When out and about shopping in Broadmead and looking for a quick, tasty and affordable lunch, I always check Wriggle’s latest deals – I’ll generally always find something on there that’ll suit. And a recent trip to town for the excitement of an eye test and choosing new glasses was no different – I noticed that they had a special deal at KLUK, which opened in the kiosk outside M&S in December 2016.
KLUK is all about healthy food made freshly every day: from the name, I’m sure you’ll have guessed that there’s chicken involved, but they do vegan and veggie options too. Owner Austin spent time running a restaurant in Beirut, which is where his inspiration for KLUK came from…every day, you’ll find a wealth of options to turn into a wrap or salad box, with the menu reasonably priced too.
The freshly made salads vary, meaning there’s almost always something different to try. On the day of my recent visit, the counter was packed full of bowls of various choices, stacked high and offering a vibrant range of colours, textures and flavours.
I’m not a big fan of the fact that everything’s open to the elements and right on the edge of the counter where customers wait, but there’s no denying that it looks amazing. After choosing my chicken option (Mediterranean) and my dressing (fresh basil) for my salad box, I was asked which salads I’d like to try – and I thought it was only right that I give them all a go…
The Wriggle deal gave me the choice of a salad box or wrap plus sweet potato fries for £4.95 – essentially giving you the sweet potato fries for free. But what was my verdict…?
The chicken itself was beautifully cooked, the lemon, garlic and spices fairly subtle, maybe having been overpowered by the chargrilled flavour from the grill. It was tasty and succulent, though, with a generous amount for the money.
I was impressed with the salads, which all tasted clean, healthy and not swimming in oil, as they can often do elsewhere…the variety was good too, with plain couscous; a tomato, cucumber and herb salad; grated carrot; spinach, red cabbage; a kale and pomegranate salad and a mixed salad on offer, all with lovely fresh, crunchy ingredients and packed full of flavour. The hummus served on the side was fantastic – a good amount of tahini bitterness and a lovely smooth (but not too smooth) texture, while the basil dressing was light yet full-flavoured, but could have done with being spread across more of the box, rather than just the hummus.
The portion of sweet potato chips that came with my salad box wasn’t quite as healthy (they were cooked in a mini deep fat fryer), but they were seasoned well, and were offered with a pot of chipotle sauce for dunking. A few of the chips were a little undercooked – I think the salad box would be more than enough for me on my next visit.
I mention a next visit – and I’ll definitely be back. It can sometimes be hard to find healthier options when looking for a quick lunchtime food choice in Broadmead, and KLUK ticks all the boxes. It’s a decent portion for the price, and there’s plenty of variety – the food is tasty too, and Austin’s perfectly friendly, welcoming and chatty. With or without a Wriggle deal, I’ll be back…