Monday, May 27, 2019

Chico Loco @ Amoy Street - A New Concept By The Loco Group Focusing On Spit Roasted Chicken

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Chico Loco at Amoy Street is the latest concept by The Loco Group - casual Mexican spit-roasted chicken joint that serves locally farmed chickens which are raised with an organic diet, plus probiotics! Healthy but dirty as what Chico Loco would like to describe their food, bringing the chickens a secret house blend of 11 herbs and spices including quintessentially Mexican ingredients like achiote, dried oregano and mustard powder before sending them off into the spit roaster. And the verdict?

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Spit Roasted Chicken 3.8/5

Even against the exposed brick walls, terracotta tiles, the Spit Roasted Chicken (Quarter $9/Half $17/Whole $32) is not as 'dirty' as I thought it will be. Rustic perhaps. But if you add on the funky sides and incredible sauces, it is a different story. Homemade sauces are laborious tasks, so at $2 each is reasonable to me. Furthermore, each sauce is so punchy and full of kicks that you don't really need to soak your meat in it. Smokey Chipotle BBQ would be a safe bet, but what stood out for me is the Habanero & Mango, a fruity sauce with a fiery kick. The Chimichurri Yoghurt is superb with their lamb shoulder. All sauces and dressings are made with avocado oil if that is ever your concern.

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Dry Rubbed Lamb Shoulder 3/5

Chico Loco also offers Dry Rubbed Lamb Shoulder (125g for $12/250g for $23) as well, which is less commonly offered elsewhere. What we had was excellent in terms of its flavours, but the texture was a tad mushy. I reckon it goes better in their Lamb Burrito ($16), which is a better option for a quick lunch.

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Guacamole 4/5

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Chicoslaw 4/5

Yes, you do need sides to accompany your meats, or is it the other way round? The sides intrigued me much more. I have no complaints with the creamy yet zesty Guacamole with Corn Chips ($7), or the Somtum inspired Chicoslaw ($6) which caught my attention the moment I set my eyes on the menu. Always up for one! Not to be missed it their mouthwatering Street Corn ($6), glazed with chipotle mayo, cheese and lime. Each corn kernel was plump and juicy. But I think the corn is prepared steamed rather than grilled, and charred edges would have elevated it up a notch.

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Mexican Mixta 4.5/5

All the meats and hefty dishes such as the Huge Chicken Taco or Buttermilk Chicken Burger might just overshadow this humble green Mexican Mixta ($11). Overflowing with textures rendered from mouth filling avocado slices, crisp romaine lettuce, chunky cucumber, nutty activated pepitas and crunchy tortilla strips, the fat corn kernels made it even more pleasurable. Even the yoghurt - based ranch dressing, enlivened with dills and herbs, was yummy on its own.

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Super Natural Coconut Soft Serve 3.5/5

Their dessert goes really well with the entire 'dirty health' concept. Unlike some coconut ice creams which are sickly sweet with a thin consistency, this Super Natural Coconut Soft Serve ($6) is dense with a sweet fragrance of coconut. All the toppings seem really interesting ($1), so to complete the tropical feel, we had fresh pineapple and agave. I would advise against adding the agave as it tends to overpower the ice cream.

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For Snacks, we also had a Mexican Prawn Toast ($13). I ever had one in Melbourne that comes with tamarind sauce which pairs reasonably well with the prawn mousse, but Chico uses chilli, salsa macha and a slightly acidic pickled cucumber, which overwhelms the mousse.

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Given the vibe and atmosphere, it is kind of hard to resist the Loco Group’s brand - new draught beers inspired by trips to Mexico and a selection of over 30 craft beers. Happy Hour takes place from 5pm to 7pm on weekdays.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Chico Loco
102 Amoy Street
Singapore 069922
Tel: +65 97387828 (Whatsapp Only)
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Telok Ayer (DT Line), Tanjong Pagar (EW Line)

Opening Hours
Mon-Thu: 8am - 10pm
Fri: 8am - 12midnight
Sat: 5pm - 12midnight
(Closed on Sun)

Direction:
1) Alight at Telok Ayer MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Amoy Street. Turn left onto Amoy Street. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Tanjong Pagar MRT station. Take Exit G. Walk down Telok Ayer Street. Turn left onto Amoy Street. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

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