Dave’s Hot Chicken - Cauliflower Slider
LOCATION: Many | CUISINE: American | OVERALL MFK RATING: Fuck
About once a month, my roommate, Michael, will turn to me and go, “Damn. I really want Dave’s Hot Chicken.”
Dave’s Hot Chicken is, you guessed it, a fried chicken spot that came out of LA, but these days it’s pretty much everywhere if you look. As a vegetarian, I’ve never really paid much attention to it. Until recently.
Earlier this summer, however, Dave’s began testing a new menu item at limited locations: Dave’s NOT Chicken, or a fried cauliflower slider (as well as cauliflower nuggets). Finally, I could join my friend in his semi-regular pilgrimage to satisfy his fried sandwich cravings! I have to say, I was disproportionately excited about this revelation — it’s just a sandwich, after all, but its nice to feel included and to have one more take-out spot that we can both hit up.
The second I heard, I practically dragged Michael to the Sherman Oaks location that was said to be piloting the cauliflower menu. It was a quiet weeknight, and I quickly reached the counter where I proudly ordered my NOT chicken slider with fries. Now, I would love to provide you with some more visual evidence of the outing, but the truth is I was simply too amped to recall that documenting the moment was something I was supposed to do. Normally, that would be an excuse to go back and take some photos, but what can I say? I can’t wait. It was that good. Here is the very quick breakdown:
The Sandwich
First thing’s first: cauliflower is a very tasty vegetable. I was skeptical of it for a long time — my Saturday morning cartoons were not kind to broccoli or its poorly-pigmented cousin — and, honestly, I think I had every right to be. When cauliflower is not cooked well, it sucks! Rest assured, Dave’s cauliflower did not suck. The slider’s “patty” was cooked all the way through, adequately softening cauliflower’s tough, often unpleasant core, and the breading was well-balanced without being half-assed. Even having ordered the “mild” level sauce (I wanted to play it safe the first time), the sandwich was flavorful and actually quite satisfying.
MFK (Marry, Fuck, Kill) Rating: That hometown booty call you happily hit up a few times a year
The Fries
Yes, the french fries get their own section, because even when I’m not craving that slider, I’m craving these fries! I look for two things in fries: surface-to-innards ratio and seasoning. These were perfection on both counts, with a crispy, golden exterior only to be outdone by the fluffy, potato-y interior, and a spicy/salty/umami seasoning that should probably be labeled as a controlled substance. They aren’t enough to justify a visit on their own (your girl needs a full meal if she’s going for fast food), but in concert with the sandwich, they’re a dream.
MFK Rating: That sexy ex who you wish had been willing to settle down
Overall, did I discover something revolutionary? Probably not. Many restaurants have mastered fried cauliflower. THAT BEING SAID, few of those have been fast-casual joints, and it is a perpetual tragedy for us carnivorally-challenged-folk to be left out of the impulsive craving and late night munchies runs just because someone really wants fried chicken. Dave’s has acknowledged that tragedy, and has provided us succor. I really hope they keep this menu item around (and especially hope they don’t replace it with some manufactured chicken substitute, like most do). If so, I’ll look forward to being the one who turns to my roommate and says “Damn. I really want Dave’s Hot Chicken.”
