Whether it's a greasy late-night snack or a quick, fun family dinner, many of us enjoy the guilty pleasure that is KFC. But what if the 11 secret herbs and spices were taken out of the fast food restaurant and dipped in luxury?
New Zealand chef Hercules Noble has launched a five-course fine-dining series with a fried chook twist. His debut Ponsonby restaurant, aptly named Mr. Sanders, is open for three nights only from March 20-22 - and it's already sold out.
I managed to secure a seat, and here are some thoughts.
Even from the street, Mr. Sanders wafts of both lavishness and subtlety, with a velvety red carpet guiding patrons in. But the velvet doesn't stop there with as inside, the dimly lit venue is lined with black velour curtains. The restaurant also isn't void of its Kentucky Fried roots, with a 'Finger Lickin' Good' neon sign adorning one of the walls and a KFC-themed cocktail greeting guests at the table - a rather wobbly, cramped table if you're sitting where I was.
With the restaurant packed elbow-to-elbow and excitement in the air, Noble made his first appearance of the night, introducing himself and his first dish: Secret Recipe Sourdough.
Noble's iconic 'Will It Sourdough' and the Colonel's 11 Secret Herbs and Spices fused with zinger butter was an early highlight; the bread soft and chewy with a perfectly crunchy crust, complemented by the almost umami-ness of the salty spice mix flavour-packed butter.
Do you remember the scene from Ratatouille where Remi combines fruit and cheese to create fireworks across the screen? That is the perfect visual representation of this seemingly simple Hors d'oeuvre.
And before you ask, Noble jokingly claimed the 11 Herbs and Spices were delivered in a sachet straight to his door, even he doesn't know what they were - or so he says.
The starter of the night was a twist on the classic Caesar Salad topped with KFC's Popcorn Chicken - and in Noble's own words: "freshly fried Popcorn Chicken is ace". The dish also featured hummus, avocado mousse, Caesar dressing and a salty, creamy, soy-cured egg yolk "just for a bit of fun in there". Even knowing the dish featured popcorn chicken it was still a delightful surprise, with the puffs looking just like croutons. The soy might have been a touch too much saltiness for me, but I appreciated the idea nonetheless.
The salad was accompanied by the first wine of the night, a Jules Taylor Marlborough Sauvignon Blac. Normally I'm not one for a sav, but this was so drinkable that I asked multiple people for the name to introduce it to my friends.
As the night moved on, the first main course arrived. This was where Noble really started to have fun, and it shows - Potato & Gravy Ravioli.
Potato & Gravy was a favourite KFC dish of mine growing up and to see it taken out of the hot, plastic tubs and stuffed inside soft ravioli was truly a once-in-a-lifetime moment. Creative license was exercised on this one, with the potato combined with spinach to create a vibrant green pasta filling and a jus working as the gravy. The dish was also topped with the night's first instance of Hot & Crispy Boneless Chicken. Mouthwatering.
The mashed potato pasta was quickly devoured by all, with flowing conversation filling the time between courses.
The Hot and Crispy Boneless experience continued into the second main course, accompanied by a kūmara velouté (a creamy blend of roux, vegetables and stock). The plate was unveiled with a flair, with the fried chicken emerging from a cloche shrouded in vapour. It was the star of the show and mobile phones were at the ready to capture the flowing wisps spilling out over the plate. But the dish wasn't just chicken; it was served with pickles (love or hate them, it wouldn't be fast food without a pickle) and delicate dehydrated Kawakawa leaves.
The theatrics clearly indicated this was the hero dish, but it was a hard sell compared to the ingenuity of the ravioli. Still, it was delicious.
Only moments passed before a little humorous surprise was revealed: potato gratin 'fries' served in a whimsical KFC-branded sleeve.
I saved the last bite of my chicken while I indulged in the fries, but that last moment of bliss was snatched away too soon by an eager waiter. It was an easy mistake, but I must admit I wasn't quite ready to part ways with the final juicy morsel.
Enough of the savoury - let's get to the dessert. When it comes to KFC dessert, chocolate mousse is the instant go-to; but nothing you get at a drive-through could ever be as decadent as this. Coming in strong with the sourdough to start, Noble ended the night on an equally powerful note, combining a velvety, rich but not-in-a-sweet-way mousse, topped with popcorn, a drizzle of olive oil, and - get this - bits of crispy chicken skin.
It might sound highly unorthodox, but as Noble explained, the combination of sweet and salty just makes sense.
Helpful tip: get a little of everything in each spoonful for the full, delicious impact.
With full bellies and satisfied souls, tables started to empty, but I was reluctant to leave. Looking ahead to all the buckets of Hot and Crispy chicken in my future - I know with every bite I will be thinking back to this culinary adventure.
Newshub dined at Mr. Sanders complimentary for this review.
