Crispy Fried Chicken: Best Fried Chicken in San Diego?

One fine early morning at 1:30 AM, I was feeling extremely spontaneous. I suddenly wanted to have a get-together with my old group of friends. We had not hung out with just ourselves in a very long time due to a variety of reasons. So I thought, why not bring my old friends together with some fried chicken? After all, fried chicken is the premiere food to bond over. Everyone loves fried chicken, right?

I picked up my friends and arrived at the fried chicken establishment in the afternoon. The place was called "Crispy Fried Chicken". Now that's some creative naming sense right there! The name made it blatantly obvious what was served there, which I can actually appreciate. It makes life easier when you have less things to think about.


Anyways, my friends and I entered Crispy Fried Chicken and were greeted with a hole-in-the-wall environment. The windows were lined with vertical window bars for security. Being in a less prosperous area of El Cajon Blvd., the bars only made me feel a little more disconcerted than I already was being in the area. One of the friends I brought (let's call him "Habibi") was joking that a person could come into the shop and pull a gun out at any moment. An obvious exaggeration on Habibi's part, but I wasn't overly comfortable with the area myself. One noticeable feature of Crispy Fried Chicken was the viewing window where you can see the fried chicken resting on top of racks. It was honestly a beautiful and glorious sight to see. Other things to note were the addition of gumball and gachapon machines, along with an old-school arcade machine. Overall, Crispy Fried Chicken looked like your typical and understated mom-and-pop shop.

You can see your fried chicken resting on the racks at the viewing station. Neat!

 A closer look at the viewing station.

After checking out the shop, I proceeded to order fried chicken gizzards and five of pieces of fried dark meat chicken from the generous Asian lady at the counter. At first glance, the chicken gizzards looked similar to popcorn chicken. However, the texture was far from it. The chicken gizzards had a tough texture that was reminiscent of the cartilage found on the end of a drumstick. Oddly enough, they worked oddly well deep-fried and were wonderfully salted.

Now for the main course. The five pieces of fried chicken. After finishing the gizzards, I could not wait much longer to dig in. The first morsel of fried chicken I bite into had a crisp superior to that of your normal fried chicken chain restaurant. The moistness of said fried chicken were up to my standards as well, and was pleasantly juicy. The fried chicken shared the same, salty flavor as the fried chicken gizzards. Dipped into some honey mustard, the fried chicken pieces were even more palatable than if eaten plain.

Overall, the fried chicken experience at Crispy Fried Chicken could best be described in one word: CRISPY! Actually, they can be described better with more words. While the fried chicken was definitely crispy (which is good considering the establishment's name), the fried chicken was also well cooked and well seasoned. In addition, I was surprised but how much I enjoyed the chicken gizzards. They were arguably just as tasty as the regular pieces of fried chicken. Even with my positive feelings regarding Crispy Fried Chicken, I couldn't help but feel like something was amiss. I was very satisfied with the fried chicken, but I wasn't particularly blown away by it either. I felt like there needed to be something added to intensify the flavor profile of the chicken. Perhaps adding cayenne or paprika to the batter would do just that. However, that's my just my opinion. It's not quite on the level of the Crack Shack, but it's hard for me not to appreciate another great spot to experience delicious fried chicken here in San Diego.

P.S.

Sorry for the poor quality images! My new phone doesn't take great-looking photos.

P.P.S.

KFC or Popeyes, please sponsor me! I want to eat your fried chicken!

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Devine Pastabilities: Go Here Instead of Olive Garden

Devine Pastabilities is GLORIOUSLY divine. Go there now, or else you'd be missing out on a delightfully carb-filled adventure for your taste buds. That's all for the review...or at least that's what I want to say.

