Los Angeles: Roscoe's House of Chicken and Waffles

Like Britney, my comeback has had its setbacks. I still have my hair... for now. When the tests ended, it was holidays, my yearly respiratory infection, applications, and more holidays. I hate personal statements. I'm fabulous and I'm insane enough to make chemistry a career... what more do these schools want?

Apparently, a coherent message about my goals and experiences. If it weren't for good friends answering panicked pleas for editing help, I would have submitted some craptastic essays to some fairly prestigious schools. Yikes.

I'm going to blog regularly after the apps are done in early January. Until then, I'm going to close out 2008 with a visit to a place of legend and lore.

There are many great food pairings, but one of the greatest is fried chicken and waffles. It's baffling to the uninitiated and very few would utter "waffles" when asked for a compliment to fried chicken, but it works. It works incredibly well. I bow to the altar of fried chicken and waffles and the place to worship is Roscoe's House of Chicken and Waffles, with several locations in the Los Angeles area.

Last Sunday's visit with D., Teej, and Krazo took place at the Pasadena location. D. and Krazo ordered the Carol C. Special with one fried chicken breast and one waffle. D. noted that Roscoe's was a smidge pricey for its portion sizes, but it's best to price the dishes per calorie. That way, it appears downright cheap.

Teej ordered the Jeanne Jones Omelette with a waffle, while I ordered the 'Scoe's with gravy and onions. My chicken, all dark meat, was fried to perfection. The crust stayed crispy even drenched by the gooey gravy and onions. Crispy, however, didn't translate to my waffles, which were a little underdone and soggy. I was slightly disappointed, especially since Roscoe's was the place that turned me on to the classic waffle. After a crisp and thin waffle from Roscoe's, I swore off Belgian-style waffles forever and bought a classic waffle maker.

Service was excellent and the atmosphere is dive-ish, but comfortable and fun. Fried chicken and waffles... don't knock it until you've tried it. Happy New Year!!

Roscoe's House of Chicken and Waffles (Pasadena location)
830 N. Lake Ave.
Pasadena, CA 91104