Hill Country Chicken

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again - New York City has the best fast food. Indian doughnuts, Korean rice balls and specialty hot dogs for stoners, we have it all! Here, you can eat exceptionally well for ten dollars or less, whereas in other American cities, you’d probably have to resort to McDonald’s or Taco Bell for a quick meal. Hill Country Chicken has been around longer than Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken but since I tried the latter first, I entered the former having something to compare to.

Hill Country Chicken offers two styles of fried chicken - the classic Southern fried version and a specialty skinless style, dubbed Mama Els’ - as well as a few side dishes, milkshakes and freshly baked pies. My date and I tried the Southern-style drumsticks and thighs, as well as the cheesy fried mashed potatoes, pimento mac & cheese and a chocolate-vanilla milkshake.

The verdict: Blue Ribbon’s chicken pales in comparison with Hill Country’s. Whereas Blue Ribbon’s chicken has a crunchy, dry crust, Hill Country’s is super tender and juicy with a chewy outside. Hill Country’s chicken is also perfectly salted and nicely flavored with paprika, while Blue Ribbon’s is on the blander side. The potato side dish was certainly an interesting concept. I love the combination of fried and mashed potatoes, which makes for a fun texture, especially with melted cheese. However, I was disappointed to learn that the mashed potatoes were made from powder and not real potatoes. The mac & cheese (not pictured) was creamy and the pimentos gave it a nice kick. The macaroni was overcooked though, which is a common problem with many a mac & cheese dish.

Although the restaurant’s star item did not disappoint, all in all I’d say there’s room for improvement - those powdery potatoes really got to me, huh? Hill Country could take a cue from Blue Ribbon by adding more unique touches, something to the tune of Blue Ribbon’s sweet pickles and house-made barbecue sauces.

(photo via their Facebook page)

Have you been to Hill Country Chicken?