Highly Recommended is a weekly spotlight on some of food writer Keith Pandolfi’s favorite finds as he eats his way across Greater Cincinnati. Come back every Tuesday for more.
I was scrolling through a subreddit thread about the best fried chicken in Cincinnati when I came across a place called Jay’s. Jay’s is located inside the Marathon gas station in Columbia Township, near Pleasant Ridge, just across the street from the Home Depot on Kennedy Avenue.
From the outside, it doesn’t look like much. (When I went, the gas pumps were all out of service.) But once you enter, it might remind you of the kind of place you find down south, where gas station food often exceeds the food served at local restaurants. Jay’s is actually a franchise of a Louisiana-based chain called Krispy Krunchy Chicken, an unfortunate name for some very good fried chicken.
It seems I was late to the game in discovering Krispy Krunchy, which was founded in 1989 and now has 3,200 locations in 47 states, mostly inside gas stations and convenience stores. It recently scored a deal to become the official fried chicken of the Boston Red Sox, and restaurantnews.com called it one of the fastest-growing hot food concepts in the convenience store business. According to Krispy Krunchy’s website, they now have seven locations in Greater Cincinnati.
The chicken is marinated in mild Cajun spices, then double-breaded by hand and fried. And dang, is it good. The spice level is subtle, but there are notes of cayenne, garlic and herbs. And yes, it is crispy and crunchy, as well as juicy.
Jay’s also serves some very good sides, including honey biscuits, whipped potatoes, jambalaya and some passable red beans and rice. On the day I went, they were also serving fried okra, which I thought was outstanding, especially for Cincinnati. Even as I’m writing this, I want to go back for that okra.
I’ve also heard unconfirmed rumors that some Krispy Krunchy locations occasionally serve boudin balls, a Louisiana delicacy where meat and rice are fried into tiny spheres of joy. I’ll keep my eye out.
Jay’s Chicken, 5361 Kennedy Ave., Columbia Township. Hours: 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: How my search for the best fried chicken in Cincinnati led me to a Marathon gas station
Reporting by Keith Pandolfi, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
