Image Above Courtesy of Leandro Fornasir Twice Fried Chicken from Willoughby Road Food Truck
About a year ago I decided I was going to tackle as many chicken and waffle New York brunches as possible. After an extensive amount of discussion and research I lauded The Redhead the overwhelming favorite. Six months ago I relocated back to Los Angeles, home of Roscoes House of Chicken and Waffles – yes I’ve visited since I returned, but only once. So when this past fall a friend suggested we enjoy dinner at The Gorbals. After a bit of homework that included a slew of reviews and a handful of pictures I happily agreed because of the rave reviews the Twice Fried Chicken had received.
I typically pine exhaustively over a restaurants menu before a visit. My main course is usually a game time decision but this time I had my heart set – anything less then Twice Fried Chicken would be unsatisfactory. I was drooling before I left the house, stomach rumbling I could hardly wait.
After our journey from the Westside into Downtown LA had concluded we were cheerily sat at one of a handful of open tables. I decided to start with a French Cowboy, the menu lists it’s composition as rye whiskey, lemon, brown sugar & bubbles.
While ordering I was informed that Executive Chef Ilan Hall, winner of Top Chef season 2, had removed the dish from the menu quite some time ago but the restaurant frequently brings back “discontinued” items as specials and today the chicken was on the menu. We were in luck!
We pacified ourselves with a handful of starters including the latkes with smoked apple sauce and the broccoli, soy, chilies and vinegar. Both satisfying but nothing exceptional. Deep fried broccoli and cauliflower are one of my favorite things from Maoz Vegetarian’s unlimited salad bar. Chef Hall’s rendition is tasty but nothing to write home about.
Finally, it was time. After all of the anticipation, it arrived – everything I had expected it to be. Crispy, flavorful, mouth watering and best of all – extremely moist and juicy. It was perfect. Every once in a while you have the pleasure of experiencing a treat, food or beverage, so well crafted that you wouldn’t dare think of changing a single thing. This is one of those well crafted dishes that meets that gold star standard. And the watermelon, such a refreshing accompaniment to the chicken. Inside The Gorbals these devastatingly simple, yet perfectly executed components collide in sheer bliss.
Dessert was a no-brainer, where sweet & salty collide God rest my soul. The sticky toffee pudding, ice cream and maldon salt were a perfect match. The solid conclusion to a job well done.
The Gorbals
501 South Spring Street | Los Angeles CA 90013 | 213.488.3408
More from photographer, artist and editor Leandro Fornasir;
Leandro Fornasir on Etsy
Buy Leandro Fornasir Prints on ImageKind
Read ‘Cheap Plastic Goodness’ Leandro Fornasir’s Plastic Cam Blog
Read ‘Grumble Grumble’ Leandro Fornasir’s Food Blog
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