28 E 1st St (between Bowery and 2nd Ave, East Village)
Fatty Kat Eats: 2 Piece Dark Set
Ain't no thang but a chicken wang! I've always wanted to start a post with that line...because I'm sophisticated. I'm just being silly, but Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken is no joke. We're talking about some serious poultry. We've been throwing around this new chicken spot in my office all summer. It should be no surprise that my fellow coworkers are a bunch of fatties, and all we do is talk about food. On one fateful day last week, a couple of us decided to make the trek down to the Nexus of the Universe for some grub. This place was definitely designed to handle long lines, and now I know why.
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I've heard of this mysterious fried chicken from Blue Ribbon but never thought to pursue it until they made it really easy for me by opening this fried chicken restaurant. I ordered the 2 Piece Dark set which includes a drumstick, a thigh, fries, pickled cucumbers and a buttery roll. Please get baby Jesus on the line so we can thank him for this chicken miracle. The batter is so light, buttery and crispy that you almost forget it's "fried" chicken. It doesn't fall off the meat when it's being manhandled either! The dark meat was so juicy and succulent. You guys know I love skinny, crunchy fries, and I thought these were superb. The roll resembled a brioche roll, but I really wished it would have transformed into a southern biscuit.
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What really brought this fried chicken to the next level was the Chipotle Honey. Out of all the fancy sauces that adorned each table, this particular one was so damn good. It dressed the chicken with a little bit of sweetness along with some heat--a one-two punch. I didn't think the BBQ sauce and Wildflower Honey were very good matches.
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For dessert, there were so many interesting ice cream flavors to choose from. Normally, I would order the Banana Salted Caramel, but I was feeling a little feisty, so I tried the Carrot and Habanero Ice Cream. Mistake... I could appreciate the unusual flavors, but they weren't a natural combination, and it just didn't work for me. Next time, Banana Salted Caramel all the way.
![IMG_4563[1]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5256f27fe4b065c225ee6607/1381718119843-U1Z8W9NWXD3NF8ZX8P2E/image-asset.jpeg)
You might be wondering how Blue Ribbon stacks up to Pies N Thighs. I prefer Blue Ribbon, but both restaurants offer very different fried chicken, so it's hard to say. Blue Ribbon is slightly more gourmet, while Pies N Thighs is more southern/comfort food.
My boss thinks this has all the makings to be the Shake Shack of fried chicken, and I think he's right. You can see that in the design, menu and branding. Now go get yourself some fried chicken!
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