The first time I’ve heard of Chicken Charlie opening in Cebu was from a friend’s Facebook shoutout, minutes after I relied on Google to find its exact location. I have no idea why I didn’t go straight to Chicken’s Charlie official site hahaha. Blame it on my “Go to Google” for everything mentality hehe.
So anyway I found out that Chicken Charlie is located in Cebu Asiatown IT Park eBlock 2. There is another one under construction in Ayala Center, hopefully it’ll open soon 🙂
This is the building you should watch out for in IT Park if you want to dine in Chicken Charlie:
eBlock 2 Building Cebu IT Park location of Chicken Charlie
Titus and I made plans to check out this new chicken haven to find out what’s the fuzz about double fried chicken. “Double fried chicken” sounds yummy to my ears!
Anyhow, it was also good timing since there was a teaser commercial by Pop Talk that the coming episode will feature restaurants offering double fried chickens and yep, Chicken Charlie was one of the 3 restaurants reviewed. So we waited for the show to air and so we watched, that’s how interested we were. ^_^ PopTalk only managed to wet our appetite even more for some of those double fried goodness.
Wall of Chicken Love at Chicken Charlie!
Double fried chicken is something that we waited to taste! Blamed my friends based in Manila who have only rave reviews and good things to say about the chickens at Chicken Charlie so yes was I thrilled to know that this chicken resto have opened a branch in Cebu IT Park! Yey! Finally I can judge for myself if double frying makes the chicken real tasty and crispy.
Crispy? Without breading? Hmmmm.
So what is double fried chicken?
This is a very noob definition so hopefully you’ll excuse me. 🙂 I supposed the chicken will be coated with special spices and then deep fried. Then the chicken will turn golden brown and be taken off the pan. And then will be coated again(?) with more secret marinade and fried again and voila you have chicken that is double fried! Am I right? Haha I admit I’m no chef but I love good chicken!
Chicken Charlie Double Fried Chicken Drumstick Meal
So on a relaxing Sunday, Titus and I trooped to IT Park. It was also an advance birthday food trip for him, the Monday after was his actual birthday and the Saturday before that we checked out another Cebu restaurant. His birthday weekend was indeed a fun Cebu food trip and what a food trip it was discovering new promising restaurants in Cebu that not only serves delicious foods but also very affordable.
We did not find Chicken Charlie so easily :(. The restaurant is located in one of the newest buildings in IT Park and people we’ve asked didn’t know where it was. That’s why I made a point to get a photo of the eBlock 2 building so you will find Chicken Charlie easily. =) But anyway it was still a good thing to burn some fats before we dig in to a chicken feast. All is well!
Chicken Charlie Garlic Soy Chicken
What makes Chicken Charlie unique and must try for white meat lovers?
Double frying leads to reduce chicken fats so its the healthier version of fried chicken! Diet conscious individuals have more reason to celebrate with the chicken offerings of this restaurant.
Diners will immediately notice that no gravy is served. For someone like me who associate fried chicken with gravy for the dish to be ‘complete’, I didn’t exactly know what to expect as far as taste go. Remember tough dry chicken meat? BUT surprisingly, the chicken was oozing with flavor and you can actually lick off the sauce clinging to the chicken’s crispy skin. You can choose hot sweet sauce or soy garlic sauce for your chicken.
Another surprise is the skin is crispy despite the absence of heavy breading. That must be the magic of double frying the Chicken Charlie Way! I want to learn that! C’mon Chicken Charlie, what’s your secret? Please tell, I promise I won’t share. =)
Just look at all the chicken pics!!! Tell me if it doesn’t make you want to eat the screen now haha.
Famous double fried chicken at Chicken Charlie
As a side dish we choose to have the bestseller cheesesticks dynamite. Green chilis stuffed with melted cheese and then rolled and wrapped. When you eat it doesn’t actually explode with “hotness” you would expect even from a finger food that features chilis. Instead what lingers on your tongue is the taste of creamy cheese that rightly complemented the taste of chili skin. Those who stay away from chilis because they are “hot”, trust me cheese sticks dynamite from CC is a good side dish to try. Hindi maanghang at all and the flavor? Thumbs-up!
