Bobwhite Lunch & Supper Counter landed on my “go to” list sometime after it opened in January of this year. What caught my attention was reading that fried chicken and biscuits are on the menu. Now, I cook chicken at home all kinds of ways, but I never make fried chicken. And I bake, but I don’t make biscuits. Thus, it’s a treat to have them occasionally when we eat out. I’m not ashamed to admit that I like Popeye’s (prefer it to KFC). But I’m always on the lookout for great chicken and biscuits at non-chain spots.
We didn’t get around to going to Bobwhite until a few weeks ago. It’s on Avenue C, in the East Village. I hadn’t been on Avenue C in ages. By that I mean it goes way back to when I was growing up on the Lower East Side, and there was no such geographical designation as the East Village. On a warm and sunny Thursday afternoon, a 20-minute walk from our apartment had us arrving around 2:30 p.m.
Stepping inside, we found a small, bright space, the walls adorned with a large mirror and some pleasant art. On the right, a cooking area in front of which is a counter with stools; on the left, high-top tables also with stools. The only other diners, an Asian family seated at two high-tops pushed together.
Chef/owner Keedick Coulter was not out front. It was his trusty sidekick, Ann, who was behind the counter. She offered us a friendly greeting along with the menu and said that when we’d made our decisions, she’d take care of us. And in every respect, she most certainly did that!
We asked how many pieces of chicken come with an order. The answer: three. We didn’t want to each have three pieces. So, with an uneven number, what to do? Looking further at the menu, I noticed a Farmhouse Salad which could be augmented with a piece of either grilled or fried chicken. The idea of starting by sharing a salad was appealing. Ann told us that the chicken served with the salad was a boneless breat piece. O.K., we said. But could we have it with the rest of the chicken instead of with the salad. That way, the number of pieces would be even. When she realized what we had in mind, she said that she could give us that additional piece on the bone. Excellent! We also ordered a side of mac and cheese and drinks: Diet Coke for Michael and Boylen’s Root Beer for me.
When Ann brought the salad and biscuits to the table, she told us that the chicken also usually comes with a small green salad. But since we were having a salad to start, she would substitute the mac and cheese for it to “save us a little money.” How thoughtful was that!
Composed of sprightly greens, some thin slices of radish, and topped with crumbled cheese (not sure what kind), the Farmhouse Salad was dressed with a tangly buttermilk dressing. I’ve found that in restaurants, getting the amount of dressing right is not always easy. Sometimes there isn’t enough and I have to ask for more; other times, the lettuce is unappetizingly drenched. But in this case, the Goldilocks rule was in effect: not too little, not too much, but just right.
OMG! The biscuits had us swooning. Tender, buttery, melt-in-the-mouth perfection! The best we’ve ever had!
Equally as perfect was the chicken hot out of the fryer. Devoid of any excess oiliness, the super-crunchy coating covered the moist, flavorful meat. Fantastic!
The very tasty mac and cheese had a good balance between the macaroni and the properly cheese-y sauce.
While we were eating, Keedick showed up, so we had a chance to chat with him. Hailing from Virginia, he named his restaurant after a species of quail from his home state. Of course, we told him how much we loved the food and wished him great success.
For sure, we’ll be back. We’ll need to sample the “sexy sweet desserts” (that’s how they’re described on the sign board outside) and, perhaps, try some other menu items though, honestly, it will be hard to pass on the chicken and biscuits. Go and have them. There’s not a doubt in my mind that you’ll agree I speak the truth when I say, “Bobwhite’s doin’ fried chicken and biscuits right!”
To see the entire set of Bobwhite photos, click here.
Bobwhite Lunch & Supper Counter
94 Avenue C
New York, NY
212-228-2972
