Rebirth Of Peruvian Chicken, Donations At Looney's, Pop Up At Bistro Blanc, And More

Peruvian chicken may be coming back to the Hickory Ridge village center, according to Amanda who posted on the HowChow Facebook page that she spoke with a man working there Sunday.  He said they're looking to re-open under a new name in the Chick 'n Pollo space.

Check out the page for other comments -- including an offer from Looney's in Fulton to match any Hurricane Sandy donations and a post from Colleen linking to an article about R&R Taqueira.

In a similar vein, Bistro Blanc will run a special menu on Wednesday and try to raise money for hurricane victims.  They're calling it a "pop up" restaurant.  They brought back three chefs who used to work in the Glenelg kitchen, and you can read about the event on the restaurant's blog.

What's Up At Chick 'N Pollo In Columbia?

Has anyone been able to eat at Chick 'N Pollo in the last week?

I can't get anyone on the phone over several days, and people have been leaving comments to say that the Columbia restaurant has been closed when they drove past.  I loved being able to get antichuchos and other Peruvian items -- especially the chicken and the spicy sauces.

Anyone know what's up there?

Antichuchos at Chick'n Pollo in Columbia

If you just want to try some tasty grilled beef, you need to check out the special antichuchos on the menu at Chick'n Pollo in Columbia.

The restaurant in the Hickory Ridge village center does most of its business in Peruvian roast chicken, and I'm a fan of the chicken, sweet plantains and yuca fries.

But the new find is another Peruvian speciality, the antichuchos.  You get a plate with thin slices of marinated beef grilled on skewers.  It's a slightly chewy texture, but a rich beef flavor, a bit salty from the marinade and perfectly paired with the spicy tomato salsa served on the side.

The skewers come with a boiled potato that Chick'n Pollo drops in the flyer when you order.  The potato halves come out crisp, but not greasy.  Ask for an extra little container of the green sauce that they serve with the chicken.  That creamy, spicy sauce goes great with the potato.

That's it.  Go try the antichuchos.  You'll be happy.

If you want to know more, then you need to read more.  But do you?

Cookies and Purple Corn Drink At Chick'N Pollo

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.

Chick'n Pollo -- First Thoughts On Opening Night

I hope that Chick'n Pollo in Columbia is always successful, but I hope it is never as busy as it was Thursday night.

The Peruvian chicken restaurant in the Hickory Ridge Village Center opened to a packed house last night.  Tasked with bringing home dinner, I thought I was being clever to stop there.  But I ended up spending 45 minutes in line and waiting for my meal.  The aroma kept me in line.  Chick'n Pollo smelled delicious, and that seemed to keep the crowd patient and happy.

The chicken was delicious.  There are real fanatics for this Peruvian roasted bird, and I don't claim enough expertise to join the Chowhound debates -- like this one about El Pollo Kiki Riki in Wheaton.  But the Chick'n Pollo bird was bigger and tasted better than the supermarket rotisserie chickens, which I have recently taken up as convenience food.

My meal was moist and had a seasoned flavor that steps up from the supermarket.  There are just a few pieces of skin, crispy and delicious even though you know it's bad for you.  I also love the side sauces -- a green spicy one and a yellow creamy one that still offers real flavor.  A half-chicken is perfect for our dinner because we're a Sprat family -- one loves white meat, one is quite happy with a wing and drumstick.  A full chicken would fill some brown bag lunches.

But I also hope that the food will improve a bit as Chick'n Pollo settles into a normal groove.  The side dishes -- although fried perfectly to crisp, but oily -- are expensive.  ($3.50 for beans and rice?)  The yuca was really dry when we got it home, and the plantains weren't right.  Too starchy.   Not sweet enough.  That might be a style issue, but my favorite plantains are always soft and sweet.  These might not have been ripe enough yet.  (The HowChow tip:  Call ahead and have someone turn your home oven to 400 while you're at Chick'n Pollo.  Yucca fries cool as you carry them home.  A few minutes in a hot oven make them fresh and crisp again.  Our leftovers were actually better for lunch today because they were hot )

This looks like a great addition.  I'd go just for the chicken, but they have some burritos that I have to try -- burritos . . . in a Peruvian place . . . that claim to use Thai green or red curry sauce.  I love America.

