Commentary: National Fried Chicken Day

Waffle and chicken

Oh, look. Today is National Fried Chicken Day. (@DaytonMealDeals tweeted it, so it is true.) If you’re here trying to figure out how such a holiday came to exist, don’t ask me. I have no idea. That’s not why I’m writing.

Really now, July 6 allows food sites like this one the opportunity to highlight their favorite places for extra crispy, southern fried goodness. But that’s been done already. I like fried chicken as much as the next guy, but I have to admit I can’t make a “best of” list from two places.

I want to write about this combination.

Yeah, that’s a Chicken and Waffle Sandwich, the new product of Uptown Grill in Athens, Ohio. Apparently it’s not unique. While that usually means it loses points in my book, I really just have to say: damn, that is good.

You see, back in the day Uptown Grill opened and I thought it was just like any other local place — three stars. But when I heard it came under new management a friend of mine, Joe, told me the new sandwich was the best thing ever. So, of course, I gave it a try because I hadn’t had waffles in awhile. Also I was hungry at 2 a.m. on a Tuesday and I’m disturbed at how few places there are to accommodate that sort of problem. You’d think no one had ever heard of the combination of being hungry and weeknight at 2 a.m.

What I got was a piece of today’s namesake between two waffles in a syrup and hot sauce accentuated with bacon and cheese. So basically, my blood pressure went up with every glance. But believe me, if this is the last thing you ever ate, it would be worth the lost years. You will never taste something so different, and so good in so many ways, in your life. There is no one texture. There is no one flavor. It’s just all good. My love of eloquent food words has met its match. This sandwich defies description. I left a message with Joe creatively explaining how much I liked it. Apparently it was hilarious.

Since the advent of the double down, outrageous chicken is the newest big thing. (Just ask EpicMealTime.) I’m not saying to abandon your diet plans…but if you take a bite of a sandwich like this, you might be addicted.