Like a great big ray of sunshine, this yellow hued chicken hut has just had a refurb, so we went to check it out.
Clutch is just seconds from Columbia Flower Market, so it’s a great one to have up your sleeve once you’ve got your flower fix. More than one group came in with a Christmas tree tucked under their arm.
Inside, it’s a snazzy little space. Seating is bench style, tables are mirrored and a monochromatic stripe design runs throughout. Despite the menu being centred around fried chicken, it’s actually pretty healthy. All the chicken is of the highest quality – British, free-range and cooked in groundnut oil – which makes dishes lower in cholesterol and trans fat free. Yippee!
We were here on a Sunday so got stuck into a Bloody Mary that blew our socks off. Luckily the super refreshing ‘So Fresh n So Green’ cooled things right down (Gin, apple, elderflower, citrus, mint, cucumber). The ‘First Feed’ section (or starters to you and me) offers more than just chicken. A real highlight were the padron peppers with aerated feta which were bloody fantastic.
There are two Sunday roast options (both chicken of course), but you can choose from two pieces of crispy fried chicken or classic uncoated meat – both are pretty epic portions. The regular roast is accompanied with the most delicious mash, spring greens, maple-glazed carrots, roast potatoes, stuffing and chicken jus, whereas the fried chicken version comes with just mash, a whole heap of green beans, and a pot of chicken gravy that we’d happily drink with a straw. This is definitely the place to round up the gang and eat your way through that hangover. Alternatively for an extra 20 quid you can get bottomless booze and drink your way through it too.
They’ve really nailed the dessert game so even if you’re as full as we were, it’s worth ordering because they’ll box up your leftovers. The banoffee pie is oh so naughty that it’s extra nice and the warm apple pie came with banging vanilla custard.
Obviously our waiter was vegan – because, Hackney. But even he was super enthusiastic about the team he worked with and the menu in general. In fact, they haven’t forgotten the vegans, with a crispy tofu burger topped with shiitake mushrooms, gherkins, and ‘tofunaise’ in a vegan bun.
Music is a big part of the Clutch experience and a regular lineup of DJs brings hip hop, RnB, gospel and folk and much more, so check out what’s on before heading down.
