Test Kitchen: Cluck Cluck...Oink?

In trying to keep pushing along in our southern / soul food fanaticism and wanting to take a break from our barbecue, we decided to give fried chicken a go. After attempting a southern fried chicken & waffle sandwich...without finding a waffle - chicken combo that satisfied us, we went back to the parts and looked to put together a platter instead. Pairing a plate of southern fried chicken that would make the Colonel wish he had our secret recipe, with the kind of ingredient we love the most, pork. Slathering a sausage gravy on the crispy fried chicken resulted in a dish that could only be consumed by the most ravenous, dietary caution to the wind, southern food aficionado around. In other words we killed it right there in the kitchen.

The key was the gravy, studded with Italian pork sausage, it was a real New York take on this southern staple. The way that we ended up dredging up the gravy with every last fry on the platter pretty much confirmed that it was the star. It is no longer a mystery how biscuits and gravy could actually be considered a meal, the vehicle for the sauce, biscuit or Tom's fried chicken, is definitely secondary.

Test Kitchen - Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch

So with a name that we are sure 90% of customers will not understand, we have tested one of our experimental Hot Dog concepts. Wanting to develop a spicy dog that was beyond the "Diablo" version of our cheesesteak, we laid out a selection of scorching spices to top our famous natural hot dog with. The Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch is flavorful but not overbearing, it takes the Hot Dog just over the edge of comfort, leaving a tingling sensation as a mouth memory after eating it. Not for the faint hearted, the hand grenade hot dog will come with a caution, just as the Diablo and the Jambalaya does.

Test Kitchen Winner: Pickle Chips

We have been toying around with new menu items at 3BROS. Slowly but surely, you will be seeing them creep up in the shop. So here is a winner, Fried Pickle Chips. I have to say, I was a little skeptical about these. But just as my skepticism was turning into a vote of "no," my brother shoved a chip into my mouth. After recovering from the fact that the damn thing was fresh out of the fryer and nearly scorched my palette off, I enjoyed the vinegary flavor through the crunch of the coating. Paired with a creamy horseradish sauce, it blew me away. So I had no choice but to agree, even as I tried to ignore the pain that remained in my mouth. A great starter while waiting for your BBQ or some steaks to be cut.