The Tuesday Taste: Mary Brown's Chicken Sandwiches

 

 

Yesterday seems as though

it never existed

Death greets me warm

Now I will just say goodbye 

 

I'm not saying goodbye though, because it's another Tuesday and another Taste. This time we're back on the fried chicken train, trying a consistent request from a close friend and fan of this weekly show... Mary Brown's!

A brand with over 150 locations yet only one in downtown Toronto proper, Mary Brown's was founded in 1969 in St. John's Newfoundland, where supposedly the good word took flight (sorry) so quickly that within a decade there were locations all across Canada... except for Toronto apparently.

Thankfully the location on the Danforth near Logan Avenue exists, otherwise the next closest for me is out near Brimley and Eglinton or Dufferin off the 401 highway. They're so rare in central Toronto that excellent Raptors reporter/writer/podcaster William Lou even doubted their actual existence not too long ago. If not for the Danforth outpost, Mary Brown's would've likely made this Tuesday Taste #90 instead of #24... I only travel across the city for pizza damnit!

Mary Brown's has a delightfully cheap Monday special and so I decided to take full advantage of that, ordering both the regular and spicy sandwich options they have. It's another double review! Please save your applause until the end... or at least until the epic episode I have planned for next week...

We'll start with the regular option, which I surprisingly liked more. It reminds me of childhood days eating a McDonald's McChicken, with a less stiff generic bun, mayo flavour leaking into every bite... this is obviously far superior. For one, the chicken itself doesn't look or taste like a cookie-cutter generic chicken patty. This baby is a sizeable chunk of battered and fried chicken breast, clunky and barely sprawling within the jurisdiction of the bun... as it should be.. The coating is fairly light, not drenched in oil or fat thankfully, and while not overly crispy it gives an enjoyable crunch surrounding very ordinary tender white chicken. I like the healthy touch of lettuce also. Solid.

As for the spicy option... I'm likewise impressed, although it lacks just one element to make it elite in my opinion. It's more chicken than sandwich, which is objectively delightful. Lettuce here is substituted for pickles and regular ol' mayo is switched out for some spicier chili-like mayo concoction (it alone isn't spicy at all). The pickles exist here simply to combat the spice with bitter acidity, but frankly I'm not a fan of it. I'd prefer something with more crunch, like a vinegary coleslaw, than just basic thin sliced pickles with little texture. A crunchy slaw would make this sandwich truly glorious.

If that's your biggest weakness though, you're in a good place and this spicy chicken sandwich is there. It balances that line of being accessibly spicy without wimping out (like A&W's option) and the hotness is the type that sneaks up and lingers on ya, which I prefer. It isn't the mayo sauce or just the batter, it genuinely is the chicken itself (whatever they've done has seeped into the meat itself, very nice) and the heat tastes like a nice combination of peppers and various seasonings that build upon the tongue for some smooth but notable heat. Man though, it would be so much better if they ditched the pickles for coleslaw. You can still get that bitter acidic taste to counteract the spice, while adding more crunch and way more texture than soggy pickle slices. 

Otherwise... like the regular sandwich, it's a huge chunk of deep fried breaded chicken cooked delightfully to the point of crispy tenderness. I really do like both of these a lot, even cold (I ain't 20 anymore, can't finish both of these at once I gotta pace myself)... they were still soft, tender and tasty. Well done.     

Burnt Ends -- I write about baseball sometimes and the Blue Jays sometimes don't ya know. Beyond that... well I'll just keep building up the curiosity of my Smiths article as long as I can (coming to a blog near you in 2028!). Nah I'll post it soon, with a special feature from a dear friend of mine so stay tuned for that.

 

Pirates, Yarr -- They probably don't need my particular publicity at this point, but if you're reading this and haven't heard about them... check out the Sludge Pirates! A couple of dudes and friends I used to work with at the Drake Hotel here in Toronto decided during the pandemic to get a huge fishing magnet and use it to haul random stuff/whatever they find out of Lake Ontario and film it for YouTube and Instagram. It's even more fun to watch, since Neil and Evan have such sweet chemistry on camera... seriously go check them out.

 

The Boys Are Back In Town -- I mean, they never really left. I do wanna try this hot sauce though... I captained a ball hockey team in high school named the Green Bastards for gawds sakes. 

 

Tuesday Tune -- If you know me, you probably know I can unfortunately linger in some dark and scary mental places. These are still serious issues that exist among so many people you know, perhaps even hidden behind friendly encounters. A big realization fear is this song.. obviously the idea within not the music itself. 

Anyways it's a f**king killer tune and one of the best outros in all of rock music.   

Hey that's it for me this week. As always be kind your fellow people, think objectively and trust science (it's fucking science, for gods sake... it doesn't have an agenda) but most of all don't spill that mustard.