Is it really HOT?

Last night Mark and I ate dinner at a new restaurant in town with two of our friends. We had an enjoyable dining experience. Want me to tell you about our experience at Hattie B's Hot Chicken?

We arrived about 6:15 and the line was to the door. We snagged a dirty table and Mark bussed it as I offered, "gross don't touch that" comments!! I held the table (tables were in high demand) and Mark got in line. The line was really long but moved fairly quickly. Mark said the employees taking the orders were really nice. Of course, Mark made a new friend in line - anyone surprised?  When you arrive, you go through a line - order - get a number - someone delivers your food. I had read a review that rated the black eye pea salad as their best side. We both ordered that as one of our sides. Mark is an adventurous eater so he ordered "hot" dark meat. There are stages of heat:

Mild

Medium

Hot

Damn hot

Shut the cluck up hot

They also offer "southern."

Glenn and Mark discussed the food beforehand and Glenn told Mark that medium is not hot enough. (Glenn has eaten at the original Hattie B's in Nashville.)

I ordered southern tenders - 3 giant tenders - I could only eat two!! The southern fried was nicely seasoned. The white meat was pretty and tasty (no weird pieces) and not greasy at all. I ordered fries and black eye pea salad. The salad did not disappoint. Yummy!! The fries were basic ore-Ida type fries but they were seasoned well and there were so many that I couldn't eat all of them. We also received a couple of pickle slices and there is a piece of white bread in the bottom of the basket (to soak up grease?? - or hot sauce???)

Mark had two large pieces of chicken and they glistened!! He ordered cole slaw - said it was ok and black eye pea salad (loved it and wants me to learn to make it).  He thought the black eye pea salad was so good that he said if we ever eat there again, he plans to order two servings as his sides.

Our companions ordered mild chicken and said it was spicy enough for them.

The wait staff was pleasant.  The food was good and plentiful. Mark was able to get a craft beer. I had a Sprite!  

The evening was enjoyable time spent with friends.

So.... Was the chicken hot? Yes! Mark said "whew" several times during dinner.  He also said, "this chicken is hot" several times!!

Fried chicken is not at the top of my favorite list but I would eat at Hattie B's again.

Mark loves fried chicken. He enjoyed his hot chicken but LOVES the fried chicken and waffles at Skycastle (just down the street from Hattie B's).

Both restaurants are located in the Lakeview district of Birmingham (there is no lake!).  It is a cool area with lots of bars and restaurants.  I said to our table companions on Friday night that I would bring out of town guests (if we ever have any!!) to the Lakeview District - there are lots of good restaurants and it feels safe to walk around at night.

All in all - chicken gets four stars; black eye pea salad gets five stars; other sides get 3 stars; wait staff gets 5 stars (just my opinion).  Would I eat there again?  Yes!

Note: I was not paid nor given free food from Hattie B's or Skycastle- they don't know me at all!!

Sent from my iPhone (I typed this in my notes section while Mark was bush hogging at the farm - no wifi . . .no service . . .notes section came in handy!