Chix Shack Thai Chicken

Quick service Chix Shack holding steady with Edmonton’s downtown crowd and offering some outstanding Thai food. Chix Shack To Go. A long overdue post on Chix Shack but one that I think needs to get off my overwhelmingly long to-do list. Nestled under the condo units of the Capital Centre, the small eatery is sister to Sawaddee Thai in Sherwood Park. With owners from Bangkok, I don’t doubt all the positive reviews about Sawaddee’s food and looked forward to Chix Shack’s opening last fall. Fast forward nearly a year later and I think Chix Shack did a great job of fine-tuning their menu and listening to the downtown crowd.

First time visiting this restaurant, it has a very casual vibe. We were greeted immediately after entering by a very friendly person at the cash register. The menu is very simple with just photos and only a few selections. I was surprised that a lot of the items don't come with rice, you have to order it separately. My only complaint is that the price for rice is pretty expensive since it's only good for one serving. I do recommend the coconut rice, it's very soft and fluffy with a hint of coconut taste. We also ordered the half chicken with papaya salad and sticky rice. The chicken was very moist and tender, especially loved the sauce to dip it in. The waitress/cashier was very friendly and checked on us often despite being a casual dining place. Portion size is just the right amount for two people. Would definitely return again, just wish the dishes came with rice by default...$3 for one serving of coconut rice is pretty steep.

Thai street food as its finest.  I've never been to Thailand (only Kuala Lumpur and Singapore in SE Asia) but I can tell this is pretty close to the street food I'd get in Thailand.  My friends that have visited Thailand agreed.  The portion sizes are smaller compared to other Asian restaurants but the prices are also adjusted accordingly.  I'd order 1-2 dishes to get real full.  If you just order 1 dish you'd be 80% full so it's good if you are on a diet.  Sharing plates with a couple of friends or coworkers is ideal.  The chicken here is not fried unlike all the other fried chicken places in town, it's roasted/braised almost.  It is juicier than most and it's flavourful enough.  There is a variety of dried spices and sauces that you can add to your food and they make the meal all the more authentic.   I'd go easy on the condiments because some of them can be real spicy.  All in all, cool place to hang out after a few drinks.

A friend and I dropped in for lunch during the workday. We ordered at the counter and the server/cashier was very friendly. I chose the green papaya salad and pad Thai. Their portion sizes are generous (think leftovers) and the flavours were delicious and authentic. I hesitated to compare this more fast-food style establishment with the more popular and well known Thai restaurants in town, but ChixShack has got it going on! Authentic flavours, a good mix of ‘safe’ and more interesting menu items all at a reasonable price.

So many new Asian places opening up, its impressive. ChixShack, sister restaurant to Sawaddee Thai Cuisine in Sherwood Park, specializes in Thai style chicken. It’s located right beside CoCo. Honestly, I never even knew Thai chicken was a thing. Don’t recall seeing that during my Thailand travels.