CALGARY: Aneurysm on the way

Everyone it seems has a nickname for Chicken on the Way – Grease on the Run, Aneurysm on the Way, Heart Attack in a Box…

But love it or hate it, it’s been an institution since 1958. Apparently, little has changed except the original logo which showed a black man carrying a platter of fried chicken.

Everything here is old-school, starting with the brown paper that’s wrapped around your order.

My 2-piece snack pak came with fries and a corn fritter for $5.50. I think there was special on the three-piece dinner with coleslaw, fries and TWO corn fritters for just 50 cents more, but I didn’t want to overdo it.

The dining options are a) take-out or b) take-out to the picnic tables. Those are next to the building as traffic whizzes by just metres away.

The chicken leans more towards southern-fried than KFC, which I think is a good thing. The skin is crisp with a good amount of seasonings and it’s not as uniformly salty or battered as KFC.

The fries are just okay. But I loved the corn fritter. Of course, I’ve never had a corn fritter before and I’m guessing there are supposed to be actual kernels of corn inside but it was sweet, doughy and crunchy.

Don’t get me wrong, this is without a doubt greasy. But if you’re in the mood, this is the place to come.

Here’s a great article about the family that still runs the place.

Chicken on the Way, 1443 Kensington Rd. NW, Calgary, Alberta, (403) 283-5545.