To be completely honest though, I had ulterior motives.  Chocolate corn bread muffins sounded pretty good, but what I really wanted to try was the fried chicken and waffle and fried chicken livers, two items on the Piece of Chicken menu which always seemed to be sold out every single time I stopped by for like two weeks straight last year.  Well, it’s been awhile- but I returned to Piece of Chicken a few days ago, and both items were available.

Before I moved to NYC, I spent a few years in L.A. and quickly discovered the joys of putting a piece of fried chicken on top of a waffle (at Roscoe’s Chicken & Waffles of course.)  I know there are some who “don’t understand” the concept… but truthfully, I “don’t understand” people who “don’t understand” why fried chicken on a waffle is amazing.  (You may say the secret ingredient is the syrup.)  I’ve been to Amy Ruth’s up in Harlem, and for awhile the now closed Ressie May’s Soul to Go served up fried chicken and waffles in Midtown (R.I.P.)  But now, our only option for Midtown Lunch’ing is Piece of Chicken.

I was actually really surprised at how big a waffle you get for $3.  It’s really thin, and not crunchy at all (which I kind of liked.)  Not sure if it’s because it got steamed in the container, but I only walked a few blocks before sitting down to eat it- something that is unavoidable, because Piece of Chicken is take out only.  You get your choice of chicken (I chose thigh), and it may not be much to look at- but damn was that piece of chicken good.  It was so good, I’m curious if they’ve changed their recipe.  The seasoning was stand out good, and I don’t remember thinking that the first time I visited.  Of course, tearing a piece off, wrapping it in waffle and dunking it in syrup took the whole thing to another level.  (Yes, they do provide syrup… and little packets of hot sauce.)  So good… I could eat this for breakfast or lunch every singe day.  And for $3, it really can’t be beat.

Rounding out my lunch, I finally got to try the fried chicken livers- which are now $1.50 (up from $1.)  In fact they raised the prices of a few things (a breast is now $2 instead of $1, and 2 wings are $1.50 instead of $1), but considering how much liver you get, it’s still a bargain. Fried to a crisp, the chicken livers from Piece of Chicken are funnnnnky (and I mean that in that best way possible.)  This ain’t no foie gras or some “gateway liver” pate. These are chunks of chicken liver, deep fried, and served in a stryrofoam container in all their plain glory.  Plain, they were just ok, and a tad bit soggy- either from not being freshly fried or the 3 minute walk in the styrofoam container.

Of course once they were soaked in hot sauce, none of that mattered.  (And I will admit to dunking a few of them in syrup… also recommended.)  If you love liver, you’ll probably be into this.  But if you are even on the fence regarding the joys of offal, I’d stay away.  In other words, if I had to take Andrew Zimmern from Bizarre Foods to eat one thing in Midtown- this might be the dish.

All in all it was a pretty awesome lunch- aided by the fact that I was totally full for just $4.50.  And even with all the great fried chicken options in Midtown West, it was well worth traveling that extra avenue out of bounds. Oh, and as for the chocolate corn bread muffins?  They made those “by accident”, so it was just a one time thing.  Kyle, consider yourself lucky if you got to try them… because I don’t think they’re coming back.

Piece of Chicken, 362 W. 45th St. (just East of 9th Ave.), 212-582-5973

Piece of Chicken is that place, and their sandwich board doesn’t lie.  As unbelievable as it seems to passersby, they do in fact serve fried chicken for $1 a piece, and side dishes for $1-2.  Add to that rib tips, fried fish, corn bread and soup, sold out of the back window of a kitchen that once belonged to upscale Caribbean restaurant Jezebel (with nothing costing over $2), and you’ve got a winner.

The menu, piece of chicken porn and a +/- after the jump…

I’ll take variety over quality any day of the week, and Piece of Chicken is all about variety.  The price structure is possibly the greatest of all time, allowing you to choose four or five different things, and having it only cost $5-7 for your whole lunch.  With so much to choose from, and so many possible combinations for your money- it helps to do a little planning, so here’s the menu in advance:

Piece of Fried Chicken – $1
Piece of Fried Whiting – $2
Piece of Fried Catfish – $2
Crispy Chicken Livers – $1
BBQ Chicken Wings – $1
BBQ Salmon – $5 (the only thing over $2)
Chicken Soup – $1
Fish Soup – $1
BBQ Rib Bit – $1

Okra – $2
Mac & Cheese – $2
Collard Greens – $1
Blackeyed Peas – $1
Potato Salad – $1
Home Fries – $1
String Beans – $1
White Rice – $1
Corn Muffins – 2 for $1

Of course, no bit of planning is perfect, as oftentimes they will be out of things, causing you to have to scramble at the last minute.  Ordering is easily the hardest part of Piece of Chicken,  leaving a lot of room for second guessing, even after you’ve made your decision.  The first time I stopped, here’s what I ended up with:

Clockwise from upper left:  Piece of Whiting, Collard Greens, Mac & Cheese, BBQ Rib Bit, Piece of Chicken.  Total Cost: $7

I didn’t realize you could choose what kind of chicken you ordered, so I ended up with the breast, which not surprisingly, for $1 is actually a half a breast.  Everything was really good (but not great), although it’s hard to complain for $7.

