Tag: fried chicken

ArizonaAsianFilipinoRating: N/R (Not Rated)United States

Jollibee – Chandler, Arizona

Gil Garduno12:01 AM

One visit to Jollibee might convince you you’ve visited yet another American chain restaurant.  You’d be half right.  Jollibee is a chain, but it’s a chain based out of the Philippines.  Apparently the many islands comprising The Philippines developed a taste for fried chicken and burgers during its years as a U.S. colony.  My Uncle Fred, a career Navy man stationed several times at Subic Bay (on the west coast of Luzon Island in the Philippines northwest of Manila), raved that the fried chicken, in particular, was far better than fried chicken anywhere in the United States.  Apparently he’s not the only person with that opinion. USA Today and Eater both recently named Jollibee fried chicken as the best in the country among fast-food restaurants, beating out brands such as Popeyes, Chick-fil-A, Church’s and KFC (not that you can consider that much of accomplishment considering how bad American fried chicken chains have become).  Jollibee now has about eighty locations across the fruited plain.  With my Kim hankering for fried chicken, we managed to find the only Jollibee in all of Arizona.  It’s located in Chandler, not too far from the Intel plants which I once visited for eighteen years.  Chandler,…

AmericanArizonaBreakfastRating: N/R (Not Rated)United States

Harold’s Cave Creek Corral – Cave Creek, Arizona

Gil Garduno12:01 AM

Football fans can be unforgiving…and some of us have elephantine memories.  Dallas Cowboys fans, for example, will never forget nor forgive the Pittsburgh Steelers for having bested (obviously the referees cheated) the Cowboys twice in the Super Bowl.  Never mind that our beloved Cowboys finally did beat Pittsburgh in a later Super Bowl.  We’ll never get over losing two.  Our only consolation is that at least we didn’t lose to those neanderthal New York Giants.  Someday you’ll have to ask me how I feel about the Steelers and Giants.  With such antipathy toward those miserable Steelers, the one place you’d think I’d never be caught dead would be a Steelers Bar, much less one of the most highly regarded Steelers Bars in the country.  But, that’s precisely where we spent our New Years Eve. Mind you, it certainly wasn’t my idea.  My brother-in-law Tim–who knows about as much about football as the women on The View know about integrity–wanted to impress me.  He didn’t know that espying propaganda declaring the sprawling Harold’s Cave Creek Corral “Heinz Field West (the dreaded Steelers play at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh) might instead nauseate me.  Still, there it was–copious articles of adulation strewn throughout the…

ArizonaRating: N/R (Not Rated)SouthernUnited States

Mrs. White’s Golden Rule Cafe – Phoenix, Arizona

Gil Garduno12:01 AM

How do you become a centenarian?  For Elizabeth White, achieving 100 years of age may be attributed to living the Golden Rule (“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”).  She instilled that spirit into the restaurant she purchased from her brother in 1964.  Phoenix was a much more segregated city when Elizabeth White christened her eatery “The Golden Rule Cafe.” Despite the prevailing attitudes of the time, she believed in treating everyone with kindness and respect, a core tenet of the Golden Rule.  Her prominent prescence and welcoming spirit led to guests adding “Mrs. White’s” to the “Golden Rule Cafe.”  Like the wonderful woman who founded the restaurant, Mrs. White’s Golden Rule Cafe is an institution. Mrs. White’s Golden Rule Cafe is a home away from home for guests of all walks of life.  Famous clientele include Senator John NcCain, Jesse Jackson, James Brown and others.  Guests frequent Mrs. White’s for comfort food, but they return because of the hospitality.  You really are treated like a welcome guest.  A longtime community cornerstone, its kitchen serves up authentic Southern soul food reminiscent of grandma’s cooking.  Slow-cooked meals prepared to order hearken back to the days before homogenized food…

AmericanAsianFusionNew MexicoRating: N/R (Not Rated)Santa Fe

Anthony’s Grill – Santa Fe, New Mexico

Gil Garduno12:01 AM

Some restaurants–especially those with extremely diverse menus–defy categorization.   Food writers usually lump them into the category of “American” restaurants in that American cuisine is a veritable hodgepodge of cuisines from throughout the world.  We weren’t sure what to expect during our first visit to Anthony’s Grill in Santa Fe.  We read that Anthony’s specializes in “Asian fusion” with stir-fry dishes that could be Japanese or Chinese depending on the sauce.  We also learned that Anthony’s offers some of the very best fried chicken and fried catfish in the Land of Enchantment.  So, is Anthony’s an Asian fusion restaurant or is it a Southern restaurant?  Is it both?  Does it reallly matter? What does matter about Anthony’s is that this relatively small restaurant serves some of the most delicious food we’ve enjoyed in the City Different.  Specifically (and for me, this is significant) I delighted in the very best catfish and hush puppies I’ve had since leaving Mississippi in 1995.  Yes, catfish, that bottom-feeding, mud-dwelling fish that very few (if any) restaurants in New Mexico seem incapable of preparing well.  I’ve often analogized that the catfish at New Mexico’s restaurants as “coated in sawdust” and as “desiccated as a mummy’s dandruff.” …

