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We get it. Angelenos have a steady supply of pristine, seasonal produce at their disposal, but sometimes, it’s more satisfying to opt for comfort food that may not be local, organic, or sustainable, but still tastes damn good. It is with great appreciation for an evergreen comfort food classic that Food GPS presents 15 of the best fried chicken sandwiches in L.A.
In his newsletter, Lou Amdur referred to chef Kris Yenbamroong as a “fried chicken demigod” in relation to his off-menu fried chicken sandwich. It’s unclear whether Yenbamroong is actually supernatural, but he certainly has a unique take on the Fried Chicken Sandwich ($9). At Song in Silver Lake, he serves a crisp-coated thigh topped with punchy papaya salad, ranch dressing (chef’s all-time favorite condiment), tomato, jalapeño and plenty of cilantro on a soft burger bun. Enjoy the sandwich with a Thai table beer, or possibly a glass of pet-nat. – JL
Chef Ernesto Uchimura may have worked for Umami Burger, but he’s quickly carved his own culinary identity, one cast iron skillet at a time. He’s the executive chef at this Little Osaka gastropub, and there are two more Plan Checks in the works for L.A. Yes, burgers are front and center, but Uchimura’s become at least as well known for fried chicken. His Southern Fry ($10) sandwich features a boneless, crisp-sheathed smokey fried Jidori chicken, spicy green pimento cheese, duck breast ham, and pickles on a soft panko-littered bun. Yes, it’s served in skillet, like almost everything else at Plan Check. – JL
Chef Ryan “Peaches” Lamon from Peaches Truck and wife Diana opened their Southern-tinged restaurant next to downtown’s Southern California Flower Market. The space features walls lined with vintage window frames, a corrugated metal ceiling, drop-down Mason jar lamps behind the bar, and tiny pails painted with order numbers. Poppy + Rose’s Fried Chicken Sandwich ($9.25) centers on a pair of thighs, brined in salt, sugar and spices, soaked in buttermilk, and fried in Canola oil. Punchy house-made aioli and house dill pickles fill out the buttery brioche bun. The gut-busting meal comes with hand-cut Kennebec French fries. – JL
Simplethings Sandwich & Pie Shop [CLOSED]
At Simplethings, the chicken is a thin layer amidst a wonderfully crispy, coconuty, fried layer. It’s juicy and sweet and free range. The Fried Chix sandwich ($9.50), layered with a cumin slaw and a tomato, is served on focaccia that’s been slathered with a Tabasco mayo. The cumin offers an unexpected twist and the bright burst of the tomato mixed with that mayo really make the sandwich sing. Overall, the sandwich is solid and the only thing that makes it better is also ordering a cutie pie to end the meal. – TM
Blog Comments
nomsnotbombs
June 21, 2013 at 12:36 PM
Josh, these are some pretty bougie sandwiches for that intro! Haha.
Food GPS
June 21, 2013 at 4:25 PM
nomsnotbombs, Inflation might be to blame, but it’s hard to find a good fried chicken sandwich these days for less than $10. I tried a bunch of other fried chicken sandwiches for research’s sake, some at lower price points, but none of them were up to standard when it came to quality. For example, there’s a spot inside a Highland Park grocery store called Monte 52 that only charges $5 for their fried chicken sandwich, and it’s pretty good if you’re already in the neighborhood, but not worth a special trip.