There are three Red Chickz locations in California, though the company is clearly hoping that the number grows. This is a franchise that appears to have hopes of seeing the links in their proverbial chain expand fast.
“We know the restaurant franchise business and have done our homework,” they say online. “From the homestyle kitchens of Nashville to The Red Chickz restaurants that will be popping up everywhere, we’ve created something really special in an untapped, sizzling market.”
The proof is in the pudding. Or, in this case, the chicken. The “Nashville style” that they push refers to the style called “hot chicken” in Nashville. Unsurprisingly, it’s crispy fried chicken with a spicy bite.
At the Red Chickz, you can order your chicken on a scale that ranges from “Cool” (no heat) though “Glow” (mild), all the way up to “Inferno.” We opted for Glow – having never eaten there before, we wanted to err on the side of caution. As it happens, we could have gone up a level to “Spark” (medium).
We chose the Original Sandwich, as we wanted to go for a dish that they consider a specialty. A chicken tender is served on a bun with pickles, “comeback sauce,” and coleslaw. The comeback sauce appears to be Red Chickz’s take on a thousand island, or a secret sauce. It’s orange, which is initially disconcerting. But it’s tangy and delicious.
The coleslaw is crisp and fresh, and adds some much-needed crunch to the sandwich. The pickles are awesome too. All of those toppings do their job perfectly, which is to temper the grease and spice of the actual chicken.
Of course, the tender is the star of the show. It’s juicy and plump, the coating crispy and marinated in the appropriate spice of your choosing. On a fresh bun, dripping in toppings, every bite is a treat, and proof that not all fried chicken is the same.
An appropriate comparison would be the Louisiana chicken served at Popeyes and other places. But here, the spice is more overt and stickier.
There are choices for sides that include potato wedges and fries, but we paid a little extra and tried the cheese curds. Gloriously unhealthy, the fried delights were full of cheesy flavor and lightly spiced.
Another family member had the Jumbo Shrimp dinner, which came with bread, pickled and comeback sauce, and he chose potato wedges for the side. The generous portion of shrimp came lightly spiced and perfectly crispy.
It would appear that the Red Chickz can do no wrong.
The Red Chickzi is located at 10100 Venice Blvd, Culver City 90232. Call 213-800-1835 or visit theredchickz.com.