Cheese Sticks Dynamite from Chicken Charlie
Dissecting a Side Dish =)
Did we enjoy our meal in Chicken Charlie? You bet!
That’s also the reason why when Titus was contacted by Barbie from Chicken Charlie to come and try their famous double fried chicken to spread the chicken goodness news of this resto’s opening in Cebu, I made sure Titus will forward my name. Hahaha. Yah I know so sneaky of me but I want to visit and taste Chicken Charlie again even though we’ve just visited it on his birthday weekend. Lol. And when Barbie confirmed that Titus can tag along three friends, he did not think twice but put forth two more names, our good friends and well-known Cebu travel bloggers, Doi and Edwin.
So instead of a road trip in Cebu, we have a food trip that delighted our stomachs. Yey to foodies! ^_^
Chicken Charlie Dinner Feast!
I was ‘feeling expert’ when I explain to Doi and Edwin what this cool looking timer does and that it will vibrate and will light up when your full order is done and ready to be served. I was jolted when the disc vibrated during our first visit to this affordable Cebu restaurant in IT Park so I took it upon myself to explain. Not that there was a need to, these guys easily figured it out. I’m hopeless. Hehehe.
Chicken Charlie’s Timer Disc
And when I say that their combo meals are affordable, they really are. Look at this menu and prices from Chicken Charlie. For single diners they have combo meals that come with your favored chicken part, rice and ice tea. If you come with big groups like we were, I suggest for you guys to go for the Family Value Meal as you’ll have a complete affordable meal with wings, drumsticks, basket of fries and of course rice and drinks.
Menu Choices at Chicken Charlie
We also tried their other side dishes, almost all of them actually, from fries, fish strips, potato wedges and of course the famous cheesesticks dynamite.
Sides – Fish Strips and Fries
Sides – Potato Wedges
My top recommendations when it comes to side dishes from this resto are cheese sticks dynamite and fish strips and fries!
Charlie Bowl
Hmm I did not like the Charlie bowl much, I’m not sure if it was because I was so happy with my soy garlic chicken wings and the bowl doesn’t offer much in a way of a challenge. You scoop the meat and rice and that’s that, compared to having chicken wings and tearing off the meat from the last teeny tiny bones and licking your fingers afterwards. Yep, nagkamay ako when I was halfway through the meal hehhe. Anyhow, I’ll try the Charlie bowl again the next time we visit and see if my sentiments remain the same.
My big disappointment was that the Charlie pops were not available; it was also not available the first time we visited. And I’ve heard good things about this icy treat. Sad 🙁 Don’t know why this was so, hopefully they’ll bring their popsicles in their Cebu store so Cebuanos can try it too. I’m looking forward to trying their Green Apple Yakult Pops. Name palang parang gusto ko na sya haha.
Did the group enjoy the feast at Chicken Charlie, one Big YES! You should see the plates of Edwin and Titus after they made a demolition job of the double fried chicken drumsticks and wings served to us. Haha. As for me, I was eating slowly, savoring each bite and nitpicking through the chicken wings until nothing was left but bones and some traces of Chicken Charlie’s secret sauce.
What’s left of the Chickens from Chicken Charlie:
A Fullfilling and Delicious Feast,
Thank You Chicken Charlie for coming here in Cebu!
You have a convert here in Cebu Chicken Charlie! Hurray for double fried chickens!
Thanks Doi for sharing your pics! =)
Chicken Charlie Restaurant, a Filipino owned restaurant chain that has a branch in Cebu IT Park. Another branch is soon to open in Ayala Center Cebu. They are open for franchising, for inquiries please contact them through their website.
The Cebu Branch at IT Park delivers but only within the Asiatown IT Park complex.
Call them for delivery at (032) 266 – 9779.
Operating time is 10 am to 12 pm.
Check out their website for full info: www.chickencharlie.net
Or like their Facebook page for updates: Fan Page
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