Home Food & Wine Not-to-Miss-Dish Southern fried chicken at Q

Southern fried chicken at Q

Written by Susan Dyer Reynolds

Saturday, 08 March 2008

In 1824, Mary Randolph offered this simple recipe in the third printing of Virginia House-Wife: Dredge chicken pieces in flour, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and fry in a skillet until golden brown. Here in California, restaurants have a habit of fancying up this most basic of Southern classics by fiddling with the crust. Any time I encounter breadcrumbs, cornmeal, Captain Crunch, Corn Flakes, or panko, you’ll find me losing my religion. I like it pure, just like Mary Randolph did nearly 200 years ago. At quirky little Q on Clement Street, they start with Fulton Valley Farms natural chicken and follow Mary’s rules to achieve a light, crispy crust; the meat is tender and juicy all the way down to the breast. They serve it with veggies and a big pile of lumpy mashed potatoes drowning in a pool of country gravy. Amen!     Q: 225 Clement St. (at 3rd); Mon.-Fri from 11 a.m., Sat.-Sun from 10 a.m.; 415-752-2298, www.qrestaurant.com