I’ve driven by this small restaurant and bar a bunch of times when headed up north to the lake. I wasn’t sure what it looked like inside (was it more bar-like or more restaurant-like?) but I knew they were known for their broasted chicken. I’m a fan of broasted chicken, but I haven’t had it in a long time. I finally convinced D that we needed to stop there recently, and it was a great decision.
The inside is decidedly more restaurant-like than we expected. It’s almost like a little country diner. Checkerboard patterns all around and lots of nick-nacks and history. All the servers are really friendly and the people eating there seem to be regulars, for the most part. Yet, we didn’t feel like outsiders when we walked in – sometimes, that’s a fear of these small-town establishments.
The menu is really full of delicious sounding things. But we knew we wanted the chicken. I went with the ¼ chicken (dark meat) and D went with the ¼ chicken (light meat). Plus, we knew we needed some cheese curds. And because, I hadn’t seen it in liquor stores for a while, or on a restaurant menu ever, I got a lime-a-rita. Hahaha
The curds came out and were exactly what we expected. They came with some sort of dipping sauce – probably ranch or sour cream based, but we didn’t care. We were just shoveling them into our mouth holes. Super good.
All of the chicken dinners come with coleslaw, but I’ve never seen it served like they do at the Brass Rail. The server brings out a massive tray of coleslaw for what looks like the entire restaurant (as it turns out, everyone orders the chicken dinners here, so that makes sense). Everyone gets a cup (not a little cup, either) of coleslaw with a fork stuck in the top. Simple, but something you’ll remember – and apparently tell people about if you have a blog. Thankfully, the coleslaw is really good. I did think it was a little weird to have a coleslaw appetizer, but I’m guessing normal people wait for their dinners to arrive to eat theirs.
The chicken is every bit as good as you’d expect it. Lots of people don’t even know what broasted chicken is, but it’s basically pressure-fried chicken. Pressure cookers are a dangerous kitchen contraption meat to seal in juices and then they fry it at the same time. I don’t understand the science behind it – I just eat it. The dark ¼ chicken dinner comes with a thigh and a drumstick, buttered toast and a side, which I got onion rings. It also comes with a bowl of mashed potatoes and gravy, like a cereal bowl sized situation. This is a seriously heavy meal, in case you were wondering. The chicken is superb. Super crunchy and juicy, which is a hard combination, I understand. It’s really the star of the show. The rest of the stuff is solid, but the chicken is where it’s at.
It’s clear these cooks know their way around a fryer, which I respect. Generous portions and a broad menu also help push this place up the ladder of places we’ll hit on the way up north again. Looking forward to our next stop at the Brass Rail.
No comments:
Post a Comment