the downtown place with the hard descending steps and reputation for the best fried chicken in town
Your reference to Boss Shepherd’s made me realize (to my surprise) that we had no thread for Fried Chicken. I think people are always up to hear about who is currently doing a good job with this American classic.
So let me begin by throwing one out for you: Hong Kong Palace.
Sheila: “Did he say ‘Hong Kong Palace?'”
Carla: “I think he did!”
The other evening, I ordered the Fried Chicken with Spicy Potato ($11.95, item C19 on their carryout menu), and got some of the best fried chicken I’ve had in a long, long time. Cut into bite-sized morsels and served mixed in with bite-sized cubes of potato, this is a spicy dish, but not excessively spicy, and not oily in the least – in fact, it’s quite dry in terms of presentation, and that’s exactly the way you want it. The chicken itself was about as perfect as fried chicken can be – with wonderful seasoning and a perfect chew (dare I say it’s toothsome?) – and most of the spice lies in the potato rub which you can eat around (but you won’t want to).
Try this dish, and you’ll be both shocked and addicted. If you want a well-balanced meal, add a green; if you want great fried chicken, this will do you.