Obviously, I can't end things like that. I am serious about how awesome Devine Pastabilities was! After watching an excellent live wrestling event with two lovely people (Shaheen and Yukari), we were famished from all the energy spent cheering and booing. Because I had not eaten for a large part of the day, my stomach rumbled as if the wrestling event had taken place inside of it! After searching for nearby restaurants on a particular website that shall not be named, I discovered Devine Pastabilities. Rather, I rediscovered Devine Pastabilities. I heard about this establishment a long time ago, but never really remembered to try it. I figured this would be the perfect opportunity to eat there. Luckily, my party allowed me to choose an appropriate restaurant. The excitement within me rose by the minute.

Once there, we were kindly seated by our waitress. The interior of the restaurant could be described as that of your typical diner/small eatery. Nothing too special here. It's conservative style gives it an inviting vibe that welcomes all patrons. The menu was filled with a wide variety of options such as their pastas, salads, and pizzas. Reading the descriptions of some of the pastas made my mouth water.

What I ordered was the Creamy Pesto & Sundried Tomato pasta. I knew I had to jump on that once I saw the alluring combination of words that is "sundried tomato in alfredo". The main highlight of Devine Pastabilities is the fact that they serve their pastas and salads in hollowed-out Italian bread rolls. Unfortunately, I ordered my pasta on a plate so I can't do a review on that concept yet (I'm sorry...). In terms of taste, the pesto alfredo sauce was excellent. The creaminess stemming from the alfredo sauce was an absolute delight. The flavors of parmesan cheese seeped through my taste buds, intensifying the joyous sensation I was feeling. The pesto added a nice herbal touch to the flavor profile. The sundried tomatoes added some much appreciated sweetness and acid to the pasta as well. The farfalle pasta was perfectly al dente. I honestly couldn't have asked for a better pasta on that night.

As for what the others ordered, Shaheen did not order anything, but I let him scavenge the remains of my pasta as the portion was too large for me to finish at that moment. He said, "It's good." He gets to the point when describing food. Yukari ordered a Carbonara pasta. I'm not sure what she really thought of it because I didn't get her input, but I think she enjoyed it if I recall correctly! *Yukari, if you're reading this let me know how you felt about it so I can edit this!* She couldn't finish her pasta as well due to the large portion size. I tried her pasta and thought it was tasty, especially since it had bacon in it. You can't go wrong with bacon in most things. (Edit: she liked the pasta, but got overwhelmed by the ham and the portion size of the carbonara.)

I left Devine Pastabilities extremely satisfied with what I experienced. I hope my friends felt the same way. For me, it was a great place to fill my empty stomach. Devine Pastabilities is the place to go if you're looking for delectable pasta dishes that's very well priced. I will definitely be coming back next time for a proper Torpasta experience!

P.S. Sorry for my long absence. I've been really busy with the events going on in my life. I'll try to post whenever I can! Thanks!

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Harry Potter made me hate British food... (Short Review)

Yes, I now hate British food because of Harry Potter... Just kidding! I can't really hate British cuisine after only eating one dish. Honestly, I can't criticize British food because the only British dishes I've tried that comes to mind are fish and chips and shepherd's pie. However, I can safely say that I don't like Three Broomsticks Inn's bangers and mash. I wasn't expecting the food of Harry Potter to be magically good, but I didn't think it be boring and bland. I was excited to try the food at Universal Studios Hollywood's Wizarding World of Harry Potter, but I was completely let down. The bangers and mash consisted of mashed potatoes topped with two sausages and caramelized onions. On the side were green peas and cabbage slaw. The sausages were your average sausages taste-wise, and the mashed potatoes could be compared to stale saltine crackers in terms of flavor. The green peas and cabbage slaw failed to improve the overall dish, unfortunately. The bangers and mash offered by Three Broomsticks Inn was just not worth the $12 (approximately) I spent for it.

