Oct 05, 2016 Full Audio Subtitles. The chicken coop is getting too crowded! Chase down those chickens and toss them out of there before the coop gets overrun! The chickens will run from you and hatch more and more chicks until they are free. If too many chickens are in the coop at once, you lose! The Chicken Chase: The Official Unofficial Rules Overview Everyone at a party puts money into a communal pot, and whoever draws the short straw dawns the chicken costume, grabs the money, and picks a bar.
“The sun isn’t yellowit’s chicken!” — Bob Dylan For years, I’ve been pushing a theory about chicken that occurred to me late one evening after too many Buffalo chicken wings at some local dive. It’s the concept that, contrary to popular belief, rather than being a type of poultry, our old friend the chicken is actually a vegetable — most likely a sort of corn — that’s assumed the shape we know as chicken to keep crows and such pests away. The chicken is the result of millions of years of evolutionary development to protect the species.
It’s the sort of theory that would no doubt have pleased Darwin quite a good deal. It’s rank nonsense, of course. But then, there’s something about chicken that leaves even the most sober of citizens more than a bit giddy — all those hidden morsels, those parts and pieces, the primal goodness that cheers, the heart as you really get into the dish. Firebird with cool ranch dressing at The Crack Shack (Photo by Merrill Shindler) It’s an experience you’ll have right away at Top Chef All Star Richard Blais’ mini-chain, now open in Old Pasadena, called The Crack Shack — which is not to be confused with the burger-heavy Shake Shack.
This is a three-ring circus for chicken, a wild and woolly theme park ride. It’s fun — and it’s really good. That Blais sure knows his bird! The Old Pasadena branch of The Crack Shack is an unexpectedly large space for a fast casual chicken restaurant. But then, this is a chicken restaurant unlike any other. First of all, it has a full bar. Joints that serve fried chicken sandwiches do not tend to also offer a Rye Collins (called, in this case, a Hay Ride), or a “smoky” Margarita (called a Hot Mess).
There’s a very small wine list — you want some Cabernet with your schmaltz fries? And a larger beer list heavy with crafty brews with names like Pizza Port Chronic Ale and Modern Times Hazy IPA. But you know, a high-stepper cannot live on Whiskey Sours alone.
Sohow’s the chicken? Simply speaking, it’s pretty great. The Colonel wouldn’t recognize it, not a bit. This chicken is juicy and sweet, perfectly cooked, with a minimum of grease, and even the sodium level down to a minimum — though there is a help-yourself table of sauces to spice things up.
Sauces dispensed from faucets, with names like Sweet Heat, Cracksup and Sriracha 1000 Island. If you want to cut to the chase, there are two sizes of fried chicken — five pieces (half a bird) or 10 pieces (a whole bird). Which is a fine plan the first time around. But by your next visit, you’ll have scoped out all the insane sandwiches, served on a fluffy/crunchy bread made just for The Crack Shack, wrapped in paper to keep the sandwiches from falling all to pieces, with the muchness of their fillings. There are nine of them. And they can get pretty wild-eyed.
The Coop DeVille runs to a fried breast with pickled Fresno chiles, pickles, a lime flavored mayo and Napa cabbage on a brioche, with cheddar and bacon for a few bucks more. The Senor Croque is made with a fried breast, bacon, a runny egg, white cheddar and miso-maple butter also on a brioche. (And yes, Chef Blais is showing off his celeb chops with lots of flavored stuff — pineapple mustard, charred poblano dressing, lemon yogurt vin, jalapeno cheese wiz. And let me add that only a few of the sandwiches are made with chicken breasts. The Firebird and Malibu Barbie Q are made with thighs (much more flavorful to me); the Sea Senorita is seared rare tuna, there are chicken patties on the Double Clucker.
Some of the bowls are made with chicken, some are there for the vegetarians who meander in. There’s a Jewish-Mexican dish called Matzo Ball Pozole. And a Canadian-Mexican creation — Mexican Poutine — with schmaltz fries, pico de gallo, pollo asado and that jalapeno cheese wiz. More great eats: The deviled eggs, topped with French toast crumble and candied bacon, is fantastic. I do like me some deviled eggs, a dish I didn’t grow up with, and so am trying to make up for lost time by eating all I can. Bottomline: This is an homage to our love of the noble chicken.
Ultimately, chicken is one of the great comfort foods of the known world. It reassures with its pleasant blandness. Like some sort of edible toy, it offers a good deal in the way of diversions — there are bones to explore, parts to consider, crispness to appreciate.
Chicken isn’t as important in and of itself as what’s done to it, and with it. It gives pleasure beyond all bounds and reason, asking so little in return.
It’s pure edible pleasure. Merrill Shindler is a Los Angeles-based freelance dining critic. Send him an email at [email protected]. The Crack Shack Rating: 3 stars Address: 30 W. Green St., Old Pasadena Information: 424-901-0077, Cuisine: Fried Chicken When: Lunch and dinner, every day Details: Full bar; no reservations Atmosphere: Unexpectedly large fried chicken house, with a full bar (in case you want a Martini with your wings!), and a menu of many exotic fried chicken sandwiches, bowls and “other cluck.” Created by Top Chef All Stars winner Richard Blais. Prices: About $18 per person Suggested dishes: Fried Chicken (5 Pieces $15, 10 Pieces $29), 9 Sandwiches ($9.50-$13), 6 Bowls ($5-$10), Deviled Eggs ($4), Schmaltz Fries ($3/$6), Mexican Poutine ($9), Chicken Oysters ($9), Mini-Biscuits ($5) Cards: MC, V What the stars mean: Ratings range from 4 stars to zero.
4 stars is world-class (worth a trip from anywhere). 3 stars is most excellent, even exceptional (worth a trip from anywhere in Southern California).
2 stars is a good place to go for a meal (visit if you’re in the neighborhood). 1 star is a place to go if you’re hungry and it’s nearby.
Zero stars is not worth writing about. Related Articles.
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