In 2011, Jus Cookin's was voted by Food & Wine Magazine as the 23rd "Best Fried Chicken in the United States!". Being nearby, Keith just had to stop in and check it out. We arrived just before 5:30pm, which seemed to be prime time for the regular senior clientele. We managed to snag a nice booth though and our server was very kind and patient. I ordered a delightful glass of lemonade and was happy to see they had a smaller lunch portion of their famous chicken dinner. Keith ordered the regular portion, which came with 4 pieces of chicken for only $2 more. The meal came with a side salad and a large roll that was bigger than the plate it came on. I saw many other diners pack up their leftover rolls to take home. This must be a common practice, as the servers handed out actual paper bread bags.
Soon our chicken dinners arrived and my eyes opened wide, as I knew it was going to be worthy! The chicken was tender and moist inside and easily came off the bone. The crispy breading on the outside provided a nice crunch and texture. The mashed potatoes were rustic with the red skin bits and the gravy was seasoned just right. The cole slaw was some of the best I've had. Super refreshing with the perfect mix of mayo and vinegar dressing. An orange wedge was also on the plate, and the residual orange juice gave an extra citrus kick to the chicken that just made the whole thing pop! We really enjoyed our chicken dinners. I was stuffed to the gills, but Keith was tempted by the desserts and saw they had his favorite apple cobbler available. We asked to share an order, and it came presented in two separate portions. I initially thought the server brought us two separate orders, but she said they were two half-orders. Again, they must be used to folks sharing items. The cobbler itself was overly sweet for me and a bit under cooked. I barely took two bites since I was so full. Nevertheless, the chicken dinner at Jus Cookin's is a sure winner. Even though they were only ranked #23, it makes me wonder what the other 22 must taste like!
Total Rating: 3.9
Food: 4, Price: 5, Service: 3, Ambience: 2, Accessibility: 4
What I ate:
Fried Chicken Dinner (Lunch Portion)
2 pieces of chicken, with mashed potatoes and gravy, and cole slaw
served with a small salad and dinner roll
Apple Cobbler
with vanilla ice cream
