Light Rail Family Restaurant: 2/23/13

For this week's chicken tender post I decided to go to the Light Rail Family Restaurant on South Boulevard while I waited for Keith Hawthorne Ford to change my car's oil. Light Rail Family Restaurant is a small, unassuming restaurant off of one of the busiest streets in Charlotte. Most people have probably passed by it without giving it a second glance, but I have been there a few times and thought it would be a great addition to my blog. So here goes..

You never would have guessed that this was a restaurant with a great menu selection and good food.

Batter and crispiness: B+
-I was actually very surprised that I gave the batter as high of a score as I did because from the looks of the tenders I thought I would not like this aspect of the meal. The batter was very light and it was not crispy at all, but I overlooked these typical negatives because the flavor was delicious! I do wish the tenders were crispier, but overall they were quite tasty just the way they were.

Tenderness/juiciness of chicken: A
-The chicken in these tenders was excellent. It was very tender and once again, you could tell that the restaurant uses the best cuts of meat for the tenders. Also, the chicken was so juicy that you could see the juice in the light. As I have said previously, the reason I did not give these tenders an A+ in this category is because that is a grade reserved for the best and while these chicken tenders did a fantastic job in this category, they did not quite deserve that extra point.

Portion size/presentation: B
-I gave the portion size/presentation a B because I liked that you got 6 chicken tenders, but they were smaller than most (together they probably made 4 regular sized tenders). The reason the Light Rail Family Restaurant did not receive a lower grade for this category was because you got side items which definitely filled you up.

Reheating: B
-As I do with every meal, I reheated the chicken tenders at work. I gave the reheating category a B because the tenders reheated better than most. The meat was still very tender and they had just as much flavor as they did the first time I had them. When it came to the fries, they heated up as expected. They were still flimsy and lacked flavor, but the quality of the fries did not decrease when they were reheated. I cannot speak for the banana pudding because I did not take it back with me.

Side Item: C-
-One thing I really liked about the Light Rail Family Restaurant was that you could choose your side items. Every day the restaurant has various side items ranging from applesauce to green beans, so no two meals will be the same! For my sides I chose french fries and banana pudding (my waitress recommended it) and unfortunately I was disappointed by both. The fries had no flavor and were not crispy, however they were good dipped in ranch. The banana pudding was not good because there were not enough bananas, the whipped cream tasted too fake, and the pudding was just ok. The saving grace of the dessert was the cookies because they were crispy and tasted like typical Nilla Wafers.

Description on menu:
-Fried Chicken Tenders. Served with French Fries, Cole Slaw and choice of Dipping Sauce $7.75

My chicken tender meal, complete with tenders, fries, dipping sauce, and a dessert. 

Overall I would give the Light Rail Family Restaurant a B+. The chicken tenders were very good, but the portion size was on the small side and the side items were disappointing. I thoroughly enjoyed my lunch because the chicken tenders were very tasty and the atmosphere of the restaurant was very relaxing and welcoming. Also, the entire staff was very friendly. Needless to say, I will definitely be back to the Light Rail Family Restaurant.

Callie Bakers: 2/16/13

Hey everyone!

So for this week's chicken tender blog (I know I'm a little bit late) I decided to break from tradition and do a special edition...because last weekend I was at Myrtle Beach for mine and Madison's 2 year anniversary! Since this was a special occasion, I thought it was only appropriate to do special blog post. So here you go!

This week Madison and I went to this place called Callie Baker's in North Myrtle Beach. Now, one thing that makes Callie Baker's an unique restaurant is that the theme of the restaurant is firefighters, which I thought was very strange from the looks of the outside (well except for the fire truck that is). Anyways, we decided to go here because the menu was quite varied and the chicken tenders were supposed to be very good.

To start off our meal we had an appetizer of fries with bacon and cheese on top, which were very delicious and a welcomed treat because we were both quite hungry. Then we ordered our meals...I of course got chicken tenders and fries (listed as an appetizer) and Madison got an appetizer sampler that included 4 different dishes. Now that you have some background on the day, on to the actual meal.

