The Passyunk neighborhood has plenty of fancy sit-down restaurants to lure diners and visitors out of their homes and off the streets, but the recently opened Redcrest Fried Chicken is poised to win the hearts and minds of the casual grab-and-go crowd.
Chef/owner Adam Volk knows how to fry up some chicken, available in quarters ($6), halves ($10) and wholes ($18). The result is classic Southern fried chicken: perfectly crispy skin on the outside and super hot and juicy on the inside.
Apparently word, as well as the alluring aroma, has spread through the neighborhood quickly: We were told that on weekends, Redcrest plans to stay open until late in the evening — but routinely sells out of chicken and has to close by mid-evening.
As good as the pieces are, the sandwiches ($7) are even better, fried up into perfectly seasoned cutlets and piled high with fixings like coleslaw and spicy mayo on a fresh bun.
The sides are good enough to enjoy on their own. The corn pudding, available in small and large sizes ($3/$6), is fluffy in texture with a slight sweetness. The biscuits ($1 each or $5 for 6) have a unique and crusty texture that goes well with the chicken. And Redcrest’s barbecue sauce is so amazingly tangy, smoky and complex, we would happily buy bottles of it.
So if you find yourself feeling peckish in Passyunk and you’re in a hurry, hit up Redcrest Chicken. Just make sure you leave some for us.
If you go
Redcrest Fried Chicken
1525 S. 11th St.
215-454-6951
http://redcrestfriedchicken.com/
Tues.-Sun.: 11 a.m.-11 p.m.