Sweet Chick

SWEET CHICK

LOS ANGELES

I became a insta-fan of this restaurant before I knew anything about it. Pictures started popping up on my search page and I started stalking Sweet Chick like a insta-ho! The pictures got me hooked and I started to follow, I started to like this pic and that pic. I didn't look any further into it. Didn't slide in their DMs, didn't look at their website, didn't read about who owns it and what their deal is. I love making fried chicken because its delicious! My fried chicken is the shit, stereotype me if you want to, but everyone loves fried chicken if its done right. I always wanted to play around with the idea with the combination of chicken and waffles back in the day when I wanted to start a food truck. I prefer a savory waffle combination than a sweet, but I understand the contrast. 

After months of liking pics I didn't realize a food trend has started. I had no idea about the Nashville hot chicken train. When did this start and why is it still here? I was introduced to this food trend when I visited Sweet Chick in L.A. I was in L.A. with my crew of friends because 2017 hurricane Irma cancelled our South Beach plans for the Virgo birthday trip. We wanted to go out to a bar, have some beers, play some games because that is what we were dressed for. We are from Colorado so dressing up to go out isn't a requirement like it is in L.A. So we go this bar and it ends up being da club. Girls in bodycon dresses and uncomfortable heels, and douche bag dudes young to old just looking for ass. Right in the middle is us. 5 people huddled in the circle wearing tennis shoes, flat sandals, shorts, and t-shirts. The DJ was great, the drinks were expensive, we were at da club! We have fun and afterward we were very hungry. Starving actually. I pull up my Yelp app to see what is around us and open. The sky opened and the sun shined on my soul because what did Yelp show me? Sweet Chick 0.1 mile away from where we were standing! I had no idea they opened a location in Los Angeles so I was extremely excited to eat some fried chicken  @ 1 a.m.! I insisted we go there because I been stalking them on the gram, so it has to be the shit! I was the most excited person in the group because my friends had no idea about this place. 

We arrive. It was dark inside. Glowing candle lights but still very dimly lit. Hip-Hop greeted my ears as we walked in and my happiness kept building. At 1 a.m. there isn't a wait for a table, so we get seated right away. The design is hipster with wood planked bar and tables with benches or folding chairs. Open ceilings with exposed ducts and rafters. I thought it was a cool vibe. I knew the hip-hop rapper Nas had something to do with it, but still I have not researched the origins of this establishments. I felt like it was a sign from the God's that I was blessed to eat here. 

We look at the menu and I must say even with all of the anxiety and positive energy I had, after I looked at the menu the excitement was slowly seeping out of me like a old balloon in a warm house. The way the menu was laid out, the script size, font, food placement, I hated it. It was busy, overwhelming, and uninspired. 6 flavors of waffles. That seems like more than enough options to pair with fried chicken. 

Waffle choices: Classic, Bacon-Cheddar, Dried Cherry, Rosemary-Mushroom, Apple Cinnamon or Spiced-Pecan.

Then you can order the fried chicken in flavors also. Sweet Chick paired different chicken with different waffles. We ordered; Mike's Hot Honey Chicken with choice of waffle(dried cherry), Fried Chicken Parmesan with tomato and basil waffle, and the highlight of the show the Nashville Fried Chicken with a milk jam waffle. The waitress warned me numerous times how hot the Nashville hot is, and my ignorant ass had no idea what I was ordering so I did not hear her warnings. I insisted that is what I wanted and that is what I shall have! I like spicy food, and spicy fried chicken sounds fucking delicious. 

I was fucking wrong. I was so fucking hungry, and I took one bite of this Nashville fried chicken thigh and I almost died. It wasn't just hot, it was not edible. NOT EDIBLE. So this trend is to take raw chili spices that are blended with who knows what ratio and saturate the fried chicken to point of no return. People reading this can think it's me. I am the one with the problem because I couldn't handle the heat. You can think that. But what I know, what I know is that there is a line when cooking food. I can make the best mashed potatoes but if I add too much salt it is no longer edible. Food has to be edible at the end of the day. I am great with eating hot food and enjoy it when it teeters on the edge of too hot and so fucking good I can't stop eating it. I am ok with knowing I have sweat on my forehead and know I will have bubble guts later. I enjoy eating on the edge of anything hot, but that chicken I ate that night at Sweet Chick was absolute bull shit. I was pissssed. I was so hungry and I couldn't eat my food. What kind of stupid ass trend is this? I have to try other places that serve Nashville hot chicken to see if this is how everyone is making this chicken or was my first experience a spoof at Sweet Chick L.A. at 1 a.m .in the morning? I don't know, but my first impressions of this chicken was like a first date gone wrong, and I deleted Sweet Chick from all my devices immediately. Like Kathy Bates in Misery, I use to be their biggest fan.