Cheap meal: delicious roast chicken

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      Most people love roast chicken and most people have their family recipe for it.

      Interestingly, roast chicken spans so many cultures. The Hong Kong Chinese do their version with star anise and Chinese wine.

      The Indians do tandoori and the French, of course, do theirs with pure butter. Who hasn't dreamed of eating poulet rôti on a midday afternoon in Paris for not very much?

      When you're a sporadic cook like me, roast chicken on the go is almost a godsend on Sundays. But of course, we have many options for that in Vancouver, especially with all the grocery stores doing a good job of it. Urban Fare does it even better because it comes with the sides and there's a place to sit down and eat it.

      Since these establishments are licensed, you can enjoy a glass of wine with it.

      Of late, I've grown fond of its roast chicken dinner and thought I would share it with other sporadic cooks. In the cafe, they serve it until 8 p.m. daily. For $4.59, you get a single chicken leg and if you're a little snobbier, you get a chicken breast for $6.99 in three flavours: Cajun, Italian, and barbecue.

      The sides of mashed potatoes and veggies cost you $3 extra. You can also have rice instead of potatoes and the staff give you a dollop of gravy for 99 cents extra. They often run out of the chicken, so go early.

      I did ask one of servers which was a popular flavour in Vancouver. "Italian!" she said with zeal.

      I, on the other hand, prefer Cajun and I think with a little imagination that I could be sitting in Paris right by the water.

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