Fat's Chicken and Waffles - BEST I have had EVER

Fat's Chicken and Waffles
2726 E Cherry St
Seattle, WA 98122                                     
27th Ave & Temple Pl -Central District            
(206) 602-6863      
fatschickenandwaffles.com  


From the owners of Lil' Woody's in Ballard - this is a welcome addition to the Central District. Locally owned and locally managed - this spot has only been open a month and there was a line out the door when we got there this past Friday night.

Greeted by every waiter and the manager, which to me is so important and a huge part of the restaurant experience.  The staff was happy to be there, the customers were happily eating and the place was bustling.  Thankfully we had friends get there ahead of us, and had saved a table.  They were already munching on appetizers and had ordered the mac and cheese and drum sticks - and I would take a photo but they had already licked the bowls clean!

While waiting for our main dishes we ordered drinks as well as friend green tomatoes, which were tart and yummy and paired with a creamy pimento cheese which made my southern husband happier than a preacher on Sunday! "You people in the Northwest don't appreciate the importance of a good pimento sandwich!" Nope, I sure don't lol.  The atmosphere was bright and comfortable but not too comfortable. They want you to enjoy yourself but don't sleep - because someone is always waiting for your seat!

Now to the food. I have had chicken and waffles served lots of ways. Bone in or boneless, dark meat or light meat, spicy or bland - and the waffles have ranged from thick and dry to crunchy and overdone.  These were PERFECT on both fronts.  

So because its the name of the spot and my dish - I will review my plate first. Let it be known: I COULD EAT THIS MEAL ONCE A WEEK AND I JUST MIGHT.  
Chicken was fried perfectly with just a little spice. BONELESS breast that wasn't too greasy.  TWO, yes let me say it again TWO thin waffles that were the size of a small hubcap.  I was in heaven. You will use ALL of your butter and ALL of your syrup and a little hot sauce if you know how to do it.  It was perfect. I had to resist the urge to eat with my fingers and swoon to a nearby table. 

If I had to add anything I would say MORE syrup or even dispensers on the tables so you don't have to ask for more.

Every single person in our group tried a bite and had the same reaction. A photo doesn't do it justice.



The other three people had sandwiches.  Your choice of fries (which were a think shoe string done just perfectly and seasoned lightly) or beans and rice.  Here are the three sandwiches - which I was told were ALL amazing, done perfectly, dressed generously and HUGE.

The Fried Chicken Sandwich with Pimento Cheese and Pickles (My husbands choice of course) He said "It was perfect. Very few people understand the importance of pickles and pimento paired with fried chicken"

 

The Fried Shrimp Sandwich with a side of Rice and Beans was ordered by our friend Justin who barely spoke and when we looked over the rice and beans were GONE and the sandwich close to gone. That was testimony enough.

 

 

 

The Fried Catfish Sandwich was ordered by my friend Marika and she said it was awesome - "It was an awesome balance of all the flavors you want on a catfish sandwich, including texture." 

 

 

 

Go to Fats, and if there is a line, WAIT, its WORTH IT. Support local businesses in the CD and support the owners and the neighborhood. Erika the Manager did a great job of making sure we were always happy, while balancing her staff and the to-go orders.  She was laid back and calm during the rush and made everyone feel welcome and like family.  That and those damn chicken and waffles, is why we will be back...maybe even this week lol...

 

Best Foodie movie since Big Night and Like Water for Chocolate...

The Hundred-Foot Journey
2014
Directed by: Lasse Hallström
Staring: Helen Mirren, Om Puri, Manish Dayal
Rated: PG

Not since "Like Water for Chocolate" or "Big Night", has a foodie cooking movie moved me in this way.  Food movies, in my opinion, are so hard to pull off - because food is subjective and really talented cooking and the finess that goes into it - is hard to make realistic and real on the big screen. Much like art, what is amazing to one person isnt amazing to another. What is talent to one, isnt talent to another in regards to cooking as well.  This move shows both sides of the cooking world so brilliantly, and then brings you to a glorious happy medium in the end, literally leaving you weeping in your food.

 The Kadam family travels from India to France - after the loss of the Matriarch of the family - who was the parent that laid the foundation for her children to cook with their hearts. She taught them to cherish and celebrate ingredients for what they are and to dig deep into your roots to give food a peice of yourself.  The father (played by Om Puri who tugs at your heart strings the entire movie) and his children leave their home in search of a place to carry on her memory through food, and a place to share their love of food with others.  They find a location that is literally 100 feet from one of the towns classiest French restaurants, that has a Michelin star to back it up - owned by the stern and recently widowed Madam Mallory (played by the amazing Helen Mirren).

Hasan Kadam (Brilliantly played by Manish Dayal) is the middle son who has been blessed with the cooking talents and pallet of his mother.  He mets one of the sous chef's from Madam Mallory's restaurant at the local market, and though there is obvious attraction it is clear, they are from two diffferent sides of a turf war.

The restaurants begin battling over food, music, taste, customers and even decorations.  The movie is fairly predictable at this point, until it takes a dramatic turn and exposes emotions and heart on both sides.

I watched this movie on a plane, not knowing it was a Speilberg/Oprah film and adored it. Cried like a baby. Being a home cook and someone who loves cooking for people as a way to show them how much I care about them, this movie touched my heart.

The ending had me reeling - I wont ruin it - but I can tell you that it takes a turn I didnt see coming. I found it an interesting turn none the less, as it visited the topic of school trained chefs vs self taught. 

Does your culture and family taught cooking ability give you an edge in the foodie world? Or is Culinary School the only way to propel your career and mold you into a true chef? I like to think its a bit of both.


The movie is wrapped up with a big emotional comfort food bow at the end, which can be cheesy but then I realized, thats what food does. It makes you feel silly, happy and cheesy - and this is what that movie did.  A great movie about culture, family, determination and how the food effects the human spirit.