2023 James Beard Foundation - "Best Chef - Southwest" Finalist2024 James Beard Foundation "Best Chef - Southwest" FinalistAsianJames Beard Foundation (JBF) Award Nominees & WinnersLaoOklahomaRating: N/R (Not Rated)United States

Ma Der Lao Kitchen – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Gil Garduno12:01 AM

In Italian, the term “mangia, mangia,” is an encouragement to enjoy food abundantly.  In Spanish, the polite phrase “Buen Provecho” translates to “enjoy your meal.”  The French term for “enjoy your meal” is “bon appétit” while the Cajun equivalent is “Allons manger.”   You’re probably acquainted with most of these terms, but here’s one you may not know.  In Lao, “Ma Der!”(ma-derr) is a phrase that basically means “come eat! or “come through!”  Throngs of Oklahoma City’s savvy diners have been coming to eat at Ma Der Lao Kitchen since 2022.  It’s a good bet not all of them realize the meaning of the restaurant’s name.  Perhaps some of them believe “Ma Der” is someone’s mother. Even if not everyone understands the term “Ma Der,” denizens of the Oklahoma state capital and beyond are intimately familiar with the restaurant’s reputation.  Indeed, Ma Der Lao Kitchen has a national profile.  In 2022, Bon Apetit named it among the 50 best new restaurants in the country.  The New York Times went one better, in 2022 naming it one of America’s fifty best restauants.  Ma Der also made it to USA Today’s listing of restaurants of the year for 2024.  Additionally, Chef and owner…

AmericanArizonaDog FriendlyRating: ExcellentUnited States

Culinary Dropout – Scottsdale, Arizona

Gil Garduno12:04 AM

With a name like Culinary Dropout, you might expect an edgy and provocative venue, something hip and trendy where all the beautiful blonde  women of Scottsdale come to mix with bad boys.  That expectation might be reenforced by Old Town Scottsdale website which describes Culinary Dropout:  “From the chefs on the line with silver-studded ears and Mohawk hairdo, to the inked-up, decked-out bar staff mixologists shaking and stirring some of the most creative cocktails, we’re all dropouts here.”  Instead, we found a rather innocuous vibe, akin to maybe Chili’s on a slightly rowdy day. Most of the diners were coupled, some ferrying toddlers carrying the gene code that will propagate beautiful blondes.  Others strode in with pampered pooches in strollers that cost more than our car.  Live music was smooth and mellow, the antithesis of raucous rock we had expected. Heck, many people who might use that mild oath were among the crowd. Located in the pricey real estate section of Scottsdale’s Old Town (Waterfront), Culinary Dropout may defy any impression you may have based on its name alone.  You might find, as we did, it’s family friendly, grandma approved.  Now that I’ve ruined its reputation, let me tell you what…

AlbuquerqueChickenDog FriendlyFusionNew MexicoRating: Very Good

Happy Chickenzz – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil Garduno11:02 AM

“And believe me, a good piece of chicken can make anybody believe in the existence of God.” ~Sherman Alexie, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian Two things came to mind when my friend Nader and I approached Happy Chickenzz during our inaugural visit in September, 2019. First, I mused, “if happy cows come from California (a 2002 marketing campaign for California cheese), where do happy chickenzz come from.” My second rumination was to wonder if the ‘zz’ at the end of the word chicken is an indication that the chicken is so boring, it’ll put your taste buds to sleep. You know, zzzzz. As we were quick to learn, it’s not only the chickenzz who are happy here.  So are diners.  Endorphin-rush happy! Fully sated and blissfully happy! As for putting taste buds to sleep, these chickenzz have so much personality, so much depth of flavor, so much  that they’ll wake up the most staid of taste buds and delight even the most pedantic of palates. Happy Chickenzz started off as one of six original food pods at the pristine El Vado multi-use complex on Central Avenue just east of the Rio Grande.  In October, 2024, Happy Chickenzz…

AlbuquerqueJamaicanNew MexicoRating: N/R (Not Rated)