My huge lunch for the day...this picture does no't do it justice, but trust me, Callie Baker's gave me a lot of food!

Batter and crispiness: A
-The batter used on these chicken tenders was quite good. It had the perfect amount of flavor and crispiness (it reminded both Madison and myself of the batter used on fish and chips). However, it had one flaw which prevented the perfect score...the batter would fall off occasionally when I bit into the tender! That's a big no no in my book. However, I did not really let that take away from my score here because everything else was great about the batter.

Tenderness/juiciness of chicken: A
-The meat used for the chicken tenders at Callie Baker's was excellent, not quite an A+ because those are reserved for special cases...I will never forget when the chicken juices from the tenders at Flip'n Chicken "exploded" in my mouth. You could see the juice from the chicken when you bit into one of the tenders and you could tell that they only used the best cuts of meat for the tenders.

Portion size/presentation: A+
-I think this was the best portion size for the price that I have had yet for chicken tenders! Each of the tenders was the size of 2 chicken tenders you would get at most restaurants and there is definitely enough food to either share with others at your table or to take home for leftovers (like I did!).

Reheating: B
-Here were the positives I found when I reheated my meal. The chicken tenders were just as tasty as they were when I first had them and the actual chicken was still juicier than most chicken tenders (especially after reheating). Now, time for the negatives. The fries, which I did not really care for to begin with, were soggy when reheated and they definitely needed the ranch dipping sauce. Also, the chicken was chewier than when I originally had it and the crispy batter turned flaky, which in turn caused most of my bites to be without any batter. However, I was able to look past most of the negatives because the tenders themselves were still very tasty!

Side Item: C
-Considering how good the chicken tenders were, I was kind of disappointed by the french fries. On the plus side, the portion size of the fries was good and I liked how the fries were obviously handcut and they were just crisp enough. However, the cooks did not use nearly enough seasonings on them, so they came out very bland. Overall I rated the fries at Callie Baker's a C because they were pretty average and the deserved this average rating. The fries did improve greatly when dipped in the ranch, which was very thick and creamy (an excellent choice).

Description on menu:
-There wasn't a description. The menu simply said chicken tenders and fries for $8.99.

 See the firetruck on the far right.

Overall I would rate Callie Baker's chicken tenders as an A. They were big, flavorful and reheated fairly well. Also, the wait staff was very friendly (our waitress said she was going to check out my blog because she loves chicken tenders, so hello kind waitress if you're reading this). My only real complaints about the meal were that the fries lacked much flavor and the breading on the tenders would fall off with each bite, but the flavor of the tenders overpowered these negatives. I will definitely go back to Callie Baker's the next time I am in Myrtle Beach and I will have to have the chicken tenders again because they were just that good. Moral of the story...Myrtle Beach knows how to make good food (as evident by the many excellent restaurants I've been to while visiting Madison's parents). So I guess some good things do come out of Myrtle Beach (just kidding).

I hope you enjoyed this special edition of "Love Me Tenders," until next time!

LB

Harper's Restaurant: 2/10/13

It is that time again...time for another post! For this week's entry I decided to go to Harper's Restaurant with Katie because it is close (in case you did not know, it is in the Southpark area), I had not been to Harper's in years, and I had wanted to go there for a few weeks. So on Sunday afternoon that's just where Katie and I went and here is what I thought...

The chicken tender appetizer at Harper's Restaurant.

Batter and crispiness: C-
-Once again I experienced another first in my quest for the best chicken tenders in Charlotte...the more I ate, the more I disliked the batter. Usually it is the other way around, but the batter was just not good at Harper's. After my first taste I originally rated the batter at a B, but by the time I finished 2 chicken tenders, it was clear that my initial grad was way off. The batter was just too light and it was a very strange consistency. The outside was crispy (I'd probably give the crispiness a B-), but the inside was gooey and the flavor was just off. It tasted as though they mixed a lot of ingredients that do not go well together to create the batter.