The second time I went, I adjusted my strategy a little:

Clockwise from upper left:  BBQ Wings (there’s actually two in there), Mac & Cheese (to see if it was the same as the first time), Corn Muffins, Fried Chicken Thigh.

Plus a side order of Okra:

Total Cost: $6.  This time I asked specifically for the thigh, which they gladly gave me.  I also asked for the wings (2 for $1) thinking I would get fried chicken wings, but apparently they only do BBQ wings, which I’m pretty sure have the same sauce as the rib bits.

All in all everything was once again really good, especially when you consider the price.  And that’s pretty much it.  Nothing about Piece of Chicken necessarily stands out as outstanding, except for Piece of Chicken itself.  Their service has flaws, sometimes they charge you the wrong amount, oftentimes they will run out of things (I have never been able to get the fried chicken livers), and the freshness of the food is always hit or miss.

But in the end, who cares!?!  Everything costs $1 (or $2), which means you can get 17 different things for the price of a sandwich at Cafe Metro (slight exaggeration, I’m not so good at math).  And it’s served out of the window of a real restaurant kitchen.  A great find for those of us looking for variety, and willing to walk the extra few blocks.  I know some of you have already discovered this place on your own, and everybody has their favorite choices.   Mine would have to be-  2 Thighs, 1 Rib Bit, Okra, Collards & Corn Muffins for $7.  Feel free to post your perfect Piece of Chicken combo as a comment below…

The + (What someone who likes this place will say)

• Is there anything better than fried chicken, $1 per piece?
• Wait, there is something better.  $1 fried chicken, with $1 collard greens and $1 corn muffins.
• I love soul food, and have been looking for a place ever since Ressie May’s closed

THE – (What someone who doesn’t like this place will say)

• The service sucks sometimes.  They try to write your order down, but sometimes end up screwing it up.  (Make sure to check your container before leaving).
• The quality and freshness of the food is hit or miss
• There is better fried chicken in Midtown (even though it doesn’t cost $1 a piece)
• The Mac & Cheese is a casserole more than a creamy, goeey mac & cheese.  And you should get more for your $2.  (Possibly the most complained about Piece of Chicken dish)

Piece of Chicken, 362 W. 45th St. (just East of 9th Ave.), 212-582-5973

That’s right, Popeyes is back baby!  When my wife first started working in Midtown, there was a Popeyes in the 40s btw. 5th & 6th (I think it was on 46th).  But by the time I had started working there, it had disappeared (literally… I think they tore the whole building down).  Very disappointing.  Sure, there are other places for fried chicken in Midtown- but none that are as cheap, spicy, or with biscuits that are so delicious, they leave you wondering whether the main ingredient is biscuit or butter. 

Anyway, if you are sick of your desk job, and looking for a move into the chicken and biscuits field, they are hiring.  Just call 347-534-5478.  A call to that number revealed that they plan on opening within two weeks.  I’ll be there on Day 1 with a bib on (you don’t want to get beans and rice on your work clothes).

There’s other good news in that same area of town.  I’ve gotten a few worried emails and comments about Yum Thai (44th btw. B’way & 6th) being shuttered.  Fear not cheap Thai fans- they were only closed for renovations and plan on re-opening tomorrow (Thursday). Though to be safe, I may wait until Friday or Monday before trekking over there.  

And now for my first installment of “Restaurant Tips from a guy who knows very little about the restaurant industry, but knows this”:

Tip #1:  If you are going to temporarily close down your business (for whatever reason), but plan on re-opening, put a sign up to let your customers know that you are not closed forever.  Even if the sign has poor grammar, and you get made fun of on a blog, you will still get your point across…

That’s right…  Chicken & Waffles has arrived in Midtown!!!  If you are unfamiliar with the concept, it’s pretty simple.  Take a waffle.  Put some fried chicken on top.  Cover the whole thing with syrup.  Enjoy!  (A final step of pounding on your chest to ward off a heart attack may be necessary)

I was first introduced to the Chicken & Waffle phonomenom at Roscoe’s Chicken & Waffles (an amazing L.A. institution), but apparently it’s a restaurant/jazz club in Harlem that takes credit for inventing the dish.  They claim it was created in the 30s to serve late night patrons who couldn’t decide between breakfast and dinner (would Gladys Knight lie!?!?)

