. Bourbon lemonade's a winner, leave the ice tea out! The latter is so tad sourish and lifeless for a $4 while I enjoyed the former much even though it cost slightly higher at $9. The lady politely introduced the special for the day and told us the menu is on the chalkboard right above the bar counter. Right away, I admitted that I came here for their fried chicken and she was happy to list me all the sides that came with it. Well, I guess she's thrilled about the media publicity seems to work. We were the only Asian gals in the petite dining room. Crowd floods the room soon.
Within 15minutes, she returned with a brown parchment paper ripped off from its roll and laid it on our table, along with 2 forks and towelettes. Along with, she brought along 2 condiments that she sing praises: less spicy nectarous mustard sauce and another more fiery one. I opt for the former while my sister went for the latter. I agreed with the lady that the condiments did a good job on the fried chicken for a more flavorful experience.
Seriously, I do not know what makes a good tex-mex fried chicken but if it was going to be something I had at Icehouse, then I will be disappointed. The chicken parts were decent in size, not too small. But the problem we had lies in its rock-liked crust. I am not sure if that was how it meant to be when u claimed that its a Tex classic? The meat was bland, bare and unseasoned. If that's the reason for the hot/sweet mustard condiments to work magic on, then there's no way I would agree more. If the DP sauce has been a bit generous, then the deeply fried bird could be coated well in the vinegary element to reverse its disastrous fate. The texture in the parts were tough but slightly better in the drumstick and wing parts that form 2/5 of the half basket. It will be questionable to spend $18/5 fried chicken only to get a dry texture wrapped around a thick layer of battered stone crust, extremely charred.
But I did appreciate the buttermilk biscuits which are intensely buttered in taste, moist and soft, very moreish! The biscuit was baked thick and good for 2. Then comes the 2 salads that I loved the creaminess with a hint of tanginess in the soft boiled new potatoes. The slaw did a good job too. Slight tart and very refreshing, a good companion to ward off any greasiness.
I enjoyed the causal dining atmosphere but less on the famed fried chicken. I guess they have other well deserving dishes which I didn't mange to try, perhaps the burrito is one? Not sure.
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