I tried an American fast food chain’s iconic menu before it opened restaurants in the UK: it’s better than KFC

HOT, hot on the heels of Popeyes and Chick-fil-A, another American food sensation is set to make waves in the UK before Christmas.

Dave’s Hot Chicken, famous in the US for its giant hot chicken sliders, tenders and bites, will open its first UK store on December 7.

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However, like almost every other small fast food chain, it faces stiff competition from big names like McDonald’s and KFC.

But what makes Dave’s chicken sandwiches so unique?

On a cold November evening, I ventured into a disused car park in London’s East End to find out.

Here we got an exclusive taste of Dave’s signature dish, which will make its menu debut when the first store opens on Shaftesbury Avenue next month.

Upon arrival at what was once a dingy, disused space, I was greeted by a bustling pop-up bearing the Dave’s Hot Chicken logo.

Under a gazebo and hard at work frying the chain’s signature chicken sliders were its founders, Arman Oganesyan and chef Dave Kopushyan.

The venue was designed to replicate the origins of the fast food chain, which began as a late-night pop-up in an East Hollywood parking lot in 2017.

Since then, the company has grown to 200 restaurants across the United States.

But let’s get down to business. I had intentionally skipped breakfast, expecting a large meal.

And that’s certainly what I got.

We were treated to an exclusive tasting of Dave’s Hot Chicken Sliders, featuring succulent chicken breasts coated in a dry rub, available in seven different spice levels.

Customers will soon be able to choose between No Spice, Lite Mild, Mild, Medium, Hot, Extra Hot and Reaper – the latter requiring a signed waiver.

However, for today, only Medium and Strong spice levels were offered.

Naturally, as a true gourmand, I opted for one of each.

Between the coated chicken breast and burger buns was a generous helping of kale salad, all drenched in Dave’s signature sauce.

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This one was made with a mixture of mayonnaise, chipotle pepper, a touch of sugar, honey and what tasted like mustard.

In addition to the slider, I also received a portion of the chain’s signature crinkle fries.

THE VERDICT

Chicken sandwiches are my favorite order whenever I visit a fast food chain.

I love the Chick-fil-A version when I’m in the States, but I can just as easily devour a McChicken Sandwich or a KFC Tower Burger.

However, Dave’s Hot Chicken sliders introduced me to game-changing flavors and tastes.

At first glance at the burger, I was amazed by the size of the chicken.

I often feel shortchanged at other fast food chains, but not at Dave’s.

Each slider contains a whole chicken breast.

To my delight, the British version of the dish also contains only organic, free-range chicken.

I first tried the medium spicy slider and when I took my first bite, the crunch of the golden exterior gave way to incredibly tender and juicy chicken.

The heat of the seasoning began to build with a tantalizing dance of spices that certainly woke up my taste buds.

However, it wasn’t overwhelming and won’t overwhelm anyone with spice sensitivities.

The balance of flavors was simply delicious.

The dry rub delivered comforting heat without the oiliness and heaviness often found in moist breaded chicken from big fast food chains.

In addition to the delicious chicken, each bite offers a satisfying crunch thanks to the generous serving of kale salad.

I dipped the crinkle fries in Dave’s signature sauce, and once again they were absolutely delicious – crispy on the outside but buttery and soft on the inside.

At this point, I was completely sold.

As far as fast food goes, this was the best chicken slider I have ever tasted.

So, I finally took the plunge and prepared to take a bite of the other slider, which was infused with the chain’s signature hot spice.

I was bracing myself for the kind of intense heat you feel during a Hot Wrap at Nando’s, which, admittedly, I find unbearable.

However, this spice burned slowly and did not immediately overwhelm me with an unbearable level of heat.

In fact, it was just as delicious as the first slider I tried.

For now, we’ll have to wait and see what other offerings will appear on Dave’s Hot Chicken’s UK menu when its first restaurant opens in December.

EXPANSION OF AMERICAN FAST FOOD IN THE UK

US fast food giant Chick-fil-A is crossing the Atlantic and bringing its beloved chicken sandwiches to our high streets next year.

The Sun has exclusively revealed the exact locations of their first five permanent restaurants in the UK.

Tex-Mex brand Velvet Taco will also debut in the UK next spring.

Popeyes entered the UK market in 2021 and has since proven to be a hit with hungry customers.

In just 30 months, the brand has opened over 38 restaurants across the UK.

It plans to reach the milestone of 60 restaurants by the end of 2024.

American burger chain Wendy’s, which already has 31 sites in the UK, will also cut the ribbon on eight new sites this year.

The channel returned to the UK market in 2021 after a 20-year hiatus.

Wendy’s is most famous for its square-shaped burgers, designed to maximize the amount of meat in each bite.

Shake Shack, which started as a hot dog cart, recently opened its first restaurant in a British train station.

Brits commuting into St. Pancras International Station can now pick up their favorite burgers before boarding their train.

The new spot marks the fast food giant’s 16th location in the UK since its launch in Covent Garden in 2013.

While most of Shake Shack’s UK locations are based in London, bosses have expanded to other locations in recent years, including Essex, Oxford and Cardiff.

Shake Shack’s humble beginnings date back to a New York hot dog cart run by Randy Garutti.

Wingstop currently operates 39 sites across the UK and will open a further 15 in 2024.

Lemon Pepper Holdings, which manages the fast food chain’s UK portfolio, said the move would create up to 750 jobs.

The US hotel brand said this was its biggest year of expansion since Wingstop launched in the UK six years ago.

Dunkin’ Donuts, which currently has 30 stores in the UK, hopes to open 30 new branches over the next two years as part of a major expansion plan.

Dunkin’ Donuts arrived in the UK at St John’s in Liverpool in May 2016.

The chain is huge in the United States, with nearly 9,500 stores spread across the country.

It sells a range of donuts, other sweet treats and hot and cold drinks.