An ode to chicken- a food review
The day: a Saturday. The date: December 13. The time: unimportant. Suffice it to say that my human and I were extremely hungry. Mexican food was the craving but in her food delirium, my human had done very little planning as to where to eat and simply started driving with the hope that the “right place” would present itself.
Hunger, time, and traffic led us to a chain called Chicken Fiesta, one of those “often passed but never tried” restaurants. Upon entering, we were warmly greeted (well, she was warmly greeted. No one greeted me as I was tucked deep inside her bag with nothing but a tuft of my hair showing over the top). Behind the registers, a large open oven with dozens of chickens rotisierring over a real fire added visual interest as did the festive holiday decorations (holly berry soda cups!) and numerous live plants. The staff helpfully explained the menu and soon, an order of a chicken quesadilla and a side of rice was placed.
After a brief wait, food was achieved and all 3 of our stomachs were satiated. (Yes, despite my small stature, I do have 2 stomachs.)
Presentation was minimal with everything served in styrafoam cups and plates (which was not the preferred material when it came to cutting up the quesadilla). The portion was not overly large though it still satisfied. The chicken was near perfection- moist, tender, succulent and highly evocative of the Bantha strips on Tatooine. The cheese tasted like a standard blend of shredded Cheddar/Monteray Jack and our consensus was that a more traditional white cheese like oaxaca would have made a significant improvement. The rice was fine, more of yellow “Americanized” rice than the deep orange rice we were anticipating. The flavor was not overly dramatic though we were most appreciative that it had not been overcooked and dried out. A bit of the mild dipping sauce lent additional flavor to both the rice and quesadilla and a small leftover container came home with me for later use.
Overall, while not the most flavorful meal we have ever had, Chicken Fiesta will happily be visited again. Its chicken shines and its staff were friendly and helpful and the atmosphere cheery and pleasant with claw tapping Hispanic beats over the loudspeakers. The pricing was more or less fair though perhaps slightly high considering the size and the quality (quesadilla coming in at $10.50, side of rice at $2.50). Next time, another dish will be sampled–and a large side of yucca fries MUST be had after an employee kindly let us sample one as we departed. (Imagine pao de queijo Brazilian cheese bread rolls. Somehow, these yucca fries seemed to taste like those and made us extremely happy). It was an extremely pleasant outing for both me and my human which was topped off with a trip to the grocery store and a highly decorated greenhouse with the delightful sights, sounds, and aromas of the Life Day time (or Christmas, for you earthlings). Merry Life Day to all and to all, a good bite…..of something delicious…….like yucca fries.
Written 12/14/25
The Adventures of The Crumb 