Tenderness/juiciness of chicken: B
-When it comes to the actual chicken, I would say that the tenderness of juiciness of the meat was slightly above average, so I gave it a B. The reason it did not get any higher is because the chicken was nothing special, but it did not deserve anything below a B.

Portion size/presentation: B
-For this meal I actually got the appetizer version because I was not too hungry. Overall the size of the meal was pretty good, considering it was an appetizer, however Harper's gave you very few fries. I  found this to be strange because most restaurants give you more fries than chicken. Usually this would not be a problem, but I left wishing I had more french fries. Another complaint I have regarding the portion size (even though this has nothing to do with the grade) was that our waitress misrepresented the dish. When I asked her what the difference size-wise was between the appetizer chicken tenders and the platter, she said the appetizer had 3 tenders and a handful of fries, while the platter had 5 tenders and a full order of fries. Seeing as I was not that hungry, I knew I would be fine with the smaller version, so that is what I ordered. However, when our meals came I was pleasantly surprised by the size of my meal because it had 5 chicken tenders and about 2 handfuls of fries. So, I think Harper's should make sure that all of the employees are well-educated when it comes to the menu because some people might have been upset if they paid extra for the platter ($14) when they would have been full enough with the cheaper appetizer ($8).

Options for side items: (from here on out I've decided to exclude this section, instead I will just rate the side items)

Reheating: B
-These chicken tenders heated up fairly well considering the meal. What was nice was that the odd flavor that neither Katie nor I could detect in the batter was no longer present, it's like the seasonings just sunk into the chicken meat. One major plus was that the fries, while not as crispy, were still quite tasty after reheating.

Side item: A+
-As I've found with most of the restaurants I have been to in my chicken tender search, Harper's has very good french fries. They have the perfect amount of crunchiness and flavor. Not only that, but they definitely redeemed the meal and I would come back to Harper's just for the french fries!

Description on menu:
-Original chicken supremes with french fries and dipping sauces. $8 for appetizer, $14 for platter.

 My lunch for the day.

 
Overall I would rate the chicken tenders at Harper's with a C. The portion size was good, the actual chicken was cooked well, the french fries were delicious, and the restaurant environment was good. My main complaints were the taste of the chicken tender batter, the misrepresentation of the dish, and the bad service (both Katie and I ran out twice and had to wait about 5 minutes for refills). All in all, I would say this was an average meal, so therefore I think that Harper's Restaurant's chicken tenders deserves an average rating. Nothing was terrible about the meal, but nothing was exceptional either. Just be prepared for a slightly higher bill than what you may expect...some of the items on the menu seem pricey for what you actually get.

So there you have it, another week, another chicken tender blog entry. I hope you're enjoying them and you're learning something about the various dining establishments of Charlotte! Please feel free to leave a comment or recommend a place for me to try. I would love to do it!

LB

Flip'n Chicken: 2/1/13

For my next stop in my chicken tender quest, I decided to try out Flip'n Chicken. Alex and I were going to try it out when he visited, but at the last minute we decided on Tenders instead. So for my meal to Flip'n Chicken I went with Madison after work on Friday night. Flip'n Chicken is a very small restaurant located in the Carmel Commons shopping center and it is very hard to find the restaurant unless you are looking specifically for it (it's next to Fresh Market if you were wondering).

 See how small the restaurant is?

One of the things I immediately liked about the restaurant was that it is a relaxed dining establishment, so it was a perfect after work spot. After looking at the menu, I saw direct comparisons to Buffalo Wild Wings because it serves both chicken tenders and chicken wings and Flip'n Chicken puts sauces on its chicken (BBQ, Mild, Medium, Hot, Extra Hot, Lemon Pepper, Garlic Parmesan, Honey BBQ, Teriyaki, or mix and match). Now that you have a little background on the place, let's get on to the review. 

Here's the meal!