If you want to compare the local Peruvian chickens, you can test Chick'n Pollo against Pollo Fuego in Jessup. Or check out the great fried chicken at Chick N' Friends in the Long Reach Village Center in Columbia.

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.

Chick'n Pollo To Open Jan. 7 In Columbia

The Peruvian chicken place in Hickory Ridge Village Center should open on January 7 -- at least according to the guys walking out of Chick'n Pollo on Tuesday evening.

I reported by accident. I went past Chick'n Pollo in the hopes of grabbing dinner, but I arrived to find three guys locking up the doors. The restaurant looks just as ready to go as it did in mid-November. But the guys -- who looked like a manager/owner and a contractor -- said that they just got their final approval from the county.

They said they'll open on January 7. The menus suggest that they'll sell Peruvian chicken, along with Mexican food. They're on the back side of Hickory Ridge -- closer to the Luna Bella Pizzeria than the Giant.

Until Chick'n Pollo opens, you need to get your Peruvian chicken at Pollo Fuego in Jessup. Or check out the great fried chicken at Chick N' Friends in the Long Reach Village Center in Columbia.

Chick'n Pollo Still Under Construction

The new Peruvian chicken place in the Hickory Ridge Village Center looks almost ready to open, but they haven't fired up the grill yet.

CJB sent me these photos of the Chick'n Pollo last week, and I checked again Wednesday -- with the vain hope of getting

lunch there. Chick'n Pollo looks ready to open with menus artfully spread on the counter. But no one was in site, and the door was still covered with permit paperwork.

The signs say that Chick'n Pollo will have Mexican food on top of the Peruvian chicken.

Anyone know an ETA?

Until Chick'n Pollo opens, you need to get your Peruvian chicken at Pollo Fuego in Jessup. Or check out the great fried chicken at Chick N' Friends in the Long Reach Village Center in Columbia.

More Peruvian Chicken -- "Chick'N Pollo" Coming To Hickory Ridge in Columbia

More Peruvian chicken is coming to Howard County -- this time Chick'N Pollo to the Hickory Ridge village center in Columbia, according to an email from Colleen.

Colleen said she stopped by yesterday and peered into the Chick'N Pollo restaurant on the back side near the Dominos. The sign says that they'll carry Peruvian chicken and Mexican food. She says it looks like it could open any time (although I remember waiting months for Fatburger!).

Pollo Fuego opened the first Peruvian chicken restaurant in Howard County last spring in Jessup. It was just December when BillZ was hoping for a roasted chicken joint and we all had to drive to Mega Chicken in Laurel for chicken, yucca fries and the spicy sauces, as pictured above. Chick'N Pollo could make the top Howard County takeout list if the food turns out good. (BillZ got Peruvian chicken and a Five Guys from his post about "things he would like to see in Howard County." This December, I want him to wish for a Lebanese Taverna and maybe a banh mi sandwich shop.)

If you want more information, there is a Web site with the right address in the 6400 block of Freetown Road and the name "de Chick'n Pollo," as Colleen pointed out. For now, it looks like a dummy site because there are blank menus, photos of white tablecloths and china that can't be Hickory Ridge along with critical reviews commending the place that hasn't opened it. But I assume they'll add more information soon.

Thanks for the tip!

Hickory Ridge is off Cedar Lane just north of Rte 32, and it has some nice food options. People talk up the gyros at the Hickory Ridge Grill, and there is a new Japanese steakhouse called Maruha. Then in the back, there is Luna Bella for Italian and pizza and Narita Sushi for basic Japanese.