Snackspert: ‘The chicken cha sieuw taco is SO GOOD!’
Eke Bosman, better known as Instagram phenomenon @snackspert, ate his first frikandel as a baby, hates vlammetjes, has devoured at least 1,500 burgers in his lifetime, suspects there is more mayonnaise in his body than blood, and shares his best and worst snack reviews on FavorFlav. On today’s Snackspert menu: vegan kebab, the chicken cha sieuw taco, and luxurious deep-fried chicken thighs with caviar.
Vegan kebab from Karma Kebab
It was the hit of last festival season: Karma Kebab! The vegan kebab from the guys from Utrecht amazed friend and foe alike: how can something be this delicious? Well, simply by rocking (and, of course, giving the vegan pieces plenty of flavor with all kinds of ingredients). But did you know that you can now also buy the vegan kebab pieces in the supermarket? Incredible. But to be honest, I have to say that it’s a bit like trying to recreate a World Cup match played by Brazil with your own football team. I’m a terrible cook myself, so my homemade kebab sandwich tasted a lot less good than the one I ate at Down the Rabbit Hole. That’s okay, it’s just a warning, although I do have to say that I found it genuinely a little on the salty side. In terms of texture, it’s a real winner, because if there’s one thing I don’t like about vegan snacks, it’s the cardboard-like quality—but that is absolutely not the case here. Incredible mouthfeel, yum. So, in conclusion: are you creative and able to make delicious sandwiches yourself? Get this one. Are you a good-for-nothing like me and unable to get beyond kebab, garlic, and melted cheese? Maybe hold off for a moment. ⭐⭐⭐½
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📍: Supermarket (bought at Jumbo)
📱: @karmakebab
💰: 3.55 euros
Chicken cha sieuw taco, Fifty Fifty, Den Bosch
Helloooooo Den Bosch! How lovely that I was finally able to travel south, and what a beautiful, wonderful city Den Bosch is. With so many hotspots! I will undoubtedly be back soon, but I want to let you know right away that my first hotspot was an absolute hit: Fifty Fifty on Snellestraat. I had a taco there, and I almost want to call it taco-nbelievable. The chicken cha sieuw taco comes with marinated chicken, coconut rice, spring onion, fried onions, yogurt, and delicious sweet yet slightly spicy mayonnaise. And I can tell you, I love this combination. Delicious fusion—without fusion, we would never have come this far in terms of culinary discoveries. But wow, guys, this was GOOD. This has to do with the fact that the different flavors really complement one another perfectly: the marinated and then roasted chicken, with a delicious coconut flavor from the rice, while the mayo makes everything sweet, and the yogurt provides just the right amount of sourness. So many turns to take, and every single one is worth taking. If I have to mention one downside, it’s the taco itself, which I find a little too thin—so after a few bites, everything falls out the bottom. Maybe make it a little sturdier? Just a small point. ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
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📍: Fifty Fifty, Den Bosch
📱: @fiftyfifty073
💰: 6.20 euros
Gyoza with Old Amsterdam cheese and deep-fried chicken thighs, Otemba, Amsterdam
I like it. Sacrilege is permissible in some cases. David Chang said in the Netflix series Ugly Delicious (worth watching!) that nobody should really complain about strange combinations, because what if they’re simply delicious? And many dishes have been influenced by other cultures at some point, so we should celebrate that instead. Right, enough said—now I can finally talk about the gyoza with Old Amsterdam cheese (top left) from Otemba in Amsterdam. A brilliant combination, especially delicious with the langoustine inside. The sweet-and-sour flavor of the filling combined with the saltiness of the cheese. Really delicious. The deep-fried chicken thighs with herring caviar are simply good, although I don’t think the caviar adds much value. Maybe come up with something more acidic instead. Finally, on the right you can see the octopus balls, which are absolutely fantastic. Normally I find them so soft that they give me an uncanny feeling, but these are very flavorful. Chapeau. Oh, and the ramen was delicious too—slightly small bowls, that’s all. Although I don’t know very much about ramen, to be fair. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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📍: Otemba, Amsterdam
📱: @otemba.ramen
💰: 7.50 euros for the gyoza, 8.95 euros for the nuggets, 16.95 euros for the ramen
Read also:
- Snackspert is disgusted by Jumbo’s vegan sausage rolls
- Snackspert: this cheese soufflé with peanut sauce is worth the detour
- Snackspert tastes and rates croquettes from Lidl
