Popeyes Fried Chicken
Watching the NBA playoffs lately, it hits more more than ever that life is all about managing expectations. If you're the number one seed in the east and you get knocked out in the second round, then you're Lebron and the Cavs. And something has to be wrong. If you're the Boston Celtics, you might be the over-achieving veterans, although if the Celts get knocked out in the Eastern Conference Finals, it's because their old legs wore out. (In the mean time, fingers crossed for a Phoenix vs Boston final...) So when you're awesome, you're a seasoned veteran but if you suck, you have tired, worn out bodies. It's odd the way expectations shape reality. It's almost as if reality itself hardly exist in a vacuum. How does this work with food? Is there an algorithm of delicious? Where does Popeyes fried chicken place on the pantheon of great chickens in the culinary history of the world. Did the Romans have anything as wild as spicy fried chicken at three pieces for $3.49? They might not have had it in ancient times. They do have it now in Midtown Manhattan though.
Eating a pile of fried chicken does pose some questions. Do I expect this to alter my beach-body, which was rated junk-bond status by S&P and Moody's? Probably. Would that expectation somehow make the chicken taste less delicious? Doubt it. There's nothing like leg and thigh to get a boy excited, especially when they're crispy and delicious. They must dust the batter or the chicken with some reddish powder because when you bite into the chicken, sometimes you see the faint hue of spiciness dripping down the chicken. Diddy says Popeyes has a juicy chicken. See for yourself on Youtube. It's difficult to argue with a star like him. I too agree that Popeyes chicken is very juicy.
So for me Popeyes is like a number one seed. They're dominant and they're spectacular. They stomp out the puny competitors. In the food blogging world though, is Popeyes a number one seed? Or is it like some fancy fried chicken you'd get at Momofuku? Or Pies n Thighs? Or Kyochon? Does that make 'em fall down to like a number five seed? So anything I get outta Popeyes fried chicken is just cool and gravy? I actually don't know because I've only sampled Kyochon, and never had the other two. So in my playoff bracket, Popeyes is number one for now.
Obviously eating three pieces of chicken and a biscuit will leave a dude parched. That's where 7-Eleven comes in... there's one a few blocks away from the Popeyes and the slurpee just completes the end of the meal. It's like winning the championship and going to Disney World all at once.
I went to Popeyes in Hong Kong Int Airport recently (no I'm not asian and am in fact a Crackah so y'all can go fuck yerselves) and was delited when I saw and therefore ordered "Naked Chicken Fingers"! Seductively butt ass necked hunks of grilled dirty birdy nirvana I must say.
Peace,
The Dude
Hungry BITCH
May 26, 2010 2:05 am
I can't speak to sports, but I can speak to truth. Popeye's is the Truth - put that shit in a blind taste test and let fools pretend they're too good for it. Plus, their Thanksgiving turkey is out-of-this-world incredible. I thank the lord that this place exists every time I see it.
James Boo
May 21, 2010 12:23 am
If the analogy can extend to baseball, Popeye's is the darkhorse contender (a la the TB Rays). They work on a limited payroll but manage to compete with the more haute places like Kyochon and Momofuku.
Nicholas
May 15, 2010 6:01 pm
@Jack,
When you're sweating bullets that's when you know it's the right one baby!
@FN,
hahaha, yes! Thank you. I never notice their biscuit that much... it's like an afterthought for me. But yea, I can imagine the first thing to eat after a long flight is fried chicken. That shit will make you feel nice and happy.
@Nicholas,
You're way better at analogies than me. That's definitely a good one.
Danny
May 16, 2010 10:47 pm
Just had Kyochon in LA a few weeks ago. So spicy. Sweating bullets for 10 min after eating one leg.
Jack
May 14, 2010 3:00 pm
Popeyes is number ONE. Period. Three reasons: 1) the deep-fried biscuits (at least they taste deep-fried) and 2) after a 9 hr flight from Europe, arriving in Brooklyn late at night you can still get some Popeyes, even if it's 11 or midnight. The others open that late? Yeah right. 3) price.
FN
May 15, 2010 7:48 am