I'm going to Chick'N Pollo in Columbia for takeout chicken, but I'm grabbing their house-made cookies on the way out the door.
It's a really simple dessert with a cookies on top and bottom and a caramel layer inside. Think upscale Oreo with a dusting of powered sugar to boot. As noted in the comments below, they're called alfajores, and they're normally displayed right next to the cash register.
These are a treat for $1.95. They also make flan in house.
Although Chick'N Pollo offers the standard Mexican sodas, it also offers one soft drink with a real Peruvian flavor. Apparently, chicha morada is a common Peruvian soft drink made from purple corn. A New Jersey company bottles it under the "Chicha Limena" brand, and you can buy them from the counter.On the plus side, Chicha Limena appears to be all natural -- listing ingredients of water, sugar cane. purple corn extract, pineapple, lemon, cinnamon and cloves. But I have to say it's an acquired flavor. Pineapple, lemon, cinnamon and cloves make for a subtle flavor and then an aftertaste that is more unusual than refreshing to me. But that was just my first bottle. I'm sure Peruvians would be shocked by their first taste of my Diet Dr. Pepper as well.
(Update: I fixed the name and the price based on the comments below.)
There are lots of comments on my first post about Chick'N Pollo -- many positive, but some real critics of Peruvian chicken. There are some mythical places closer to DC with loyal followers. I think this is a great takeout dinner. Mrs. HowChow likes the chicken, but it isn't one of the meals that gets her most excited.
Chick'n Pollo
6470 Freetown Road
Columbia, MD 21044-4016
(410) 531-8689
NEAR:
This is in the back side of the Hickory Ridge Village Center. It is
off Cedar Lane north of Rte 32. You can park around back, or you can
park near the Giant and walk through the center. Very convenient.
I believe the cookies you are referring to are called "alfajores", and yes they are traditional in Peru. $1 a piece is rather cheap considering the alternatives in Wheaton and other DC areas.
ReplyDeleteChicha Morada (as bottled in NJ) is not the best, but close enough for those of us who do not have time to prepare it. It's really supposed to be made of purple corn only (boiled). The way they typically drink it in Peru is by having apple chopped to very tiny pieces and mixing it with the "chicha", pineapple, lemon, sugar and drink it (while cold, I believe they traditional slang is "al polo") during the summer season.
Hope this helps!
They are "alfajores". I wrote about them in the opening post for Chick'N Pollo.
ReplyDeleteThey are some of the best alfajores that I have tried at all the other peruvian chicken places.
But I do not believe they are $1... I have always been charged $1.95... trust me I know because usually I spend more on the cookies than I do on the chicken!!! :)
Wow...$1.95 for one alfajor?? I'd rather make them at home. They are pretty good though! Do you know if they sell "empanadas de carne/pollo"?
ReplyDeleteJust wondering...I'll have to try this place soon!
I don't remember if they have empanadas at all. They did have a burrito with a Thai sauce inside.
ReplyDeleteIf you're looking for empanadas, consider checking out El Patio Market in Jessup. That small grocery sells delicious ones as hot takeout or to carry home and heat yourself.
This link goes to a post about El Patio.
What about the chicken everybody? If I was the owner of this store I would pretty disappointed I got a write up about my cookies and not even a word about the wonderful chicken! Can't wait to try to cookies though...I would have never ordered one if you hadn't mentioned it.
ReplyDeleteThe cookies are now $2.25/each - I include a few in the care packages that I send to my son (away at college)...
ReplyDeleteChicha Limena is delicious and not too sweet. I found it at my local full service supermarket in the Latin America section. You must try it!
ReplyDelete