We decided on Chicken and Whaaat for a quick lunch on our way up to Voyageurs National Park. This seemed like a locally owned fast food joint, obliging us to walk in a little after they opened to try out the food. I think we were the first customers inside but somehow we were order number 3 for the day!
Ordering can be done either in person or on two convenient kiosks for the less social. Since this is fast food, the chicken isn't fried to order; instead, it's fried in batches, so the food is just assembled and handed out. Our order took only about 2 or 3 minutes to come out.
Classic ($8) - As the name implies, this is a pretty classic fried chicken sandwich. First there's a sizable boneless thigh, battered and fried. It's a lighter crisp, more delicate than the typical breading and closer to tempura than traditional fried chicken. The dark meat still has a decent moisture level and the exterior fry tastes like the beef tallow it's fried in. There's crisp ripped iceberg lettuce leaves, some pickles, and a bunch of mayo on a slightly buttery and toasted bun. The bun still remains mostly soft to encapsulate the chicken and prevent anything from falling out. While the chicken itself isn't the most juicy, there's enough fattiness from the mayo to help things out. (4/5)
Nashville Hot ($9) - This sandwich is the same format with slightly different ingredients. The fried boneless thigh is identical, but this time it's doused with hot chili oil and then topped with plenty of homemade ranch to help cool things down. The sandwich overall is slightly smoky and is only lightly spicy. I'd consider it on the very mild end of the things, giving only a slight warming of the mouth. There's so much sauce that it drips down the sandwich copiously, leaving a small puddle in the paper tray below. (4/5)
I didn't find the fried chicken sandwiches here to be anything special, but neither do they really have any flaws. They're just normal enjoyable, and normal is more than good enough for a meal or two.
Bathrooms - Two unisex rooms
Food: [4/5]
Service: [ ]
Other: [ ]
Final Rating: 4/5 read more