WHERE TO EAT CHICKEN NOW
6 Houston fried chicken sandwiches better than Popeyes or Chick-fil-A
Aug 26, 2019, 1:06 pm
Photo via: @commonbondcafeandbakery/Instagram
People rave about Common Bond's Nashville hot chicken.
This article originally appeared on CultureMap.
Chick-fil-A versus Popeyes has become a national obsession. The king of chicken sandwiches faces a vigorous challenge from fast food's premier purveyor of bone-in fried chicken.
Popeyes has been so overwhelmed by the demand that locations have been selling out. For an informal taste test at the CultureMap office, entertainment writer Craig Lindsey had to visit three stores to find it!
Briefly, the Popeyes sandwich has a larger piece of chicken with a thicker, more crispy crust. At first bite, it's clearly the more flavorful sandwich; however, the comparison between the two is a little bit reminiscent of the Pepsi Challenge. Just as people prefer one sip of Pepsi in a blind taste test but prefer to drink a whole can (bottle, etc) of Coke, the Popeyes sandwich may be better on first bite, but the Chick-fil-A sandwich is easier to finish.
Like most fast food, they're both "fine" — more convenient than delicious. Of course, Houston restaurants turn out far better chicken sandwiches than either Popeyes or Chick-fil-A. Rather than sit in a drive-thru for an hour, consider these options instead.
Relish Restaurant & Bar
This River Oaks restaurant has a strong claim to the title of Houston's best chicken sandwich. Instead of a bland breast, Relish makes its signature sandwich with more flavorful chicken thigh meat. Topped with cheddar cheese, tarragon ranch dressing, and housemade pickles, it's worth every penny of the $15 (includes choice of side) that chef Dustin Teague charges.
FM Kitchen & Bar
Not only does this comfort food spot turn out a better version of a Shake Shack-style burger than the restaurant from New York, it also turns out a damn fine chicken sandwich. Available in both mild — topped with coleslaw and pickles — or spicy — topped with American cheese, pickled jalapeños, and spicy aioli — the crispy chicken and solid toppings deliver more flavor than anything found in a drive-thru.
Mico’s
Located in a food truck park on Chimney Rock, this trailer only serves one thing: Nashville-style hot chicken. The pieces are so huge they extend well beyond the bun, and the heat level (available as mild, medium, hot, and X-tra hot) will make even the most devoted chilihead sweat. The coleslaw on top provides a little crunch, but it does almost nothing to abate the spicy tingle.
Continue reading on CultureMap to see the rest of the tasty list.
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Houston Astros right-hander Cristian Javier was scratched from Sunday’s start at the Washington Nationals because of neck discomfort.
He will be placed on the 15-day injured list retroactive to April 14.
Right-hander Hunter Brown (0-3, 10.54 ERA) will make his fifth start of the season in the series finale at Washington. Brown suffered a 6-2 loss to the Atlanta Braves on April 16 despite allowing only two runs in six innings.
“Neck discomfort, started a few days ago,” Astros manager Joe Espada said. “He tried to work through it but just couldn’t happen. This kind of just came out of nowhere. So, we are going to see what happens here.”
The Astros called up right-hander Spencer Arrighetti from the Triple-A Sugar Land Space Cowboys. Arrighetti struggled in his first two starts this season, going 0-2 with an 11.57 ERA.
Espada said JP France and Justin Verlander will start in Chicago for the next series against the Cubs, but the order was not announced. Arrighetti could also get one of those spots, as could veteran left-hander Framber Valdez (left elbow inflammation), who has been throwing during the road trip.
“He just played catch right now,” Espada said of Valdez on Sunday. “We will see how he feels. Once we see how he feels we will start talking about the possibilities if he can pitch in Chicago or not.”