Even though the bangers and mash was awful, Harry Potter World's saving grace was the butterbeer. It was a surprisingly refreshing drink! The butterbeer seemed to be a cream soda topped with a butterscotch-flavored cream. I thought the drink would be overly rich and heavy with sweetness, but it is a light and enjoyable drink. Not a bad drink for 90-degree weather! I don't really drink soda, but I could see myself drinking this every so often. It's a little expensive though, being priced at about $6 (if I recall correctly). I would pay that much for an alcoholic version, however.

Honestly, I feel like the food offerings at the Simpsons' Springfield is better than the ones at the Harry Potter World. However, it was my first time visiting the new Harry Potter attraction, so I haven't had a chance to sample all the foods yet. Luckily, I have a season pass so I will definitely have the chance to try what I missed. I just hope to find some people willing to spend the money to come with me next time, haha! Thanks for reading this short review! Please feel free to comment and follow this blog!

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Sweet, sweet Zabaglione

The other day I made an Italian dessert called "zabaglione". It is a custard-type dessert consisting of marsala wine, sugar, and eggs. I was surprised how easy this dessert was to make. The best part about zabaglione is how short the preparation time is! It only takes ten minutes! Also, you can replace the marsala wine for any other sweet wine or beverage. I added strawberries with the zabaglione for an added touch of flavor. This is a great and tasty dessert for any gentleman trying to impress the ladies. I found the recipe at foodwishes.blogspot.com.

Here's the link to the recipe: http://foodwishes.blogspot.com/2016/02/zabaglione-tastes-like-romance.html

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This Fried Chicken Sandwich is NUCLEAR!

I think I've finally found a fried chicken sanctuary in San Diego. That sanctuary is called "The Crack Shack".

The day I visited this place, my friend Hy and I had to bring our Japanese friend Taka to the airport and say our farewells to him. I was dejected to have to see him leave, but luckily fried chicken turned out to be the saving grace of the day. Taka wanted to eat somewhere before he left for his home country, so we settled on The Crack Shack. Located in Downtown San Diego's Little Italy, this place seemed to be in the perfect location to attract the locals. The outdoor venue permeated with a fresh and inviting atmosphere. This place is as casual as places can be. There are two things unique things to note about the establishment. One is the Beatles mural in the back of the eatery. The heads of the Beatles were replaced with chicken heads in an amusing fashion. Another thing to note is the presence of a bocce ball court inside the restaurant. Just this screams to me how fun and cool this place is. Also, a bar in the back in greatly appreciated for those who want a nice and refreshing drink after work. The Crack Shack definitely seems like a great spot to hang out and eat.

After surveying the excellent environment, my friends and I finally started to order our food. I ordered a fried chicken sandwich called the "Coop Deville". Pretty fancy name, I thought. Why not give it a try? Taka ordered "The Royale" sandwich and chicken lollipops, while Hy ordered five pieces of fried chicken. Unfortunately, I only took a picture of the Coop Deville. After ordering, we seated ourselves near the bocce ball court and waited for our food to arrive.

The Coop Deville sandwich I ordered consisted of a fried chicken breast, nappa cabbage slaw with slices of chili peppers, and lime mayo all on a brioche bun. I'll tell you this now: this is probably the best fried chicken sandwich I've ever had so far in my life. After a delightful crunch from the thin and crispy exterior comes the perfectly moist and succulent interior. You could visually see how moist the chicken was from the clear juices that were seeping out of its pores. It was as if Jesus Christ himself came down from the heavens and bestowed upon me this gift that is a fried chicken sandwich. The nappa cabbage slaw and lime mayo contributed added some much appreciated acidity to sandwich. The overall combination of ingredients used in the Coop Deville produced a maelstrom of flavor I hadn't experienced from a chicken sandwich before. The herby chimichurri sauce and spicy hot sauce served only to enhance the tasteful experience. This single sandwich has got me yearning for even more from this place in the future.

As for what my friends ordered, Taka commented that The Royale sandwich was probably the best sandwich he has ever had. The Royale consisted of a chicken sausage, sunny side-up eggs, and cheddar cheese on an English muffin. The chicken lollipops he ordered were also great as they were well-seasoned with togarashi to give them a spicy kick. Hy felt that the fried chicken he ordered was well worth the $15 he spent on them.

