A Tasty Trip to Ma’ Plucker on London’s Beak Street

A couple of weeks ago, my team mate Brooke and I went to sample the menu at a little place in Soho by the name of Ma’ Plucker – a soul food and chicken joint conveniently located down Beak Street.

Read on to find out more about boozy iced tea, ‘three way chicken’ and the Ma’ Plucking Sunday afternoon quiz…

Traditionally associated with the Southern United States, soul food is all about about heart, passion, flavour and of course – a good portion size. Speaking of which, here is a quote from Ma’ Plucker’s resident head chef and soul food expert, Sebastian:

“The English, they eat until full; Americans, they eat until they’re tired.”

I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect when we arrived at Ma’ Plucker, but as soon as we walked through the door we were greeted with the kind of Southern hospitality which made us feel right at home. It was plain to see the amount of heart and soul that goes into the menu at Ma’ Plucker, as each and every signature drink, syrup, sauce and seasoning is made fresh in-house according to carefully crafted recipes, which head chef Sebastian had laboured over to get just right.

The boozy iced tea was very refreshing and the bourbon was perfectly balanced in the mix. We were lucky enough to sample a little of everything from the menu and I have to say, even though it was all spot on, my favourite dish was the rotisserie chicken with a chipotle rub, a totally unique flavour. As someone who can put away a plate or two, I can safety say I left Ma’ Plucker with a satisfied stomach and I’ll be going back there for a chicken fix very soon.

A Ma’Plucking feast of three way chicken with ‘slaw, fries, waffles and the like; a long drink of boozy iced tea and a portion of the original crack and cheeze.

And here’s what Brooke has to say:

“Ma’ Plucker’s is a taste of the deep south in the heart of central London. Everything from the psychedelic orange interior to the soul and Motown tunes playing in the background, makes this restaurant a southern American home away from home. Ma’ Plucker is the only restaurant to do chicken three ways – chipotle rotisserie style, buttermilk crispy coated and hickory spiced pulled chicken. Whichever one of the three ways you go for, you won’t be disappointed with the portion of soul served up on your plate. Be sure to sample the crack and cheeze and wash it all down with a boozy iced tea or two!”

A Few Quick Chicken Based Facts

• Colonel Sanders started his fried chicken empire from a small service station back in the 1930’s
• There are more chickens on earth than people
• Believe it or not, chickens are the closest living relative to the T-Rex

Did you know? Ma’ Plucker puts on a Sunday afternoon quiz hosted by their resident drag queen – a chance to drink, dine and give your brain a good old work out!

If this has made you plucking mad for a chicken fix, head on down to Ma’ Plucker, or if you fancy whipping something up with your bare hands, take a look at our selection of recipes which you can try out from the comfort of your own home.

Images:RLD