Tuesday, July 6, 2010
DO YOU CRAVE IT FORTNIGHTLY? Today is apparently National Fried Chicken Day, so we should discuss the wonders of battered and fried poultry, such as which chain provides the best fried chicken, what are appropriate sides with fried chicken, and, of course, white meat or dark meat. (My answers--Popeyes, cajun rice at Popeyes/mashed potatoes pretty much everywhere else, and mixed.)
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Fried chicken: For fast food fried chicken, I go for Chik-fil-a (natch). For fast food fried chicken on the bone, KFC (original recipe). For nouveau southern, I recommend South City Kitchen in Atlanta. And I've heard tell of good friend chicken at Watershed in Decatur. But really, y'all, go to Mary Mac's or the Colonnade. Your arteries won't thank me, but your taste buds will.
ReplyDeleteSides: Mashed potatoes, baby. Even the fake ones at KFC.
Varietal: White meat.
Like I'm not going to say Chick-Fil-A?
ReplyDeleteI dig Kennedy on occasion -- my favorite side is almost always seasoned steak fries. MMM.
ReplyDeleteAlso, my cousin from the UK was here a few weeks ago for a two-week stay -- he's a, no lie, horse puppeteer, putting a show up at Lincoln Center, and in the course of talking about the challenges of training the American team, he said, "Obviously what I accomplish during this fortnight will be very important, in that it sets the tone for when I come back in January."
There was then a discussion along the lines of "Yes, Paul, the British still use the word fortnight in regular conversation. It's not that cute."
Let's classify CFA in a separate category, both because of the sandwich nature of the product and that it's not technically fried (it's pressure cooked). And at some point, I need to try the Momofuku fried chicken. (Or Monofuku generally.)
ReplyDeleteIsn't that a general rule? Those of us who have not tried Momofuku need to try it?
ReplyDeleteBoth Meme and Resurrection Ale House in Philadelphia do very fine fried chicken, but in terms of mass market on-the-bone it's the Colonel with his wee beady eyes in first, Popeye's second, Crown third. I do wish one of the three had a decent french fry offering.
ReplyDeleteAbout a month ago, I almost posted something about my gradual conversion from breast to thigh on fried chicken. It's the fat content. Oh, so dangerous. (But wing > drumstick.)
I miss Bojangles, though as much for the breakfast biscuits as for the chicken.
ReplyDeleteHarold's. Hot sauce, salt and pepper.
ReplyDeleteI've been working over toward dark meat for braised and baked chicken. But I'm still on the white meat side of things for fried and rotisserie.
ReplyDeleteHarold's but without anything else and mashed potatoes.
ReplyDeleteI keep meaning to get to Table 52 on a fried chicken night.
Miss? We still have one here in Athens, GA. As my dad says, "You know the biscuits are good because your bag gets transparent with the lard."
ReplyDeleteI'm going to have to go very Southern here and say that my mama's fried chicken is so good that I just about can't be bothered with someone else making it.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, I do, about once a year, enjoy an Extra Crispy thigh from the KFC. And then I pay for it later. Oh, how I dearly, dearly pay for it.
I used to live in Durham, NC. I'm now in Northern VA., many miles from the nearest Boj.
ReplyDeleteI have yet to try the magic that is CFA. As an L.A. girl, I have to toss some love to Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles. Sides: mashed potatoes of course; I'm also a cornbread believer. And at Roscoe's, waffles, natch.
ReplyDeleteMaret, you know they're opening a CFA right down the street from me in the fall? We'll have to visit. I was going to toss Roscoe's into the mix as well, but I've never been. I usually stick with Popeye's myself, wth fries (just in case there isn't enough oil on the chicken) and a biscuit.
ReplyDeleteFor fast food, I used to really like Grandy's quite a bit (especially with one of their rolls and some fried okra), but I haven't eaten at one in ages, so I don't know how well it's held up.
ReplyDeleteCurrently, it's KFC original recipe, though the one near my house can't seem to get it right. I don't care for their fake mashed potatoes, so I usually go with the potato wedges and coleslaw.
And jalapenos are a must.
Popeye's. Cole slaw. When I get potato, mashed or baked it acceptable. Hmm...I lean a bit toward the dark meat side.
ReplyDeleteOh and the most important side is a buttermilk biscuit of course! Regardless of the establishment. But especially at Popeye's. (At KFC it's really the only edible thing on the menu, at least while it's still hot).
ReplyDeleteI'm not a huge fan of fried chicken, but I will throw out support for Wings Over Albany, which is FABULOUS. Man I'm hungry now, wonder if they deliver to NH?
ReplyDeleteI was commuting about 25-30 km to a Toronto suburb by bike for several weeks, and barely managed to avoid stopping at either of the two Popeye's on the route. Then I saw that they were building a third Popeye's just down the street from me. DOOM! Tasty, tasty doom.
ReplyDeleteWhite. spicy, mashed potato all the way. And I'm obviously going to have to do a lot more biking this summer.
Oh the biscuits. My aunt and uncle live in Columbia, SC, which has never been my favorite place (it's like Charleston got all the good bits), but the chicken biscuit sandwich always made the trip worthwhile. Weirdly, I don't think I've had fried chicken since my last time at Bojangles in Columbia, which had to be at least 15 years ago.
ReplyDelete1. Popeye's
ReplyDelete2. Mrs. Winners
3. Publix grocery store
Mary Mac's and the Colonnade serve soggy food for old people.
I'm also not a huge fan of fried chicken - generally not a big chicken fan - but the best fried chicken I've ever had was at a gas station in Nevada. I swear.
ReplyDeleteI did have delicious fried chicken and waffles last week at Buttermilk Channel in Brooklyn.
As for cheap fried chicken, I have no idea where I'd start.
excellent point (although my gramama was the southern one so it is her chicken that I pine for)
ReplyDeleteLove Ssam Bar, but I did not like their take on fried chicken. Perhaps it's better at another Chang restaurant?
ReplyDeleteNow that's my NYC fried chicken -- Buttermilk Channel is awesome.
ReplyDeleteyou may need to take a short road trip
ReplyDeletethere's a bojangles just a smidge away from the monstrosity of the gaylord national harbor complex
here's the address
6135 Oxon Hill Road
Oxon Hill, MD 20745
(it was my first stop when i got to town for a conference)
I have a friend that lusts after the Mardi Gras wings from Publix after moving from a town with a Publix to one without.
ReplyDelete