Winner, winner, chicken dinner: On the hunt for N.L.'s best fried chicken

I truly believe that Newfoundland is the fried chicken capital of Canada.

It seems like even the tiniest hamlet has a KFC, a Mary Brown's and at least two local fried chicken joints, and every one of these places is backed up with orders on Sundays.

I've even heard of Newfoundland and Labrador workers getting their favourite fried chicken vacuum-sealed and flown to camps in Alberta.

People aren't shy with their chicken opinions, either; they like one place or another, but thinkthe spot down the road changes their oil too often. Really popular take-out joints are spoken of in the hushed, reverent tones usually reserved for church.

I get it. I love fried chicken.

I want that chicken dunked and smothered in buttermilk andfried until beautifully crispy. Serve it with pickles please! I'm really into hot sauce, but I also believe that good fried chicken can speak for itself.

After months of searching and long-distance running (I love fried foods, but I also love not having quadruple-bypass surgery)I came across what I believe to be a contender for the title of best fried chicken place in Newfoundland: Bragg's Famous Chicken,located inside Spencer's Diner, on beautiful Pilley's Island.

See for yourself: before the COVID-19 pandemic, Andie Bulmanvisited Bragg's Famous Chicken on Pilley's Island for some perfect fried fowl.

The best fried chicken in N.L.? Bragg's on Pilley's Island: Food 'n Fun, Ep. 4

4 years ago

Duration 3:38

In a province seemingly obsessed with fried chicken, contributor Andie Bulman hit to road to find the best.Turns out, it's Bragg's Famous Chicken inside Spencer's Diner on Pilley's Island.Check it out in the fourth episode of on-the-road dining series, Food 'n Fun. (Filmed by CBC's Mark Cumby)

Pilley's Island is, admittedly, off the beaten track. It's a good seven hours from St. John's, but trust me when I say the drive is worth it.

This is, after all, thesummer of the staycation, and you owe it to yourself to head out on a Newfoundland road trip. Plus, the scenery out this way is postcard-perfect and the chicken aloneworth the pilgrimage.

The diner is owned by Cleo Roberts and her husband. Yes, there is a family connection to Mary Brown's here, but that connection is not necessarily the key to their success.

The secret lies with the techniques taught by Fried Chicken Master Linda Payne.

Paynehas worked at Bragg'sfor years, and just has a natural feel for the chicken. She's a popular fixture in the community and retired a few years back, but still comes in to train the new cooks.

Her recipe has been around for 35 years and remainstop secret, but her technique involves a lucky bowl that's the perfect size for seasoning the chicken, anda certain flairwhen it comes to cooking.

She's sassy, and that sass leads to some of the best chicken I've ever tasted. It's perfectly crisp, not too greasy, and beautifully seasoned.

I also got to try some of the other dishes at Spencer's Diner, including agorgeous poutine and a few bites of something delicious called a "hot turkey mess" served on a dish the size of my torso.

Spencer's Diner also doubles as an ice-cream parlour, so I tried a partridgeberry cheesecake sundae and a parade of other original ice cream concoctions each somehow more tasty than the last.

Like all restaurants, they've had to adapt inthe COVID-19 world. Instead of shutting the doors, they built a drive-thruthe first ever onPilley's Island and they've been busier than ever.

• More recent columns and features from contributor Andie Bulman

Withold-school diner charm, ice cream, and a legacy of stand-out delicious fried chicken, Spencer's Diner and Bragg's is worth a visit in a province obsessed with fried chicken.

Food 'n Fun is aseries all about food and funas Andie Bulman takes viewers to places in Newfoundland to talk about delicious things.

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