EAT: POSSIBLY HARLEM'S BEST FRIED CHICKEN?

We have had a lot of fried chicken in Harlem over the years and have not really sided with any particular spot as being the best until now.  Most places do a decent bird uptown but usually something is lacking in the fried trinity of seasoning, moistness and especially the crust.   The majority of spots in Harlem do a pretty good job with the first two points but the dramatic crust is often missing. We spied via Instagram that Harlem Food Bar on 114th Street and 8th Avenue had a very popular Thursday night fried chicken special (they often sell out) and decided to see what the fuss was about.

Dropping by the neighborhood spot last night, one of the owners of HFB noticed that the review was happening that evening and sat down to explain how they came up with their yardbird.  Going through every southern recipe that they could find, a buttermilk marinade was fine-tuned to become the secret ingredient along with a mix of spices.  When the plate was served, our vision of what a perfect fried piece of poultry became a reality.  The three pieces of chicken not only had exceptional crust but also were very large in portion.  A knife cuts into the breast piece and juices run out without any pinkness to be seen.  The skin was not only well seasoned in a refreshingly balance way but the organic meat also had the flavor of buttermilk.  Harlem Food Bar has always been a solid go to spot for a casual bite, but for $20 an entree, this Thursday chicken deal is one to look out for and also priced lower then some of the fancier establishments uptown.

All 3 chicken points were met so a 3 star rating can be had here but we actually would say that this is a 3.5 fried platter because of the portion.  Also a hot sauce with a buttery base adds to the entree with a different but obvious side seasoning for those who want a little heat.  Some of expensive chicken spot in the neighborhood have such tiny portions and sometimes one tends to forget what they just ate because the experience was so fleeting.  This festive fried fowl feast only happens once a week so mark your calendars for each Thursday night.