Move Over Colonel Sanders; Fried Chicken is Going Gourmet

by Susan Davis on 11/17/09 at 12:36 pm

Maybe He'll Change His Name To Monsieur Sanders

Colonel Harland Sanders must be turning over in his grave – again.  First his beloved Kentucky fried chicken had to make room for Kentucky grilled chicken.  Now, one of the south’s most famous comfort foods is being imported by northerners and turning into haute cuisine.

Upscale restaurants in Chicago have taken a hankering to the breaded and deep-fried fowl and are serving it with a glass of champagne as the suggested drink du jour.  It’s not so much that they respect fried chicken and are elevating it to a place of reverence on their menus.  They’re doing it because it’s a low-cost dish that can help bring diners into nearly desolate restaurants on slow, weekday nights.

At Table 52 on West Elm Street, three pieces of chicken dipped in White Lily self-rising flour runs $24.

At One Sixty Blue on W. Randolph Street, the Wednesday special is fried chicken for $8.  Pair it with a glass of champagne, which helps cut through the fattiness of  the fried chicken.

And Big Jones on N. Clark Street,  provides diners with a half of a chicken for $18 on Tuesdays.  Diners say the crunchy skin is the best part; you’ll want to save it for last and savor every bite.

Colonel Sanders shouldn’t be too worried, though.  Chances are that once the recession ends, the fried chicken will quietly drop off the menu and the restaurants will go  back to their more innovative cuisine.  Fried chicken specials have been reserved for the slowest nights of the week and during this economic downtown, it’s helping to fill the seats.

*  *  *

Related Posts

1. Oh No, Say it Ain’t So. Kentucky Fried Chicken Says the Colonel Must Go!
2. Grill Seekers Wanted at Kentucky Fried Chicken
3. Kroger Recall of Buffalo-Style Chicken Wings
4. Practice Safety When Dealing with Raw Chicken
5. Southern Fried Elvis Arrives in New Orleans

‹ Report: Bisphenol A found in Nearly All Canned Food