Lucky Yu, 53-55 Broughton Street, Edinburgh EH1 3RJ (0131 259 7719). All dishes £7-£14, desserts £7, cocktails about £10, wines from £28
Let’s start the year with one of life’s great philosophical questions: is there such a thing as bad fried chicken? You, the non-meat-eater at the back, put your hand down. We know your answer. This one is for the rest of you. Obviously, there can be better fried chicken and great fried chicken but, rancid oil aside, can it ever be so dreadful that you are not willing to entertain the idea of eating it? We’ve all heard the saying that “There is no such thing as bad pizza.” While I’m more than capable of worrying over the chewiness or otherwise of a blistered crust, or kvetching about sauce and topping ratios, I get the point. Speaking on behalf of my inner 13-year-old, it seems obvious that a day with pizza in it is probably better than one without, however lacklustre the pizza might be. Ditto fried chicken. The appeal is just so obvious: a shattering, highly seasoned crumb, which coats folds of crispy skin, giving way to the meat within. On the bone or off, it is one of life’s great, visceral pleasures.
