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geekhack Community => Off Topic => Topic started by: Kavik on Mon, 04 May 2020, 17:16:54

Title: I Ate Popeyes For The First Time
Post by: Kavik on Mon, 04 May 2020, 17:16:54
My brother and his girlfriend bought Popeyes for us yesterday, and I was not impressed. The chicken was 95% breading (although it was crispy), the mac & cheese was bland, the mashed potatoes and gravy were ok but a little weird because of the brisket or pork(?) in them, the biscuits were decent but not great, and the fries were actually good.

The food was a little cold by the time it got to us, but I don't think warming it up would have redeemed it. He was talking about how he'd only just recently realized how good Popeyes is while we were eating it. I didn't say anything out of politeness, but I didn't understand how he could say that while tasting the food at the same time.

Yes, I know this goes completely against my current diet.  :'(
Title: Re: I Ate Popeyes For The First Time
Post by: tp4tissue on Mon, 04 May 2020, 17:19:11
The thought of popeyes,  Tp4 feeling relapse.

Tp4 used to eat popeyes multiple times a week..

It's all about the Thighs/ Wings and Drumstix,  the Breast isn't good at all.

Fried chicken HAS TO BE HOT... no excuses... But it also matters that it's FRESH out of the fryer. You have to go at lunch time, preferably in a low-income community where they get alot more traffic than high-income areas.

(https://i.imgur.com/rzEkOCY.jpg)
Title: Re: I Ate Popeyes For The First Time
Post by: noisyturtle on Mon, 04 May 2020, 17:24:09
Fried stuff is usually fried to order at fast food places.

Man, now I want some fried chicken :(
Title: Re: I Ate Popeyes For The First Time
Post by: LightningXI on Mon, 04 May 2020, 18:26:18
I love Popeyes and I would think that this was a subpar experience out of chance and perhaps dependent on location/timing. But alas, I think out of the various major fast-food restaurant chains, Popeyes has the better chicken.
Title: Re: I Ate Popeyes For The First Time
Post by: tp4tissue on Mon, 04 May 2020, 18:30:49
The only chicken at the lvl of popeyes is buffalo wild wings. Buhhhh that place is shi7 cuz they take forever to serve. It's good but not worth the wait times.

And you don't want to go when they're NOT busy, because you won't get the freshest wings.
Title: Re: I Ate Popeyes For The First Time
Post by: funkmon on Mon, 04 May 2020, 18:34:05
Quote from: tp4tissue on Mon, 04 May 2020, 17:19:11
The thought of popeyes,  Tp4 feeling relapse.

Tp4 used to eat popeyes multiple times a week..


Show Image
(https://i.imgur.com/rzEkOCY.jpg)


No Tp4! Go get some graham crackers!
Title: Re: I Ate Popeyes For The First Time
Post by: noisyturtle on Mon, 04 May 2020, 18:48:04
If you could take Church's batter and put it on Popeye's chicken it would be the ultimate lifeform.

Out here we have Ezell's which has amazing chicken, like sit down quality, but the oil they use is gross. They advertise they switched to a healthier oil, but now their food tastes like garbage. They should at least have an option to use the original oil because it's ruined the chain.
Title: Re: I Ate Popeyes For The First Time
Post by: fohat.digs on Mon, 04 May 2020, 19:22:05
Fast food fried chicken is wildly variable, but prepared and consumed at peak I like:

1 - Kentucky Fried
2 - Church's
3 - Popeyes
4 - Bojangles

Off-peak, Kentucky Fried and Popeyes probably stay more consistently good than the others, which get rubbery as they sit around. Church's is the most inconsistent of all. Cold fried chicken is often good but stale room temperature gets nasty.

In my opinion, side dishes at chicken joints are rarely good, most have only poor lame choices even at peak. When I go for fast food chicken, I usually just get the biscuit. Unfortunately, I only like light crispy biscuits, and most have heavy biscuits which are gut bombs.
Title: Re: I Ate Popeyes For The First Time
Post by: tp4tissue on Mon, 04 May 2020, 19:39:50
Quote from: funkmon on Mon, 04 May 2020, 18:34:05
Quote from: tp4tissue on Mon, 04 May 2020, 17:19:11
The thought of popeyes,  Tp4 feeling relapse.

Tp4 used to eat popeyes multiple times a week..


