Rocking in the Chicken Cottage

I, Melachi ibn Amillar, being of unsound mind and body, did visit the Chicken Cottage restaurant by Mornington Crescent tube station, 21 High Street, Camden Town, London, on 22 September 2012. The price of 2 pieces of chicken and fries was approximately 50p more than in a neighbouring chicken establishment, nevertheless it seemed less crowded so I entered. Ordering the meal at £2.49 the pleasant though slightly bored operative asked if I would like a drink, and I asked how much a drink was. He said it was included and so I ordered 7-up, which was provided in a can. He then charged me £2.99, which I noticed was indeed the price of the meal displayed, when ordered with a drink. The additional cost of the can was therefore a further 50p, making a total additional cost of £1. He invited me to sit down if I was dining in, which I did, and he brought the food to my table and then transferred a tomato ketchup bottle to me as well, which was nice. The table was not perfectly clean, but not too bad; the window was seriously cracked, and there was a black bag, presumably with rubbish, pushed under the bench on which I was sitting, close to a standard plastic bin, though a built-in plastic bin was also available at the other side of the store. A man entered and showed the salesman an expensive looking watch; he shook his head and the man exited. Another man came and ordered some food; when he sat down, on the end of the same long bench, it rocked back and forth in an annoying manner, and continued to do so repeatedly. This bench clearly needed some more screws.

As for the food, the tomato ketchup was a little watery and probably not from Heinz. The fries were acceptable though some could have been warmer. The first piece of chicken was pleasantly moist, though would have benefited from a more interesting selection of spices and herbs. The second piece of chicken was a little dry.

I then placed my refuse in the more distant disposal bin, said goodbye to the salesman, and took my leave. In total, I would say it was on the good side of a fried chicken meal, and one's choice might depend on one's financial situation; next time I would be inclined to pay a pound or two more and visit the Colonel.