ChiChicken吃鸡 — Restaurant in New York

tl;dr interesting new hotpot concept in LIC but chicken quality could be better for the price.

Went the last day of their 30% off promotion and ordered the Coconut chicken hotpot along with fatty beef, shrimp paste and grass fish. For 30% off I'd say this meal is worth it. Not sure if I'd go back without some type of promotional discount but think it is nice to have this style of hotpot in the neighborhood.

FYI They also offer ice cream after your meal in exchange for an online review which I declined.

The chicken quality that came with the hotpot was not good. It was mostly small and bony pieces like the wing and breast meat. I was struggling to find any piece of dark meat in the entire pot. They had another chicken option labeled "fresh" chicken for $8 more but I wasn't sure what was the difference between that and the "free ranch" chicken that came with the coconut chicken broth order. I have also been to Coco Chicken in Flushing which had significantly better quality chicken so the difference was stark.

The shrimp paste, however, was fantastic and I would definitely reorder it. The shrimp came in large pieces and had a very good bouncy texture and fresh shrimp flavor.

The grass fish was oddly crunchy and bouncy, reminiscent of thinly sliced cartilage. Ive never had fish of this texture and I'm not sure if it's supposed to be so bouncy naturally or if it's marinated in something to change the texture. It was good but the crunchiness was off putting for fish slices.

Finally the beef was ok, very fatty but that's what it the menu said it was.

The vegetable platter had a sparse selection of mushrooms (1 shiitake, 8 beech), hard veggies (3 slices carrot, 3 slices kabocha, 1 piece corn cut in half, 1 cherry tomato) and leafy greens (4 slices lettuce, 8 strands watercress, 6 strands chrysanthemum greens).

Finally, the sauce bar had a smaller variety of sauces but included a ginger scallion sauce that paired perfectly with the chicken as well as small appetizers (fresh shrimp chips, Tofu strip salad) and fruits (melon, orange).

The service is mostly in Mandarin chinese and decently good. They came around to refill the broth and waters several times without being asked. Dining room on ground level is not very large, about 15 tables, but it looks like there may be a second floor.

They seem to allow dogs as I saw two smaller dogs sitting in chairs at some tables as well as one husky sitting...

I recently visited this Chi Chicken restaurant, and it was a delightful experience. Firstly, the restaurant's ambiance is very comfortable, with a fresh and natural decor that makes you feel relaxed. The waitstaff were very friendly and provided excellent service.

The highlight of the meal was definitely the coconut chicken. The chicken was tender and juicy, rich without being too heavy. The soup, made with fresh coconut, had a natural sweetness that perfectly complemented the chicken. The side dishes were also abundant, with a variety of fresh vegetables that were both healthy and delicious.

Additionally, the restaurant offers a wide variety of dishes, not just the classic coconut chicken. Huajiao flavor is also highly recommended. The prices are very reasonable, offering great value for money.

Overall, this is a highly recommended Chi Chicken restaurant. Whether for a family dinner or a gathering with friends, it's an excellent choice. I will definitely...

Amazing broth and food, definitely would come back!

The place is a bit unconventional. They have set combos that include the broth type and a bunch of ingredients. We got the chicken combo and it also came with a whole plate of chicken. We typically don’t eat chicken at hot pot but between all the other options this was the best choice.

Plenty of a la carte options to pick more items and good sauce station too.

Service was attentive and great, and the place is big enough where it doesn’t feel crowded.

Only downside is I wish they had more combos or other smaller-sized options to choose from. We had four people and our one combo was still a lot. But given the broth is truly outstanding - more than most other hot pot places - I’ll let this one slide!

Highly recommend giving this...