Overall, I wasn't expecting too much from a place specializing in chicken. However, The Crack Shack has successfully won me over, and with flying colors. I had never been through such a scrumptious chicken experience quite like this. Next time I visit this eatery, I will bring even more friends to spread the love for chicken and The Crack Shack.

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Gordon Ramsay's Japanese-Mexican Fusion Tacos

The other day I attempted to make Gordon Ramsay's miso paste-marinated sirloin tacos with wasabi mayonnaise. I thought the fusion concept by Ramsay was very original, and the tacos ended up tasting good! To be honest, I think the steak meat probably tasted better by itself. You normally wouldn't use a top sirloin for a taco, but it was worth a try!

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An Attractive Sushi Lounge With Average Food

Every time I've gone shopping at the Fashion Valley mall, I come across the Blue Smoke Sushi Lounge. I was intrigued by the name of the establishment, so I always wanted to eat here. However, I never followed through until now.

The interior of the restaurant gives off a modern and chic vibe. The large windows lining the wall between the sushi bar and the entrance allows enough light into the restaurant to give it a more vibrant and dynamic appearance. The lack of customers during the noon didn't really contribute much to the environment, however.

As for the food, all of it seemed reasonably priced. There was no item that was pretentiously expensive, which I was extremely thankful for. I ordered a "Blue Smoke Combo" comprised of steamed white rice, salad, chicken karaage, and nigiri sushi. I was given two pieces of akami tuna ("akami" refers to lean tuna with low-fat content), two pieces of salmon, and one piece of "white fish" (or albacore tuna).

What I noticed from eating the sushi was how thick the cuts of fish were. Now I've never had a truly decent piece of nigiri before, but I felt that the cuts were much thicker than what I'm used to. Is this how thickness of the cuts for nigiri were supposed to be? That I wasn't sure of. I feel that I will only know for sure once I visit a premier sushi bar. Anyways, the akami tuna did not have too much flavor as this type of tuna nigiri had very little fat. Akami tuna has a very delicate and subtle taste to it. Although I can appreciate how akami tuna gives the true flavor essence of tuna, I much prefer the taste of otoro (fatty tuna). The salmon nigiri was my favorite piece with the most fat content, however nothing really stood out from the salmon nigiri. It relatively average in terms of flavor at best. Finally, the white fish tuna, like the akami tuna, also did not have much flavor. However, this seemed to have less flavor and a less desirable taste to it when compared to the akami tuna. Another thing to note for all the nigiri pieces was the rice. The rice broke apart very easily when I tried to pick up the pieces with my chopsticks, and to all the sushi experts out there: yes, I should have used my hands. Even so, the rice shouldn't break apart so easily. I was a bit disappointed by how poorly consolidated the rice was. Overall, I'd say the sushi ranged from a bit above mediocre to average.

As for the chicken karaage, the chicken was cooked well and had a decently moist texture. The batter on the chicken was very light, so the external texture of the karaage was not as crispy as I had hoped for. The best part of the karaage was the sauce that came with it. The sauce seemed to be a Thai-style sweet and sour chili sauce. I was a little disconcerted by the sauce, but as I continued to taste the chicken with the sauce I began to appreciate it more and more. The sauce made the chicken karaage a pleasant tasting experience for me. I would suggest also serving mayo with the karaage to complement the Thai sauce.

In conclusion, I think that the Blue Smoke Sushi Lounge disappointed me with their sushi as nothing really stood out in terms of flavor. However, I did enjoy their chicken karaage. I feel that this sushi lounge definitely has potential to be a hot spot for the locals, especially with the attractive interior. However, the sushi quality needs to be improved quite a bit if the proprietor of Blue Smoke Sushi Lounge wants to attract more people to dine at said restaurant.

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