LA's best dishes: Chicken & waffles smackdown
Which of these tasty contenders is really LA's best dish? Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles' iconic late-night eats or the Tasting Kitchen's newbie brunch favorite?
Mon Sep 17 2012
The genius of chicken & waffles is that the full plate of salty fried chicken paired with sweet waffles—that's even better doused in butter and syrup—is served for breakfast. Mornings will never be the same.
RECOMMENDED: More of LA's best dishes
Photograph: Courtesy Roscoe's House of Chicken 'n Waffles
Roscoe's House of Chicken & Waffles
- Price band: 1/4
Roscoe’s has been a faithful destination for stoners and families alike. With regular lines and an always hungry crowd, Roscoe's is not for the faint of heart (or stomach). Here, diners sit for a downhome meal to the restaurant’s namesake, served in a variety of combos.
Photograph: Jakob N. Layman
The Tasting Kitchen
Emerging empire builder Casey Lane offers the Southern classic on his Abbot Kinney hot-spot weekend brunch menu. The plated thigh and breast—double-battered and fried for an extra-crunchy, browned crust—are served with sausage gravy and, of course, a hot, freshly-made waffle.
LA's best dishes: The Tasting Kitchen Photograph: Jakob N. Layman
Winner: The Tasting Kitchen
Because there were two components to consider, we had to be doubly critical. We scraped at Roscoe’s mini-sized thigh only to find dry meat. After Roscoe's artery-clogging meal, we appreciated the Tasting Kitchen's mizuna greens and refined, well-seasoned bird. The Tasting Kitchen's yeasted waffle won best in show—a thick, Belgian-like waffle, at once substantial and light that mocks Roscoe's flat, soggy version that tasted suspiciously of bottled, pre-made batter.
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