Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken, Campbell River

I've been away to north end of the island, and just driven back in the cold, cold rain.  The roads were covered in a loose slush for the most part north of Campbell River. But they were gritted and clear, little traffic and beautiful wintery vistas to glance at. A light right foot and careful eye on the road (the occasional look at the vistas, okay), and we got over the passes, ready for coffee and lunch.

Just south of Campbell River is a shell garage, liquor store and a Lee's Famous Chicken And Ribs.  The services are the last traffic lights before Nanaimo, and a clear run south.  So we stopped in to fuel up.  The services are spread out, like there was expected to be more built here.  And why a BC Liquor Store exists in a highway services?  Is it for last minute beer pick up before heading into the great depths of the Island back roads?

Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken looks like a shiny neon diner, all branded and bright red and yellow.  I've never heard of it outside this one and one in Duncan.  My research tell me they are spattered across the American Mid West.. in Ohio, Michigan and points south into Florida, and north into Wisconsin.  And Vancouver Island.  And Jordan.  No idea why the sudden leap international to Duncan, but clearly a forward thinking franchisor decided there was a need for fried chicken here.

And not KFC joint.  I got the three piece meal, a mix of light and dark meat, some spicy and some original 'honey dipped'.  The meal came with a biscuit (for UK readers: doughy scone), gravy and my sideof choice: coleslaw.  It was all far better cooked and prepared than your typical fried chicken joint.  The batter was crisp, the meat still tender, and there was some flavour in there.  In stead of the greasy dough-like poultry bits KFC offers up, we had fried chicken done well.  It still looked like it had come from a bird.  The spicy batter had a zing to it was sharp and interesting, rather than a muddy mess of  heat I've had before.

The coleslaw was fresh and crunchy and not a mess of mayonnaise and wispy cabbage. The biscuit fresh and hot and well able to soak up the gravy... which was the sort of spiced gravy I don't really like.  You get the same sort of thing at Swiss Chalet or St Hubert's. Too much paprika... however, my best friend tells me she loves that stuff and could drink it by the bucket load, so that's my just my take.

I tried a couple of the BIG potato wedges.  They were skin on, lightly coated chunks.  Good, firm chunks of spud.  A little floury and heavy, but a nice change from the thin 'fries' beloved of McD's. The chicken sandwich special meal at under $8 is a bargain for hungry travellers needing a refuel. We all walked away happy, rating it 'would stop again, would like to see in Victoria'.

https://www.leesfamousrecipe.com/location/101--520-5th-Street-Nanaimo-BC