#aucklandeats: My Fried Chicken Now Offers $11 Cocktails and Tapas!

Instagram | @myfriedchicken.nz

Isn’t it a real struggle these days? With inflation, it’s hard to prioritise our money. With bills to pay, I sometimes feel bad and almost scared to plan a good time out with friends and family. I’ve recently discovered a restaurant that takes the weight off the shoulders, where you can enjoy a good night out in a cool ambience without breaking the bank. My Fried Chicken, located in 4 different locations, Newmarket, Ponsonby, Takapuna and Mission Bay are offering $11 Tapas and Cocktail menus after 5pm. The different stores offer a different variety of Tapas so if you go to a different location, you’ll know you’ll be able to try out the different tapas. I went to both the Newmarket and Ponsonby store and here are my top 3 picks from each restaurant.

Newmarket Store | 1 York Street, Newmarket, Auckland 1023

Instagram | @myfriedchicken 

Cheese Buldak with grilled boneless chicken, gochujang sauce and mozzarella cheese was an absolute must when I saw it on the menu. I personally love this dish in general so it was no brainer to pick this tapa and luckily it did not disappoint. I was sharing the tapa and I felt like I needed to order one each!

Smoky Pork Belly with Spicy Bulgogi Sauce was my absolute favourite because they meant it when it was smoky! The smokiness really complimented the spicy bulgogi sauce. If you’re a lover of pork belly, this dish will be right up your alley.

Japchae Noodle with Kumara Noodle and Sweet Soy Dressing was really enjoyable because Japchae noodles are usually something I’d only have on special days like birthdays or a celebrated public holiday like Chuseok.

Ponsonby Store | Ponsonby Central 4 Brown Street, Ponsonby, Auckland 1011

Jasmine Kim

Beef Tartare with Watercress, Nashi Pear, Beef, MFC crumb with Korean Tartare Dressing may not be the prettiest dish to order and Tatare is not everyone’s cup of tea. I usually don’t pick tartare as my first choice, but trust me - the “Must-Try Beef Tartare” from the Ponsonby store is definitely a “must try” just like how they’ve stated in the name. The pear paired with the other flavours match really well together. We were pleasantly surprised at how much we loved this dish!

Spicy Soft Tofu Soup with Silken Tofu and Spicy Pork Broth was so comforting. It was definitely calling out for a bowl of rice which I regret not ordering. They are super generous with the amount of mince in the soup and it was the perfect tapa to have on a cold winter evening.

Crispy Prawn Pancake with Korean Tabasco Sauce. As a Korean, I personally wouldn’t consider ordering Korean Pancakes at a restaurant as I enjoy the dish frequently at the comfort of my own home. But I thought to give it a try and it did not disappoint! It was so crispy and they had generous amounts of prawn which I really appreciated.

Instagram | @myfriedchicken 

I’ve also tried four of their cocktails from the $11 menu and they were all delicious. Slightly dangerous though, as I couldn’t taste the alcohol in the cocktails! You can easily drink a few of the cocktails and get drunk in a minute. My favourite would have to be the Bob Marley which is made with Soju, Midori, Apple Liqueur and lime. It really evened out the taste of the tapas and was very refreshing. 

The vibes of My Fried Chicken at both Newmarket and Ponsonby are both cool as well! They’re located in central locations so it's easy to go to both and try out the different tapas they have to offer. They’re getting busy so I highly recommend making a reservation before heading to My Fried Chicken! 

Newmarket Opening Hours

Ponsonby Opening Hours