I walked into this new-ish Filipino restaurant on Tuesday, and ordered a combination plate; it features the Chicken Inasal for which the place is named, along with a skewer of barbecue pork. I was informed the chicken was a no-go. “We sold out on Family Day,” I am told.
Yes, there was such a run on the signature chicken dish during the long weekend, that it wasn’t available the next day. Of course, this only made me more curious. What was it about this Chicken Inasal? Why did it create a Family Day feeding frenzy?
So I came back the next day, and tried again. This time, the chicken was available.
“Is this your first time here?” I was asked at the counter. “Yes,” I answered (though, technically, I was there the day before).
“I hope we can delight your taste buds,” said the woman behind the counter.
After a short wait, the platter was brought to me. There were two large scoops of rice, but you’re not here to read about that.
Was the chicken worth the wait? It’s cooked in a blend of vinegar, citrus, soy and achiote spice. I was given a plastic glove, so I could eat the quarter chicken as it was meant to be — by grabbing the bone at the end and gnawing at it like I was Friar Tuck in the old Rocket Robin Hood cartoons. Yeah, begin those YouTube searches, now. The chicken was juicy and tender, and the barbecue sauce is equal parts sweet and sour. I quickly understood why the stuff sells out. This might be one of the best pieces of chicken I’ve ever had in Edmonton.
And then, the skewer. Again, that barbecue preparation is absolutely addictive. There’s a dip of soy and hot pepper that adds some kick — and, if I believed in God, I feel I would be closer to him, her or it after eating this meal. But, despite the Christian music playing in the background, I am just happy to finish one of the best lunches I’ve had in a long time.
Inasal Grill Avenue
Downtown | 10752 Jasper Ave, Edmonton | 825.401.8020