Batter and crispiness: C+

-I gave the batter and crispiness a C+ because I felt like it was too light and it was not crispy enough. However, I did not count off too much because Madison pointed out that if the batter were any thicker than it would have overpowered the sauce flavor. Also, I wish the sauce was baked in with the batter rather than simply placed on top of the chicken tenders once they were fully cooked.

Tenderness/juiciness of chicken: A+
-This was possibly the juiciest chicken tender meal I have ever had! As soon as I took a bite of the chicken it felt like the juice from the meat exploded in my mouth. Also, the chicken was incredibly juicy! I had no complaints whatsoever about the tenderness/juiciness of the chicken in the tenders. 

Portion size/presentation: B  
-While I thoroughly enjoyed the chicken tenders, I felt as the the portion size could have been bigger. The five strips were kind of small if you ask me, and it is hard to leave enough for leftovers. If you want to take some tenders back with you then I recommend getting a side of fries in addition to the meal. Luckily Madison and I ordered a side of fries or else I would not have been able to have anything left for my reheating section. However, the presentation was very well done because Flip'n Chicken use sectioned plates, so the tenders, breadsticks, and veggies are all separted. A very nice touch for those who do no like for their food to touch on the plate. 

My leftovers :(

Options for side items: B+
-Every time I get chicken tenders I get fries. It's as simple as that. So when I saw that Flip'n Chicken serves breadsticks, carrots, and celery with its chicken tenders, I was initially turned off of the restaurant. However, once our meals arrived I realized I had made an unnecessary snap judgment. The breadsticks were very good and it was a nice change to have the healthy side of veggies with my favorite meal. The breadsticks were like Olive Garden's, but bigger and made with sea salt. My only complaint with the breadsticks was that I wish there were more of them, especially since you do not get french fries unless you order them separately (like we did). When it comes to the french fries, they were nothing special and needed more seasoning. If you are going to Flip'n Chicken you should order french fries with your meal to make sure you have enough food or else you might leave hungry. Even with the price of the fries, the overall cost of your meal is still reasonable. 

Reheating: A-  
-These chicken tenders reheated very well. They were not quite as tender as when I originally had them, but they were still as tender as the chicken tenders at most restaurants are when you first get them. One aspect of the meal that improved with the reheating was the flavor of the tenders. When I first had the chicken tenders the sauce was very light and surface level, but after marinating for 24 hours, the sauce flavor had sunk into the actual kitchen which left the chicken tenders more flavorful.

Description on menu: 
-5 Strip Combo...Five strips flipped in sauce, 2 breadsticks, veggies, ranch or blue cheese dip + a 24 oz soft drink. $7.99

Side item:  
Flip'n Chicken actually serves their meal differently than any other place where I've gotten chicken tenders...each meal is served with breadsticks, carrots, celery. Now this may sound strange (I thought it did as well), but the breadsticks complemented the chicken tenders very well and they were quite tasty. The breadsticks were similar to one's you can get at Olive Garden, but they were bigger (each one was the size of two Olive Garden breadsticks) and were coated in butter and rubbed with sea salt. Take it from me...they are amazing!

  
Overall I would give Flip'n Chicken's chicken tenders an A-. I liked how you could add different sauces to them so each visit could be like you were trying the tenders for the first time. Also, I enjoyed the breadsticks for multiple reasons. One, it's a different side item than you usually get with chicken tenders and secondly, I love breaksticks! But this blog is about the chicken...so back to them. These truly were some fantastic chicken tenders. I would have given them a higher grade if the batter were better and the tenders themselves were more substantial, but other than I have no other complaints. I will definitely be back to Flip'n Chicken for some chicken tenders...in fact. Madison and I picked up chicken tenders on Sunday for the Superbowl. I got the Garlic Parmesan ones again with extra garlic because they were just so delicious on Friday night. So if you want some great chicken tenders for a great price, I would recommend Flip'n Chicken with no reservations. 

Take my advice...order an additional side of fries or else you might leave hungry.

Well now it's time to get back to the Superbowl. 

LB