Island Vibes Cuisine – Albuquerque, New Mexico

Gil Garduno12:02 AM

“Come on JamaicaIn Jamaica all dayDancing with your darlingDo Jamaica jerk-off that way Come on JamaicaEverybody sayWe’re all happy in JamaicaDo Jamaica jerk-off that way.” ~Jamaica Jerk Off by Elton John On the surface, Elton John’s 1973 hit Jamaica Jerk Off seems to be about “enjoying yourself by yourself” while in Jamaica.    That’s the way many of us interpret it.  It can also be interpreted as an ode to the joys of goofing off in a tropical island location.  Lyrics seem to indicate the flamboyant troubadour was indeed expressing his appreciation for the island’s pulsating energy. As a culinary observer, I prefer to believe the playful tune is about leaving off just a bit of Jamaican jerk seasoning to mollify its fiery personality. However you choose to interpret the controversial tune’s suggestive lyrics, there’s no denying the island nation has a vibrant culture wholly its own.  This national pride is reflected in the rich tapestry of music, dance, cuisine and literature that has influenced people across the globe. It’s reflected in the reggae music and the legacy of Bob Marley.  Novelist Ian Fleming called Jamaica his creative incubator…probably inspired by fantasies of Honey Rider (Ursula Andress) emerging from the…

AmericanChickenDiners Drive-Ins and DivesNevadaRating: N/R (Not Rated)SandwichUnited States

Pine State Biscuits – Reno, Nevada

Gil Garduno12:01 AM

In 2020, Ted Lasso burst onto the pop culture scene.  Not long thereafter my friend Alonna Smith, the brilliant owner of My Indian Stove practically begged me to watch it.  She realized that with my penchant for British comedies, I’d love the laugh-out-loud show about an American soccer coach who assumes the help at a Premiere League soccer team in the United Kingdom despite not knowing anything about soccer.  Lasso is the master of the one-liner as well as the bringer of balm during heart-warming scenes.  He’s warm and fuzzy…and as usual, Alanna steered me in the right direction. On the second episode of season one, Ted began the practice of bringing freshly baked biscuits to the football club’s owner Rebecca Welton.  “Biscuits with the boss” quickly became one of the show’s most endearing gags.  Moreover, it’s essential to the relationship Ted wants to build with his stoic, business-like boss.   Over the time, the daily biscuit fix defrosted Rebecca’s cold heart and she embraced Ted not only as integral to her team’s future, but more importantly as a friend. Bringing biscuits to his boss also displays Ted’s efforts to assimilate with British culture.  What Americans like Ted would call…

BurgersDog FriendlyNew Mexico Green Chile Cheeseburger Trail: 2009New Mexico Green Chile Cheeseburger Trail: 2011Rating: ExcellentSanta Fe

Santa Fe Bite – Santa Fe, New Mexico

Gil Garduno1:29 PM

“This burger is a wonder. It’s thick, it’s perfectly cooked, juicy and covered in cheese… If eating a burger is a sin, this burger is like going to Vegas with a hooker who you kill, stuff in your trunk, and push off into a canyon.” —The Amateur Gourmet Glass-half-full nay-sayers will tell you it shouldn’t have worked. Housed in a ramshackle building some might describe as being “in the middle of nowhere,” it defied the number one rule for restaurant success: location, location, location. It was Lilliputian in size, incapable of accommodating everyone clamoring to get in. Long waits were common with only a small porch and limited eating as a “waiting area.” Seating was in personal space proximity. in winter and rare rainy seasons, the dirt and gravel parking lot could become rather messy. From a debits and credits perspective, these were the debits, the factors which worked against the Bobcat Bite ever becoming a success, much less a legendary dining destination. Fortunately the Bobcat Bite was frequented by diners with a glass is half full perspective, not by accountants and their ledgers. The Bobcat Bite was not beloved in spite of the aforementioned debits; it was beloved because…

AmericanChickenColoradoDiners Drive-Ins and DivesRating: N/R (Not Rated)United States

The Post Chicken & Beer – Estes Park, Colorado

Gil Garduno12:01 AM

In 1974 prolific author Stephen King and his wife Tabitha spent a night in Room 217 of The Stanley, a a 140-room Colonial Revival hotel in Estes Park, about five miles from the entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park.  The hotel staff was preparing to close the hotel for the season so the Kings found themselves the only guests in the place.  King wrote about the experience on his website: “Wandering through its corridors, I thought that it seemed the perfect—maybe the archetypical—setting for a ghost story. That night I dreamed of my three-year-old son running through the corridors, looking back over his shoulder, eyes wide, screaming. He was being chased by a fire-hose. I woke up with a tremendous jerk, sweating all over, within an inch of falling out of bed. I got up, lit a cigarette, sat in the chair looking out the window at the Rockies, and by the time the cigarette was done, I had the bones of the book firmly set in my mind.” As you ascend the hill leading to The Stanley, you’re struck at the grandeur and immensity of the complex.  It’s hard to imagine Jack Nicholson demolishing a door with an axe,…