The Original Botak Jones (Holland)

While @original_botak_jones gumbo didn’t move me, their cyclopean Cajun Chicken Set ($8 before GST) proves that Botak Jones knows a thing or two about supremely satisfying sustenance. I regret not setting down my fork & knife next to the chicken chop for scale, because that was a gargantuan chicken fillet. Seriously, where do they find these behemoth birds? Grazing in a field next to a pharmaceutical factory?⠀
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The larger the chicken, the more challenging it is to cook, but Botak Jones has cooked this colossal chicken with absolute aplomb. The internals are enticingly juicy while the externals sport a congenial char. The flavours are also well taken care of, as the cajun marinade has permeated every last fibre of chicken and transformed this piece of poultry into a spicy, savoury & sumptuous piece of protein. The spices used in the cajun seasoning produce a subtle but persistent itch in the back of your throat instead of on your tongue, almost like pepper instead of chili. Quite delightful, and definitely tolerable even by those with minimal spice tolerances.⠀
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The spices are smoothed and snuffed out by the melted cheese carpeting the top of the chicken. The cheese was lovely, adding a creamy richness to the juicy & spicy chicken, adding just that much more fattiness & weight to complete a satisfying mouthfeel. The heap of coleslaw on the side ain’t bad either, with its tanginess cleaning your palate of the dominant cajun spices.⠀
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At just under ten bucks, Botak Jones’ Cajun Chicken set is unrivalled pure protein bulking power at its best.

I’ve never actually had gumbo before, so I couldn’t tell you if @original_botak_jones Louisiana Chicken Gumbo is close to being authentic. What I can tell you though, is that it’s an extra two bucks to have it as a side to any main you order, and is probably good for a try.⠀
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Gumbo is a spicy stew that’s been thickened up by a roux, and is traditionally loaded with sausage, chicken, shrimp and/or shellfish. Botak Jones’ version of it has chicken & sausage inside, and is loaded with celery & onions. It certainly isn’t spicy, and I was surprised at how mild it was. Overall, the flavours were actually pretty mild, and it wasn’t nearly as thick as youtube cooking videos have led me to believe.⠀
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I understand that the chicken is supposed to be stewed together with the gumbo, but the chicken in this was overcooked to mush, and somehow simultaneously managed to lose all its moisture. I don’t know how chicken managed to get dry in broth, but this one did. The sausage was considerably more enjoyable, but that was pretty soft too.⠀
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While I’m reserving final judgement on this gumbo until I’ve tried a few more, it would probably be more prudent to spend that extra cash on Botak Jones’ incredible sounding Double Baked Cheese Potato.