“Some Like it Hot” is undoubtedly a movie classic (watching it many times and time hasn’t dulled its appeal – some could say it was rather ahead of its time), with Curtis and Lemon a compelling comedy double act (oddly after this triumph they only ever played together in one other movie, the Great Race and not as a double act) and Monroe at her innocent yet smoldering best. Fowl and Fury’s take on Nashville hot fried chicken can be rather smolderingly (actually more molten in my, albeit limited, experience) hot and certainly funny to watch, as people come to the red hot realisation as to just how spicy it is.

Now movie wise Fowl and Fury actually (well to my twisted mind) sounds like the perfect title for an Ardman Animation film featuring a Foghorn Leghorn character (as the Breaded Pitt character) valiantly trying to fight off hordes of fast food employees led by Colonel/Oberst Sanders who all want a (crispy deep fried) piece of him (I can hear Foghorn’s dying words of “I say boys, boys don’t put me in that there deep fat fryer“).

Since my first visit to Fowl and Fury, they have got their own gaff in Cathays and now have expanded operations out  West with a new outlet in Canton (much  more convenient for me – despite what Google maps says it is definitely in Canton and not Pontpangea).

It is clearly set up predominantly for take away, but there is plenty of seating inside and some outside (for those who prefer the outdoor “well I didn’t expect to see that” wonders of Cowbridge Road East.

The menu at their much delayed Canton bricks and mortar establishment is a bit more expansive than my first (dear lord this is bloody hot) try of their wares back in 2021 at Sticky Fingers,

with tenders, sandos (lazy word for a  sandwich, unless you are Japanese and/or use proper milk bread/shokupan, in which case I will let you off – I suppose you can call it what you like, but why not just call it oh I don’t know a “sandwich”?), loaded fries (still don’t get the appeal outside of poutine), loaded mac and cheese,

sides

and the obligatory veggie and vegan offerings.

I do wonder as to how cost effective it is (in these trying times, with our Lords and Masters seemingly intent on grinding hospitality into the dust) to cater (at a chicken shop) for people who don’t eat chicken.

Perhaps I am missing something and it is about widening as far as possible your customer base, but at what cost in terms of stock rotation, avoiding cross contamination (do you have to have separate fryers, prep areas etc.?) etc.  It would all be more than a bit pointless if it loses you money in doing it, so I assume it doesn’t as why would people do it (but who knows these days, with making the books balance in hospitality increasingly difficult regardless of what you do and people seemingly still soldiering on, but for how much longer I wonder).

I suppose I should be thankful for there being no reference to chickun /chickn on the menu, use of which should be punishable by way of a long prison sentence with chitterlings (I mean it sort of sounds like chicken doesn’t it) the only food option.

Anyhow enough of my veggie rant – a “plantrum” if you will – and back to the (non plant) matter at hand.

As I have had their tenders before, I went for the chicken sandwich. Not being a deranged lunatic (frankly anyone who goes for the full on “Fury” must be a total masochist and probably a fan of R v Brown sort of stuff), I went for mild.

Good looking beast this, with a big hunk of fried chicken betwixted a bronzed bun.

Nice crunch to the crisp outer coating, which did look ominously dark and brooding, with no clagginess.  Thankfully, as “mild”, it was not too incendiary in nature for my delicate taste buds. Nice level of spiciness and heat, such that you felt it warm the lips and belly a tad, but all at a very tolerable level.

Past the coating the chicken (breast rather than my favoured thigh) was nicely juicy with none of the dryness you can often get from breast meat

The bun is challah, so no milk (see above) is used in the process at all, which didn’t quite hold up structurally till the very end.

In terms of other stuff under the lid,

I enjoyed the tangy pickle slices, but found the comeback sauce and slaw lacking in acidity. Bit more of a tangy kick from both would have added nicely to the mix, but as they were I don’t think I would have missed them if they were not present (binning the slaw would also have aided bun strutural integrity).

Good sandwich this, which hit the spot at lunch time very nicely. I like the fact they keep it all nice and simple.

To go with my sandwich, not really needed with its size, I was boring and just went with the regular (retro crinkle cut) fries (£3.50).

For the price this was a pretty bountiful portion and they had a nice crispy exterior. My only slight criticism would be a lack of seasoning on them. Now I am a salt fiend, so it may just be me, but chips need a really good thwack of salt and here there wasn’t enough of it (no sign of salt to self apply either) for my tastes. In hindsight, I rather wish I had added a pot of their cheese sauce (a seemingly very reasonable £1) or that standard mayo or vinegar was an option

On the drinks front, I had a milkshake (they do pop too) and thankfully there was none of the whacky (Type 2 diabetes as a topping is free) stick of rock, a donut, M&Ms, Eminem and/or Dubai chocolate (I mean the stuff is bloody everywhere at the moment) stuff in it (just don’t ask for a proper straw, as you will go to hell destroyer of Worlds). To me, milkshakes should be vanilla, strawberry or chocolate (hate a banana one, but concede there is probably a case for its inclusion on the list) and come only with the addition of a straw.

Thickness wise, I like a happy medium. Not nesquik, but not so thick you burst a blood vessel getting the stuff up the straw.

Went vanilla, being very vanilla myself, and very good it was too.

Just the right consistency and temperature so no jaw strain or brain freeze and a really agreeable hit of vanilla. Well worth its £5.50 price tag, I think.

Also, they seem to have cracked the crappy paper straw collapsing problem

I mean it is one big ole straw, that took some effort to get the first draw up,

but it was a very robust number that lasted the course and some.

If I was taking out to eat at home and didn’t fancy a milkshake, rather than beer I would likely go fizz (a cremant, even a demi sec one, or a cava probably rather than anything too flashy) or an off dry German riesling. A case of a touch of sweet to go with heat.

The verdict

Good addition to Canton this, with the mild chicken sandwich enough for me heat wise.

I had rather hoped (for entertainment purposes) that someone would have ordered the hot or fury whilst I was there,

Portion sizes are very robust (you could easily share a side, I think), with the sandwich a really big bugger for its £10.50 price tag. I didn’t need to eat dinner that day.

A good milkshake with (thank the Lord, rejoice the World is saved) a paper straw that actually works was very much a brucey bonus.

The details

Address: 76 Cowbridge Road East, Canton, Cardiff CF11 9DW

Website: https://linktr.ee/Fowlandfury

Opening hours: