Giving take-out roast chicken a French twist

While more than double the size of Sheung Wan, the Sai Ying Pun shop follows the same concept and offers no seating, catering or delivery services to keep prices low. One wall is devoted to gourmet products at reasonable prices, such as French Epicerie Dijon mustards, terrines and pickles. La Madeleine de Proust, a pretty pastries supplier, boasts a selection of colorful macaroons and pralines.

Roast chicken is a signature dish served at the take-out restaurant. Photos by C for Communications / For China Daily

A self-help fridge stores water, soft drinks, beer such as Leffe and a handful of wines such as Loron Chardonnay, Macon Villages Chateau de Mirande and Domaine Astruc Pastel de Rose.

"This shop used to be a garage," notes Ranc. "We think the Sai Ying Pun neighborhood is really up and coming. We love the local feeling of it and being so close to the wet market. People stop by on their way home and pick up whatever they need. Most of our customers are Chinese people and this may be their entry point into French food."

Along with juicy, flavorful chicken with succulently crispy skin, La Rotisserie offers three daily sides: roast potatoes with a sprinkle of rosemary, roast mixed vegetables and pasta of the day. The sides change daily and you may be greeted with ratatouille, mashed potatoes, salads or French beans instead, although roast potatoes are always on the menu.

La Rotisserie offers a soup of the day — we had a sweet and soothing pumpkin — and a quiche of the month along with quiche Lorraine. A special quiche oven in the kitchen can fit up to a dozen quiches either to store or to bake.

For those craving a sugar rush, La Rotisserie makes one of the city's best Croque Monsieur, simply oozing with gooey cheese, and a moist chocolate cake with the surprising crust of Guerande salt. Apple tart, naturally, is a typical pastry on the menu.

And, if you just can't wait until you get home to tuck into your chicken, King George V public park is a quick block to the east and an ideal setting for an impromptu picnic.