Fried Chicken

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Bread & Bone Wood Grill – Adelaide, City – Sunday 2 August 2015 – Dinner

IMG_4084_2After three of the more expensive dinners we’ve had in some time it was time to find a dinner that we could afford with the remaining budget dwindling quickly. Answering our prayers was Bread & Bone Wood Grill, an American style comfort food joint hidden down one of Adelaide’s laneways.

We had come earlier to check if we should reserve a table and were told to come back early evening to be assured of getting a table. Now early on Sunday evening it was fast becoming full with tables large and small. This bar restaurant is modestly adorned with light tanned wood, looking sparse when empty, but now buzzing with noisy conversation.
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The menu is full of burgers, hotdogs, fried chicken and many other foods you would like to eat more often. I blame places like Belles and Rockwell back home but fried chicken is addictive so we order Bread & Bone’s version to share. We also are intrigued by the hotdogs so we share the simple version served with only some sauce and sauerkraut.

The hotdog comes in a brioche hotdog bun which is excellent. The sausage is full of flavour and the sauerkraut, as well as the salty fries, are delicious. The fried chicken is a nice servicing, coming with some coleslaw that makes us feel a touch healthier. The chicken is moist and the batter is great, but somehow the highlight was the hotdog.
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Having enjoyed the vibe at Bread and Bone we decide to stay a little longer for dessert. The salted peanut brittle softserve, with caramel popcorn is cheap, sweet and different enough to have that hint of interest. We do not regret having tried it one bit!

While Bread & Bone offers a more diverse menu than some other American style places we go to, that doesn’t mean the focus on good food is lessened. In such a big space, it seems the floorstaff are run off their feet, but have a reasonable rhythm to get to tables before your experience is hindered. There’s every chance that we’ll be back on a future trip for a beer and a dog.

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Rockwell and Sons – Collingwood – Saturday 11 July 2015 – Lunch

Fried Chicken Sandwich, Buttermilk Dressing, Iceberg, Hot Sauce

Fried Chicken Sandwich, Buttermilk Dressing, Iceberg, Hot Sauce

A hankering for fried chicken comes around more times than is probably healthy. With nothing but a freezing weekend to look forward to, today this hankering simply must be met.

Having heard yet another Smith Street eatery is serving up great food, Catherine and I headed to Rockwell and Sons. It is in a familiar spot on the same block that includes the impeccable St Crispin.

It feels like there are plenty of this genre of restaurant but it is because many of them have popped up in the last couple of years. When you think about it a bit more you realise that there are many more Italian, French, Spanish, and modern Australian restaurants than Southern US places.

The success of these restaurants is all about affordability and comfort. When you think of slow cooked meats, fried chicken, fried potatoes, coleslaw and sweet pies, not much can beat these offerings. At Rockwell and Sons that script is followed, in a space that is restrained and modern.

We came for the chicken and it is offered in a brioche bun with coleslaw and hot sauce. For $13 I wasn’t expecting a full sized burger but that is what you get! The chicken is soft and juicy, just cooked through having most likely been soaked in buttermilk, and the crust is perfectly golden and crispy. The brioche bun adds to the richness, in a good way. Only the lettuce and buttermilk mayo helps soften the flavour punch. The hot sauce is my type of hot – just enough to know it is there in every bite, without absolutely numbing your palate for the next bite.

Tater Tots, Togarashi, Kombu Mayo

Tater Tots, Togarashi, Kombu Mayo

We grabbed the tater tots with the burgers in a difficult decision over the fries. It pays dividends as the tater tots with the kombu mayo are addictive. Like mini hashbrowns you get a good combination between the potato and outside crunch.

Unfortunately our waitperson advised that we couldn’t takeaway the lemon curd pie which was a pity because the burger and tater tots were so filling we couldn’t eat another thing immediately. We didn’t love the way she told us it was not allowed, but it was in line with her demeanour when we ordered initially which was abrupt at best, and unfriendly at worst.

The food and venue were excellent at Rockwell and I definitely recommend it in itself. However, there are a lot of Southern US places popping up, all generally good value too. The next time we are driving to Collingwood for this cuisine we’ll think twice before heading to Rockwell when Le Bon Ton and Belle’s are close by.

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