Show Image
(https://i.imgur.com/rzEkOCY.jpg)


No Tp4! Go get some graham crackers!

Kekeke..  Ate some ramen, blasted dat Rachm alla breve over the radio.

Feeling more composed now.
Title: Re: I Ate Popeyes For The First Time
Post by: ArchDill on Mon, 04 May 2020, 21:44:12
If you have Charlie's Chicken in your area, go there. Such great chicken.
Title: Re: I Ate Popeyes For The First Time
Post by: Kavik on Mon, 04 May 2020, 22:32:24
All right, all right. I guess I'll give Popeyes another shot when it's hot and fresh.



Quote from: ArchDill on Mon, 04 May 2020, 21:44:12
If you have Charlie's Chicken in your area, go there. Such great chicken.


Charlie's Chicken is definitely a favorite. I like mixing the gravy with Louisiana Hot Sauce and dipping the chunks in that. The sides at Charlie's are also really good.

My list is
1. Raising Cane's (it is consistently good, and the sweet tea is amazing).
2. Rex's Chicken circa 1993. Newer iterations have not been as good.
3. Charlie's Chicken
4. Chic-fil-a
Title: Re: I Ate Popeyes For The First Time
Post by: tp4tissue on Mon, 04 May 2020, 22:52:04
Quote from: Kavik on Mon, 04 May 2020, 22:32:24



Next time you're there, go during peak hours,  and ASK for FRESH out of the fryer, tell them you're willing to wait. If they resist (they usually won't, lots of people ask for fresh out of the fryer), LIE and say it's your little sister's birthday. Then just drive off and eat it in the car. <don't say it's your birthday or they might check>

MAKE SURE to get THIGH substitution on the breast, you don't want breast, Thighs are better. 

They also have Biscuits, Get half dozen popeyes biscuits.

Make sure to get some of their Cajun Rice , Curly Fries, and Mash, (gravy on the side), that way you get more gravy

Don't forget the Different sauces they have,  get 2 of each one.  Especially Mardigras Mustard. you have to ask for them, they come in the little pods.


THAT SAID::  Poultry is how you catch H5N1 (10-20% kill rate) or H7N9 (40%-50% kill rate), and die.

Title: Re: I Ate Popeyes For The First Time
Post by: Darthbaggins on Tue, 05 May 2020, 10:46:54
1. Otter's
2. Roasters
3. Chik-fil-a
4. Bojangles
5. Popeye's
KFC is bleh - at some point they became to bready and something changed in their recipe.  I can say some locations are better than others, but I lean more towards local small places to get the best or just do it myself.
Title: Re: I Ate Popeyes For The First Time
Post by: tp4tissue on Tue, 05 May 2020, 10:53:55
Quote from: Darthbaggins on Tue, 05 May 2020, 10:46:54
1. Popeye's
2. Popeye's
3. Popeye's
4. Popeye's
5. Popeye's
KFC is bleh - at some point they became to bready and something changed in their recipe.  I can say some locations are better than others, but I lean more towards local small places to get the best or just do it myself.

FTFY

KFC is fine for everything except breast, KFC breast are THE WORST.
Title: Re: I Ate Popeyes For The First Time
Post by: funkmon on Tue, 05 May 2020, 12:16:03
Quote from: Darthbaggins on Tue, 05 May 2020, 10:46:54
1. Otter's
2. Roasters
3. Chik-fil-a
4. Bojangles
5. Popeye's
KFC is bleh - at some point they became to bready and something changed in their recipe.  I can say some locations are better than others, but I lean more towards local small places to get the best or just do it myself.

This is correct, where 5 is best.
Title: Re: I Ate Popeyes For The First Time
Post by: Darthbaggins on Tue, 05 May 2020, 12:20:03
Lol, hey at least they made my list (the ones at the top are local to me being in Atlanta)
(https://gifimage.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/popeyes-chicken-is-the-shiznit-gif-1.gif)
Title: Re: I Ate Popeyes For The First Time
Post by: tp4tissue on Tue, 05 May 2020, 12:33:42
Quote from: Darthbaggins on Tue, 05 May 2020, 12:20:03
Lol, hey at least they made my list (the ones at the top are local to me being in Atlanta)

Every one needs to go watch Little-Nicky (2000) to get Edumacated.
Title: Re: I Ate Popeyes For The First Time
Post by: Kavik on Tue, 05 May 2020, 13:33:56
I returned to Popeyes for lunch today. I got four spicy thighs, two biscuits, sweet tea, mardi gras mustard, black ranch, and RICE (I ordered fries, but whatever).

