In the Fried Chicken Wars, there are the three major players (KFC, McDo, Jollibee), the wildcards (BonChon, similar-style buffalo wings) and the really wild wildcards (convenience store fried chicken, i.e. Mini-Stop). Ask anyone, and they'll almost always choose one of the majors. Or they'll give you the one of the wildcards AND one of the majors. Or, if they're smart (like you and me), they'll say all of the above.
I'm not here to dispute any of this. Part of the fun of the FCW (Sounds like a wrestling promotion, no?) is that honestly, the debate is more fun than the actual outcome, and the process of figuring it all out (i.e. consuming the chicken) is best of all. No, today, I do not come to throw down the hammer and give an unassailable final answer. I come to throw a monkey, er, chicken wrench into the proceedings.
Because the fun is in the journey, I nominate another participant into the FCW, one worthy of our attention and focus. For in a discussion such as this, why would we refuse the entry of another challenger, one that would raise the stakes and give us more (food) to chew on? Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Pancake House's Pan Chicken.
What makes Pancake House's signature chicken dish worthy of inclusion in our battle royale? Well, firstly, it's gosh-darn delicious, that's why. This war is fought over the question "Which fried chicken do you want to eat the most?" and on that criterion alone, the Pan Chicken is definitely worth every bite.When it is served to you, the chicken is hot, crackling and dripping with flavor. Take a bite off its skin and you get the perfectly audible crunch that is just music to a foodie's ears. What follows next is a tangy, salty dance on your tongue that will no doubt delight and excite your taste buds. Each bite of skin is just bursting with decadent, sinful oily flavor. The act of eating fried chicken, especially peeling off the skin (most notably on leg and thigh parts) is almost sensual isn't it? Like undressing something to get at what's underneath. And when you do get to the meat itself, it's never a disappointment: juicy and flavorful, with nary a hint of dryness or blandness. Once before, you might've been unlucky enough to be served pieces that weren't cooked properly, but not anymore. These days, each piece of chicken is cooked to perfection and ready to be wolfed down by hungry diners. The gravy it comes with is just superb as well. A sloppy, thick and creamy brown sauce accompanies each order and is perfect for dipping and pouring over your rice. And no, you can't drink it, though believe me, I've been tempted to on many occasions. Mix it all together and you have got something serious going on, worthy of all your attention throughout the meal. It's not merely drool-worthy, you really do actually moan and drool when you chow down on this dish. Well, at least I do.
Now, maybe you're thinking "If it's so good, why don't people mention it more often?" That's why I'm here, to remind everyone to stop forgetting and neglecting one of the best Fried Chicken dishes in the metro. It's not its fault that because Pancake House isn't your typical fast food chain with stores on every block, it is not as prevalent on the minds of the masses. This also makes acquiring some Pan Chicken a little more difficult (but their new delivery hotline makes things easier!). This is a classic, Quality over Quantity scenario. We are drowned in McDos and Jollibees (which is not bad thing really) but there are Pancak House Islands for us to swim to when we find them.
So give their piece (of chicken) a chance. It's worth the time and money, I swear to you. It ain't like you have to give up one for the other. All I'm asking is that you remember it too when the time comes. And Pancake House will be right there waiting for you.
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