The food was excellent. I love deviled eggs, and these definitely satisfied. Deviled Eggs - po' boy…read morehummus, sweet relish, crispy onions, chives, caper berries. The deviled eggs are essentially a Southern-style deviled egg sitting on a smoky, savory hummus inspired by a po' boy, with sweet relish, crispy onions, chives and caper berries providing contrasting sweetness, crunch, freshness and briny acidity.
Cornbread - roasted tomato & corn butter. The cornbread had flavors of corn and butter, like eating slathered corn on the cob. I like that it was in the form of slices from a loaf. It was thick, heavy and sticky like it was soaked in butter and honey - the weight and consistency reminded me of soaked pound cake. The accompanying roasted tomato & corn butter was savory-sweet and particularly good, with the roasted tomato bringing umami and acidity to the richness of the corn and butter.
For our entrees we had two of the signature dishes - Yardbird Fried Chicken with Collard Greens and Mashed Potatoes, and the Shrimp & Grits with Tomato Okra Stew, and breaded and Fried Pork Chorizo.
This was excellent fried chicken. Not the best we ever had, but definitely an experience box to check off.
I love that Red Rooster lets you choose white or dark meat, and charges $4 extra for white. I couldn't help thinking of it as a $4 tax on the enduring misconception that white meat is somehow the "better" chicken. Give me the dark meat every time: more fat, more flavor, more moisture. The people who know, know.
It was funny that our server, Anfernee, raised an eyebrow and seemed to be thinking, "What!?! White folk orderin' dark meat!?!?" I'm just having fun, though. He was a charming young man, and an excellent, attentive server.
The skin on the chicken is so crispy that it actually shatters when you bite into it, which makes for a fun and exciting bite. It's tasty with sweet and savory notes. However, the process to make that happen with the double-frying takes away some of the moisture from the inside. (Now, we're really glad we ordered dark meat.) It wasn't dry. It definitely had moisture, but just not as much as other chicken we've had.
The mashed potatoes were so silky that they were more like a puree, which was just fine with us as the flavors were excellent. The collards offered a great vinegary high note as contrast, but Lori kept adding salt and more salt, which was provided on request.
The Shrimp & Grits were a perfect dish, and an interesting unique take. The shrimp were perfectly cooked They were plump and provided that satisfying firm, crisp snap when bitten into.
Who can say "no" to Fried Okra and Fried Pork Chorizo? The okra is expected and the fried pork chorizo is a pleasant surprise. There are also extra fried bread crumbs added. All of this along with the creamy grits and acidic tomatoes offered wonderful flavor and texture contrasts to be a delight. I practically licked the bowl clean.
The last part here was actually the first part of the experience. When you first walk in the front door, the decor is so striking that it just stops you in your tracks, and you think, "Wow!"
The dining room at Red Rooster is as colorful and energetic as the food, with warm wood, a large central bar, colorful Harlem-inspired artwork and historic touches throughout. It feels contemporary without losing its connection to the neighborhood, and the open kitchen, lively bar and constant movement give the room the feeling of a real Harlem gathering place rather than a formal restaurant.
