A new eatery has been bringing the heat to San José State University which is worth the hype.
The Student Union has a hot, new sizzling place and it is only there until March 31, according to a Spartan Eats web page.
Cluckin Hot Chicken is a temporary food pop-up at the Student Union food court which hosted its grand opening on Feb.10 and offers a variety of spicy hot chicken dishes and sides with a mix of American Nashville style.
The menu highlights consist of a variety of sandwiches, sliders, bread with tenders and bowls, not to mention delicious sides.
When it comes to hot chicken, the trick is to get the flavor and tenderness right with the perfect amount of spice. The biggest takeaway is that it should not be so dry.
I saw the various options offered and could not decide what was worth getting. I went to the counter to ask for the current most popular order and I am glad I did.
Rule of thumb, if you are not sure what to order, ask for the most favored meal. The service was friendly and fast and they helped me out in deciding what to get.
The vibe of the pop-up has a mix of casual comfort food and a quick grab-and-go meal. I would say this is a good place to fill up your tummy on campus.
They recommended the most ordered dish, the Mac Attack Bowl with a side of pickles. They also offered the option of choosing the level of spiciness that ranged from mild, medium, hot and no spice.
While my tolerance for spicy food is high, I wanted to be sure that I would enjoy the food with gusto and not be sniffling after every bite.
I like to enjoy and savor my meals, so initially, I was thinking of going for the mild-level spice but then I changed my mind and went with the medium level.
Before making up my mind on the medium spiciness, I was curious about how spicy it was, and I was offered a sample of the spice they use on the chicken.
It was not as hot as I thought it would be but it was just right in my taste, spicy and tangy. I kept the leftover sample and ended up adding it to the Mac Attack after I got it.
The Mac Attack is a bowl constructed with layers that include seasoned fries at the base, a layer of their signature medium hot chicken and creamy homemade mac and cheese topped off with Cluckin Hot Chicken’s sauce, chili powder and a side of pickles to ease the heat.
To get a taste of everything, I wanted to try each layer of food and I dug my fork in the bowl to get a bite of the fries at the bottom. They were crispy, soft, and savory and the cut was perfectly done. It was not too long or small and fine to fit into the bowl.
I moved on to the mac and cheese which was pretty appetizing, though I am not a big fan of this dish usually. Mac and cheese often is slimy or has a weird gooey, tacky texture and the cheese is usually not tasty.
Undoubtedly this is by far the best cheesy pasta I have ever tasted. The macaroni pasta was cooked just right, and the cheese sauce was creamy and flavorful, melting in my mouth.
I also got to taste the Cluckin Hot Chicken tenders and let me say that I am glad it was not just balls of fried batter.
The tenders were excellently covered in a thin layer of house batter and seasonings.
Upon taking a bite, I could immediately savor the spicy yet tangy flavors, and the deliciously cooked-to-perfection chicken meat– crispy on the outside, tender on the inside.
Every bite was worth it, the zesty spice not providing just heat but every flavor put together to make the meat deliciously addictive.
It is like a party in your mouth and not to mention, the pickles were a perfect addition to the meal, balancing the flavors well.
I do see myself frequenting Cluckin Hot Chicken, and I would tell your friends about it before it's gone.
From the amazing food to the friendly staff, I would rate it a five out of five, though it was a bit more expensive than I thought it would be. I ended up spending a total of $16.41.
If it was not for the pricey side, I’d frequent this eatery more often, but trust me it is worth every penny.
