Eating food with your hands is one of the great pleasures in life. We have so many great hand (or finger) food in NYC. Tacos, pizza, bagels. Something I would not have put on that list (until now) is a whole chicken.
Cauldron Chicken opened at the end of last year on a part of Bleecker Street that has an unbelievable amount of turnover. I’ve lost count of how many different food places have been in this one location. Let’s hope this one sticks around for a long time.
They specialize in a type of chicken that is not often found in the city: Dao Kou, a 300 year old recipe, from the Henan province of China. And it’s something that is served without a knife or fork. You got to use what your mama gave you: your hands.
When you order a whole or half chicken here, it’s served on a tray alongside some onions and broccoli (and a choice of sides if you go with the combo) and a smattering of spices. But it’s also served with two plastic gloves (I used just one in the interest of creating less waste) that protect your hands from the heat of the meat.
You really just have to get in there and tear it apart. Which is a lot easier than you think since this meat just falls apart.
The brined bird is dusted with a secret blend of spices that is sweet, spicy, and very distinct. There is a heck of a lot going on flavor-wise and the meat releases so much juiciness that a sauce is truly unnecessary.
I never thought I’d add whole chicken to New York’s list of great finger foods, but then this city never ceases to surprise me. Price: $13.85-$28.85 (half, whole, combo)
| CAULDRON CHICKEN |
| 190 Bleecker Street (between MacDougal Street and Sixth Avenue), Greenwich Village (646) 869-8888 |