From the moment I heard that you could get fried chicken served on a waffle, I knew it would be good.  How could it not be???  Fried chicken.  Good.  Waffle.  Good.  Syrup.  Always good.  I had heard that Amy Ruth’s in Harlem (116th btw. Lennox & 7th) is one of the best places to go for this amazing treat, but I haven’t found time to make the pilgrimage.  Well, I guess they got sick of waiting- and have now decided to bring the Chicken & Waffles to me!  The owners of the famous, always a line out the door Amy Ruth’s in Harlem, have opened Ressie Mae’s Soul to Go in Midtown, across from the Port Authority (on 8th Ave. btw. 39th & 40th.).

Surprisingly, there are some who are not with me on this chicken and waffles thing.  Those people are communists (I don’t even know what that means… but I’m sure it’s true.)  These are the same people who probably eat every last bite of their eggs and bacon before biting into their pancakes.  Craziness.  Lucky for them (and all of us for that matter), Ressie Mae’s serves up all kinds of delicious soul food, all made from the same recipes used at Amy Ruth’s… and their lunch specials are so cheap it makes me wonder how we got so lucky.

The rest of the food, more pictures and the +/-, after the jump…

In addition to Chicken & Waffles, they serve a ton of other “soul food” specialties, and the lunch specials are rediculously cheap.  Here’s a few of the dishes we sampled:

Coconut Shrimp w/ Fries lunch special ($5.50) and 2 Crab Cakes on the side ($1.25 each).

Catfish Nuggets w/ Fries Lunch Special ($4.95)

Side Order of Mac & Cheese ($2.95)

The coconut shrimp were awesome, and had a great coconut flavor- without being super sweet… and the crabcakes are a steal for $1.25 each ($3.75 for 2 crab cakes and fries lunch special).  The catfish nuggets were less like nuggets, and more like big pieces of catfish.  And, you can taste the real cheese in the Mac & Cheese (it’s also what is forming that dark yellow glob on the right side of the picture above).  If you like your mac super rich, and cheesy- this is your new favorite place.  They’ve also got oxtails, regular fried shrimp, a fried chicken lunch special (leg, breast and fries for $4.75) and a soft shelled crab sandwich w/ fries for $5.50 (although at that price it’s hard to come by- both times I’ve visited they’ve been out). 

The lunch specials are all hand written on pieces of paper and taped to the wall, but there is a proper menu above the counter.  If you don’t want fried stuff with fries, there are plenty of “entrees” you can order, including smothered pork chops ($7.95), barbecued ribs ($8.50), braised short ribs ($11.50) and roasted or fried chicken ($7.50).  Those prices all include two sides- your choices of collard greens, candied yams, mac & cheese, grits and more.

Now, keep in mind you’re not going for the atmosphere… it’s a soul food dive across from the Port Authority.  All I can promise is delicious, authentic soul food straight from Harlem.  Everything is served to go, but there are a few tables in the back where you can sit and enjoy your lunch while it’s hot and fresh.  The place has been practically empty the two times I’ve been (and the food still took almost 10 minutes to make), so get over their soon.  It’s only a matter of time before this jem is discovered, and the lines begin… 

THE + (what peope who like this place would say)

• They have chicken and waffles. 
• It’s the same owners (and recipes) as Amy Ruth’s in Harlem
• The lunch specials are super cheap, and even though they are a little more expensive- the entrees w/ two sides are still a great value.
• All the lunch specials are made/fried fresh to order  (except the braised dishes, and the fried chicken, which is already fried most of the way, and then refried to finish it when you order it.  Frying it to order, from scratch would take way to long)

THE – (what people who don’t like this place would say)

• The atmosphere sucks
• It’s not exactly fast food.  There was nobody there when we went for lunch on Friday, and it still took awhile to get our food
• This ain’t no light lunch
• The prices are super cheap, so I’m sure the seafood they use is not the #1 best possible stuff in the universe.  They get shipments in every afternoon, so I’m not questioning its freshness- but it’s probably not the same quality as the stuff you’d be getting at a place like Esca.
• Because the seafood is delivered fresh every day, and the prices are so cheap, some of the menu items are not always available.  There’s a sign for Soft Shelled Crab Sandwich ($5.50), but they didn’t have it either of the two days I went.

Ressie Mae’s Soul to Go, 612 8th Ave. (btw. 39th  & 40th), 212-382-3886