Hot thighs are infinitely better than the room temperature tenders I had Sunday; however, calling them "spicy" is a lie. The hot biscuits were also better, even better with honey, but not life-changing. Mardi gras mustard was good (I love horse radish), but it didn't really go with fried chicken IMO. The black ranch was really good too and went better with the chicken. The sweet tea was decent but not great (though it's probably what I would prefer as an every day sweet tea since it was only mildly sweet). The rice was dumb.

I can see why people like it now. The breading is crispy but not crunchy or overly greasy; it's right in the sweet spot. That said, I really do prefer white meat with white gravy when eating fried chicken, so I can't say I'll visit often unless there's something else I need to try there.
Title: Re: I Ate Popeyes For The First Time
Post by: tp4tissue on Tue, 05 May 2020, 13:36:14
Quote from: Kavik on Tue, 05 May 2020, 13:33:56
I returned to Popeyes for lunch today. I got four spicy thighs, two biscuits, sweet tea, mardi gras mustard, black ranch, and RICE (I ordered fries, but whatever).

Hot thighs are infinitely better than the room temperature tenders I had Sunday; however, calling them "spicy" is a lie. The hot biscuits were also better, even better with honey, but not life-changing. Mardi gras mustard was good (I love horse radish), but it didn't really go with fried chicken IMO. The black ranch was really good too and went better with the chicken. The sweet tea was decent but not great (though it's probably what I would prefer as an every day sweet tea since it was only mildly sweet). The rice was dumb.

I can see why people like it now. The breading is crispy but not crunchy or overly greasy; it's right in the sweet spot. That said, I really do prefer white meat with white gravy when eating fried chicken, so I can't say I'll visit often unless there's something else I need to try there.


Next time you go, try putting one of everything in your mouth at the same time.

Popeyes Xpert lvl Move.  (https://i.imgur.com/1uEw5z3.gif)

The Spicy is always a little more dry, I don't know why. (maybe they stay in the freezer longer because less people order it) The regular thigh is juicer.

Again.. H5N1, H7N9... / You have been warnnned...
Title: Re: I Ate Popeyes For The First Time
Post by: fohat.digs on Tue, 05 May 2020, 13:38:55
Quote from: Kavik on Tue, 05 May 2020, 13:33:56

better than the room temperature tenders


There are your 2 problems. Tenders lose a lot of flavor and context when removed from the bone, they are good to use in some chicken dishes at home but are usually dry when fried.
Title: Re: I Ate Popeyes For The First Time
Post by: Sintpinty on Tue, 05 May 2020, 16:34:44
yeah i can understand why
Title: Re: I Ate Popeyes For The First Time
Post by: funkmon on Wed, 06 May 2020, 17:40:15
Quote from: fohat.digs on Tue, 05 May 2020, 13:38:55
Quote from: Kavik on Tue, 05 May 2020, 13:33:56

better than the room temperature tenders


There are your 2 problems. Tenders lose a lot of flavor and context when removed from the bone, they are good to use in some chicken dishes at home but are usually dry when fried.

Here's my chicken tender recipe

Step 1. Buy Tyson bbq chicken tenders in the frozen section of the grocery store.

Enjoy!
Title: Re: I Ate Popeyes For The First Time
Post by: tp4tissue on Wed, 06 May 2020, 18:18:49
Quote from: funkmon on Wed, 06 May 2020, 17:40:15
Quote from: fohat.digs on Tue, 05 May 2020, 13:38:55
Quote from: Kavik on Tue, 05 May 2020, 13:33:56

better than the room temperature tenders


There are your 2 problems. Tenders lose a lot of flavor and context when removed from the bone, they are good to use in some chicken dishes at home but are usually dry when fried.

Here's my chicken tender recipe

Step 1. Buy Tyson bbq chicken tenders in the frozen section of the grocery store.

Enjoy!

They're gud''   

But nothing comes close to POPEYES THIGHS.. MILD..
Title: Re: I Ate Popeyes For The First Time
Post by: Darthbaggins on Wed, 06 May 2020, 19:54:46
Well I feel guilty now, had a KFC Famous Bowl for lunch  :-\