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Friday, February 15, 2008
A new spin on chicken and waffles
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Gladys Knight and Ron Winans have got some competition in the chicken and waffles game. Mrs. Winner’s, known for its chicken and biscuits, added a Belgian waffle to its menu earlier this month. The waffle, a thick, salty round, comes with two big, peppery chicken strips or three wings, and your choice of dipping sauce and a side of syrup.
Chicken and waffles have gradually been moving from their origin as a late-night snack (made famous by a Harlem restaurant) to a wider audience. From Roscoe’s in Los Angeles to Gladys and Ron’s restaurants in Atlanta and Washington, to winning the $1 million grand prize in the 2006 Pillsbury Bake-Off, they’re finding new fans with the sweet/salty/crunchy combo. (Here’s the winning recipe for Baked Chicken and Spinach Stuffing, which uses waffle sticks for the stuffing.)
Now Mrs. Winner’s is taking the combo to the quick-serve crowd. It’s all part of the chain’s efforts to remake its image to focus on fresh, best-in-its-class food, two of the new owners told me this week. So far, that’s included switching to 100 percent arabica coffee, introducing white chicken chili for winter, adding a spicy chicken choice, and switching late last year from frozen to fresh chicken for its strips and boneless wings that’s breaded and seasoned in the stores, a practice that Chick-fil-A has followed for years. They’re planning many more changes over the next few months.
What do you think of chicken and waffles? Have you tried the Mrs. Winner’s version yet? How does it stack up to what’s offered at Glady Knight and Ron Winans Chicken & Waffles?
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