On the ground floor of Merry Hill shopping centre is a new Sides restaurant, the latest venture from YouTube stars The Sidemen. Sadly, they weren't able to attend the opening on Saturday afternoon, November 18, over safety fears about the huge crowds that could attend.

But the arrival of the fried-chicken restaurant - the first outside London - still generated a buzz with a line arching out of the doorway and shoppers stopping to take photos and videos. Several security guards and police officers were also stood nearby, amid the attention that was anticipated.

Complete with neon signs and a colour theme of blue, black and grey, the inside of the restaurant was both inviting and exciting - tempting you to step inside a try their fried chicken menu. The self-service kiosks weren't in operation on the opening night so orders were taken from staff behind the counter.

An attention to detail which I really liked, and what I hadn't seen before in other restaurants, was a dispenser on the counter for a selection of sauces in the style of a pub or bar. With the logos of seven sauces on display in front of each pump, I thought it was a simple and effective design feature to entice you inside even more.

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Being a Sides restaurant, the faces of The Sidemen also regularly appeared on the advertising boards. Sides serves up fried chicken either in a burger, as wings or tenders and there's also a selection of sides and desserts you can order.

Approaching tea time and having worked up an appetite, I went for six chicken tenders with a Nashville coating (£8.99). I also ordered waffle fries (£2.99), a selection of three sides (£3.99 each) which were mac and cheese bites, mac and cheese bites with jalapenos and also Peppadew (a small, sweet pepper) inside of them. And to top it off, I ordered seven dips (79p each) for the main. You can also order a chicken tender meal (£9.99) which comes with two tenders, waffles and two sauces.

Seated on a cushioned bench at the end of the restaurant (there were also booths and table and chairs), the attentive staff placed the two trays of food in front of me on the table and I didn't know where to begin. However, being the centre piece, I started with the Nashville chicken tenders which came on a black tray underneath wrapping paper, and with several slices of gherkin. The chicken was generous in size and - having being marinated and then fried - they came with a reddish-brown coating.

The skin was crunchy, juicy and crumbly and it had a sweet kick to it as well, while the meat was tender and overall very succulent. After the first bite, I was savouring every mouthful, with juice dripping down my chin and hands. Although Sides could be classed as fast-food, it felt like a lot of love and care had gone into the recipe and I can honestly say the tenders were so good, it was the best chicken tenders I'd ever had.

The potato waffles were also generous in portion and size. They had a crisp outer layer and fluffy texture inside, which is what you'd expect from a decent waffle, and they were a delicious extra.

The sides were fun to eat, too. Not too big in size but they would definitely fill an appetite. They too had a crispy skin and this was complimented by a gooey centre of cheese. I mostly preferred the bites with jalapenos inside as I enjoy a little spice, however the bites with Peppadew were also enjoyably sweet.

To get the full experience, you have to order a selection of sauces with your sides. I went for Buttermilk Ranch, Classic BBQ, Secret Sauce and Louisiana, although they were others to try if you wanted. My favourites were Louisiana, being the hottest, and the Secret Sauce which I'd compare to a type of tangy mayonnaise.

I was advised Sides also do good desserts and I went for a slice of Rolo cheesecake (£6.99) to top off the dining experience. Although it was quite thin, the slice was delicious. It had a soft, whisky mousse for the top layer. Beneath was a thick, biscuit-like base, and they both came together well. And the slice was topped off by individual Rolo pieces and a drizzle of chocolate sauce, creating an all-round sweet and chocolatey delight.

Overall, I found the food was rich and somewhat heavy on the stomach, however it was so enjoyable and tasty to eat. The interior also felt different from other fast-food restaurants, such as the colour scheme diverting away from traditional reds, and the neon signs made the place feel alive.

I went there open-minded, unsure what to expect. And although the menu was a little steeper in price than other fast-food eateries, it was totally worth it. If you're interested in trying Sides, it's located on the ground floor opposite JD, towards the bus station section of the restaurant.