THE BEST FRIED CHICKEN IN ALL OF ROCHESTER!
As I sit here, putting "pen to paper" I'm conflicted with what I really want to say. There's so many things to say and ways to say them so let's do some stream-of-consciousness here:
IT'S HOMEMADE! IT'S HOMEMADE! HALLELUJAH! EVERYTHING IS HOMEMADE!
And I mean everything....everything that matters, that is. The cornbread muffins are questionable given the consistent size, shape, and texture, but that is not a sin in my book. This is without a doubt...
THE BEST FRIED CHICKEN IN ALL OF ROCHESTER!
Am I shouting? I'm sorry, but I MEAN TO SHOUT!
BC's Chicken Coop is tucked away in a little hole-in-the-wall; I walked right past the place twice trying to find it. Don't expect much when you walk in the door. Damn the leatherette-covered chairs! Damn the faux-fireplace in the corner! Damn the lineoleum, the track lighting, and the ambience! (maybe some old-style blues, tho, would be AWESOME!) Brandy (spelling?) has wisely invested her shoestring-thin operating capital in the best fresh ingredients she can get and quality kitchen equipment. This alone told me that she knows what makes for good cooking and has her head screwed on straight.
As I waited for my order to finish cooking, Brandy introduced herself and we had a pleasant conversation about her business and her work on expanding to a second location in West Webster off Bay Road. She has big, big aspirations.
A couple of things she mentioned in our conversation that really struck me: she only uses organic chickens and she only uses the best oil (I'm guessing peanut oil) in a dedicated fryer only for the chicken. Care, quality, attention to detail. Check, check, and check.
While we were talking I nonchalantly looked past her into the kitchen and was amazed at how clean it was. I'm not talking about your local "Happy Garden" Chinese take-out place kind of clean. I mean, C-L-E-A-N. I would put my naked child on top of that prep table, it was so clean.
And are you ready for the kicker? Are you? When my order of chicken was finished cooking, she took one look at it, said "I don't like it....that's not right", dumped the whole order into the trash, grabbed a fresh chicken out of the walk-in, and STARTED OVER!
Her explanation: "I'm sorry but I can't let it go out the door if it's not perfect". PERFECT. How can you go wrong with someone who takes as much pride in their work and the product they sell? THEN she even offered me a discount for the extra wait! I refused the discount. After all, she's a small business owner turning out an incredible product. A couple of bucks extra to keep her in business for my future happiness? That's a gimme, and her prices are more than competitive. Compare that to the quality and service you get from the big-name chains and there's simply no choice.
So now we get to the crux of it:
THE BEST FRIED CHICKEN IN ALL OF ROCHESTER!
After two bites of a thigh, my taste buds were magically time-warped (insert Rocky Horror Picture Show reference here) to any shanty-shack-Grandma's-secret-recipe-southern-fried chicken joint south of Birmingham, Alabama. And we live in the frozen tundra of western New York! Oh....my....goodness it was good. I was literally on the cusp of an oral-gasm. Cooked thoroughly, juicy, tender on the inside. Crispy, semi-spicy breading on the outside. Not too much, just enough.
And I must mention the side dishes here. Green beans with bacon. Garlic mashed with...yes! IT'S HOMEMADE!...gravy. Fresh-cooked chips. The mac-n-cheese was simply a spoonful of cheesy, velvety, creamy, carbohydrate-laden heaven, treating my tongue like a slip-and-slide on it's way into my belly.
IT'S HOMEMADE! IT'S HOMEMADE! HALLELUJAH! EVERYTHING IS HOMEMADE!
As I continued to stuff myself I heard a small argument taking place:
Stomach: "Stop! Stop! I can't take anymore!"
Mouth: "Keep going you idiot! It's not going to be here forever!"
Care to guess which won?
The finishing touch was a cornbread muffin topped with my own honey butter (hint to Brandy: 1 part softened butter, 1 part honey, 1 part confectioner's sugar, 1/3-part cinnamon or pumpkin spice). MAKE IT!
As I walked out and headed home I had three thoughts in my head: 1) Damn, but that was good; 2) I hope she really makes a success of it; 3) She deserves more than the usual support of the local community for something so out of this world delicious.
Rest comfortably that even the mighty Colonel Sanders hasn't gotten it this right....ever! KF-Who? And what's a Popeye's? Even Chick-Fil-A...all just a fading sign in my rear-view mirror now, getting smaller and smaller as time goes on.
They have chicken on top of Belgian waffles with syrupy-sauce? Be afraid, folks, be very afraid. No worries, though, I'll take that one for the team!
If you are comfortable with fast-food take-out chicken, go for it. I'll eat your portion of BC's Chicken Coop, although my waistline will hate you. read more