I don't think there is a more universally loved dish as fried chicken. Almost every culture has their own version and for all that I've tried, they have all been awesome. So we are all familiar with Southern Fried Chicken and more recently, the ever popular KFC (Korean Fried Chicken). However, one type of fried chicken that is gaining traction, especially locally, is Chinese-style fried chicken. Now, I'm not talking about the Cantonese-style crispy chicken. Rather, it is the Northern Chinese one that incorporates a savoury seasoning that usually includes Szechuan peppercorns. The first location of Zhengzin Chicken Steak (out of China) has set up shop in Burnaby on Kingsway near Metrotown.
To get a full rundown of the menu, we ended up with both of their Combos for Two including the Double Package A consisting of a Spicy Chicken Steak, Spicy Chicken Leg Burger, 6 Hot Wings, Fries and 2 drinks. This was a fantastic value at only $36.95. The wings were crispy while sporting juicy meat inside. It was mildly spiced while seasoned completely. Chicken steak was cut up for us and it was fairly tender with also a slight spiciness. As for the burger, the deboned chicken leg was succulent and juicy. It was also mildly spicy with some tingle on our tastebuds. The bun was really thin and almost not there. It was like a jiang beng but fluffier.
The Double Package B featured even more food with the Hawaiian Grilled Burger, Spicy Chicken Burger, Boneless Chicken Strips, 6 Orleans Wings, Fries and 2 drinks. I thought the thin bun did not stand up to the wet ingredients of the Hawaiian burger very well. However, the chicken was fantastic though being super juicy. The addition of pineapple did give it plenty of sweetness and tang. The chicken strips were very crunchy and a touch dry. However, they were well-seasoned with the usual spices such as 5-spice, cumin and Szechuan peppercorns. The Orleans wings were quite different as they were grilled. Hence, they were a little less juicy, but still plenty tender. Skin was fairly well-rendered and slightly sweet. Fries were great being hot, crispy and plenty potatoey inside.
Last item was the Deep Fried Chicken Legs. These were split down the middle and fried aggressively. Hence, the outside was super crispy and the meat was on the drier side. However, that worked as the texture was remarkably different than the juicy wings and leg in the burgers. It helped concentrate the spices more so with its fall flavours having an earthy, licorice and spicy notes. Overall, the fried chicken at Zhengxin was great with many different options that were unique in their own way. Naturally, the seasoning is typical of Chinese fried chicken with its earthy, sweet and fall flavours. Pricing is reasonable where the combos being a steal in my opinion. Great for both take out and dine-in.
*All food and beverages were complimentary for this blog post*
The Good:
- Solid fried chicken that is a different than the local version
- Large portions
- Combos are a great deal
The Bad:
- Some items are not exactly juicy, but they work in their own way
- The thin bun doesn't stand up to wet ingredients