South City Fried Chicken Returns to Preux & Proper
Thanksgiving was a few days ago and, man, did I feast! Turkey, mashed potatoes, yams, green beans, pumpkin pie and more were deliciously consumed. But now I’m at the point where I don’t want to see any more turkey until next Thanksgiving. I’m ready to move on from the leftovers and enjoy something else. Something like South City Fried Chicken. You may remember my initial write up about its opening last year at Corporation Food Hall. Since then South City has returned to its original home, Preux & Proper, and I was lucky enough to try out the new, re-imagined menu.
When I arrived I grabbed a refreshing Arnold Palmer and perused the updated menu. At the food hall it was all about the sandwich whereas now it’s about a well rounded, casual lunchtime menu. There are apps, sides, entrees, desserts and drinks that are all tinged with a good dose of the South. It’s no secret that I love Preux & Proper so I’m tempted to recommend every dish on the menu but instead I’ll focus on my very favorite ones.
Whole Fried Game Hen. 4 pieces of bone-in game hen deep fried with lowcountry seasoning and topped with a buttermilk dressing and a blend of parsley herbs and dill. Such. A. Delight. The chicken was perfectly fried, not too greasy but plenty moist, and filled with flavor. The cool, buttermilk dressing offered a tangy, creamy accent that made the whole dish pop.
Cast Iron Mac & Cheese. You may recall I highlighted this dish when writing of the restaurant’s Sammy’s Cookout pop-up. You may also recall that it was accompanied by the worlds worst photo. Well, I made sure to take a new, decent pic so you can view the dish in all its glory. And did I like it the second time around? I LOVED IT. Orecchietti pasta, ale, scallions, extra sharp cheddar and a host of mystery spices come together to form a dish that’s absolute perfection. Hands down my favorite.
Cajun Fried Pickles. Fried pickles is a dish I’ve often sampled and found lacking. Usually, the ratio of breading to pickle is way off leaving my mouth filled with the flavor of hot pickle. Not here. The house made pickles are thinly sliced, generously coated with a cornmeal, cajun batter and perfectly fried. The result is a peppery, pop of flavor in every bite. Now I know that fried pickles are, in fact, delicious.
Austin Fried Chicken Sandwich. Even though there is a larger South City menu the sandwich remains the star. Six different ones are offered but my very favorite is the Austin. It’s got a crazy list of ingredients (rojo bean hummus, burrata, hot sauce, pickled radish and more), is pretty dang spicy and nearly too tall to eat but, boy, is it tasty. The creamy burrata and hummus offset the spicy hot sauce making it an overall delightful bite. YUM.
My first visit to South City Fried Chicken left me a bit underwhelmed but this time I left elated. Bringing the menu back to Preux & Proper was the perfect idea. Now, the creative sandwiches can be accompanied by some of the restaurant’s signature dishes creating a full dining experience. And this is a lunch menu! Where else can you find a midday meal like this? I can’t wait to return.