More than fine: Street’s Fine Chicken

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The chicken is a bird of many devices. In Russian folklore, Baba Yaga, a witch with iron teeth, dwells in a hut that is perched on two chicken legs. In Texas, Street’s Fine Chicken is a poultry parlor of the outstanding variety and has two locations, both in Dallas. I went to the one on Cedar Springs Road. The restaurant does not stand on chicken legs, but chicken is the basis of the restaurant’s success, thematically and fare-wise.

A fresco depicting chickens of diverse backgrounds and breeds was painted inside, and chic splatter art, made by chickens walking through paint, decorated the bright, clean walls. On the table, salt and pepper were nestled in ceramic white eggs. Outside were murals of various famous works like “The Scream” and “American Gothic” reproduced with chickens painted by Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing Arts students.

Street’s Fine Chicken offers chicken roasted, fried and sandwiched along with a selection of other “southern favorites,” most of which contain chicken. Although chickens rule the roost, salads are available as a meatless choice.

The pimento cheese fritters, an appetizer, were warm and filled with chili caciotta cheese, fried in panko, and served in a tabasco agave jam. The sauce was tangy and sweet with a hint of pepper. The chicken lollipops, one of the most popular menu items, were smoked and fried drumsticks served in a grand marnier horseradish molasses. The tender meat slid off the bone. The fluid, barbecue-like sauce tasted slightly of orange, nicely complementing the smoky chicken.

“What makes our chicken a little bit different is that we brine it in lemon juice, brown sugar, Herbes de Provence and extra spices,” Tiffany Canady, a waitress at Street’s Fine Chicken, said. “What that does is keep the meat really juicy and the skin really crispy.”

Each main course comes with a honey butter biscuit and choice of one side and sauce. Kathleen Cammack tried Street’s Chicken Fried Steak, which she greatly enjoyed.

“The crust was very crispy,” Cammack said. “The cream gravy was great and floury.”

The steak was served with a honey butter biscuit and a choice of one side, for which she chose baked macaroni and cheese. The macaroni had a slight breadcrumb sprinkle and was made with brie.

I tried a $10 order of three chicken tenders. The three large tenders, accompanied by a honey butter biscuit and fries, was lightly breaded and fried.The Herbes de Provence seasoning gave the chicken the distinct, but not overwhelming, taste of rosemary. The accompanying buttermilk ranch was rich and creamy.

The biscuits were golden and flaky, and the fries were standard cut and seasoned. Although the food is recognizable as Southern comfort food, the high quality of the cooking and French spices elevate the classic standards to the level of extraordinary.

The food is delicious, and the restaurant is charming but expensive with entrees ranging from $10-14. However, Street’s Fried Chicken could be a nice place for special occasions — to take visiting family members or to celebrate a roommate’s birthday — but is by no means a cheap, every-day option.

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