Fried Chicken Live

On Wednesday, 10/7/09 Time Out Dining & Libation Society presented Fried Chicken Live at Locanda Verde located in NYC's Tribeca at 377 Greenwich Ave. The chef, Andrew Carmellini, was the inspiration for Momofuku fried chicken dinner. For the past 4 Mondays Locanda Verde has offered a special Monday night fried chicken dinner, but reservations were impossible to obtain (I know - I tried several times each week, but was unsuccessful).

For $75/person ticket the dinner included:

Starter: thick-cut double-smoked bacon (from guest chef Matt Greco of Char No. 4) and butter beans

Main: fried chicken, family-style (yes, it was as good as its reputation - light and crispy crust enrobing moist, tender chicken)

Sides: country-style potato mash with gravy, butter biscuits (light and airy, topped with honey and butter - one of the best biscuits I've ever tasted), collards with honey and pepper vinegar, slaw with pickled jalapeno and chunky tomato, red onion and cucumber salad

Dessert: pumpkin pie topped with whipped cream and apple crumb pie topped with vanilla ice cream (by pastry chef Karen Demasco)

Libations: Basil Hayden Bourbon Smash and Radeberger Beer

The food and drinks were unlimited!

Each attendee also received a little goodie bag that contained mini salt pepper bottles and a stirrer from Basil Hayden.

And we will each be sent an autographed copy of the pastry chef, Karen Demasco's, new dessert cookbook "The Craft of Baking" which has not yet been released.

We were seated in the private room which has a great, warm rustic feeling. There was a live 4 piece band from Brooklyn called The Woes and a bevvy of waitstaff.

The chef and pastry chef both visited several times throughout the night. And after dinner they both said a few words to the group.

What a great way to eat fried chicken!

Locanda Verde will bring back their fried chicken dinners in 2010.