The 10 Best Fried Chicken Places in Kentucky
Celebrate National Fried Chicken Day with Kentucky's most famous dish!
Happy National Fried Chicken Day, y'all!
The rest of the USA may have one day to celebrate this delicious dish. Of course, here in Kentucky, it's an iconic meal every single day, thanks to an enterprising Indiana-native businessman named Harland Sanders. (Fun fact: Colonel Sanders earned a law degree via correspondence course, and practiced law in Little Rock, Arkansas for a few years. His legal career ended when he punched a client during a courtroom brawl!)
Of course, my granny makes the absolute best fried chicken in Kentucky, but we may have to sweet talk her a little to get her to fry up enough for all the folks who read HerKentucky! So, in honor of fried chicken, the Colonel, and our awesome Commonwealth, here's our list of the 10 best Fried Chicken Places (that aren't my granny's house) in Kentucky.
10. Beaumont Inn, Harrodsburg. Classic southern-style dinner at this boarding school - turned B&B. Don't forget to ask for some of their house label Kentucky Owl bourbon.
9. Blue Heron Steakhouse, Lexington. A hip new restaurant in Lexington's up-and-coming Jefferson Street district that serves have a bird with gravy and two sides -- what a perfect fusion of Kentucky's culinary past and future.
8. Greyhound Tavern, Ft. Mitchell. This legendary Northern Kentucky eatery serves up a crispy, delicious bird as its Monday and Tuesday special, and with waffles on the weekend brunch menu.
7. Colonial Cottage, Erlanger. Built in the 1930s to feed workers from nearby tobacco farms, the Colonial Cottage has become an institution on the Northern Kentucky food scene. Their chicken is the stuff of legends.
6. Joe's Fried Chicken, Isom. Joe's is one of those Eastern Kentucky dives where you just have to go with a local. It's well worth the trip.
5. Parkette, Lexington. Lexington's 1950s drive-up diner serves what many people call THE REAL KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN. It's a must-visit for all Kentuckians!
4. Harvest, Louisville. This farm-to-table dining concept reimagines Southern cuisine with a few flourishes. Buttermilk-soaked chicken is served with a drunken pork biscuit hoecake, smoked peppercorn gravy, and seasonal hot sauce.
3. Claudia Sanders Dinner House, Shelbyville. Colonel Sanders' legacy was continued at this historic Shelby County mansion after the KFC chain was sold. Don't miss the Sunday buffet for all the fried chicken you could ever hope to eat!
2. Ramsey's, Lexington. I can't tell you how many weekend mornings I wake up and try to convince my beau to "just run over to Lexington" for the fried chicken at Ramsey's. This southern meat-and-three style diner is a Lexington classic, and the food never changes. You get great ingredients, huge portions, and you'll see everyone you know!
1. Merrick Inn, Lexington If you want to get fancy, it doesn't get better than this. Lexington's traditional "fancy restaurant" serves the best fried chicken you can find anywhere!
Did we miss anything? Who makes your favorite fried chicken?
(Here are the best and worst in Fried Chicken-themed goods. I have the Kentucky for Kentucky shirt; I think I'll skip out on the onesie, though.)
This Weekend in Louisville
Photos from around the Derby City
The HerKentucky Guide to the Nashville Hot Chicken Festival
Tips and tricks for getting the most out of the Nashville Hot Chicken Festival.
One of my very favorite Independence Day celebrations has to be the Nashville Hot Chicken Festival. I mean, our forefathers risked life and luxury so that we could enjoy liberty and impossibly spiced fried food, right?
Well, that may be a stretch, but it's a fun time and a good excuse to make a little trip down to East Nashville, where vendors from the Music City's favorite hot chicken restaurants set up shop in East Park. We went last year, and it was a blast!!
If you're thinking of making the trip this year, here are a few little tips to keep you from winding up in a line like this all day.
- Skip the 9 AM free samples. Yes, I know the first 500 people get free samples. Trust me, it's not worth it. It's going to be a zoo. Head between 10 or 10:30; you'll miss the first surge of foot traffic, be able to see the parade from inside the park, and still beat the stragglers to the various booths.
- Eat before you go. I know it doesn't make a lot of sense, because you're going to a festival that's all about food and drink. But, trust me on this one. You'll be waiting in long lines in the heat. You'll be eating spicy foods and, likely, drinking beer. A biscuit or sandwich to soak all that up is not the worst idea.
- Don't waste your time with the hot fish. It's just fried fish with cayenne powder. Skip the fish and focus on comparing the various restaurants' chicken. That's what you went for, anyway.
- Don't expect sides. I love hot chicken, but I also love the amazing, Southern-style sides that are served up with it. I try to hit up Hattie B's every time I go to Nashville, and I love the collard greens and the pimento mac and cheese just as much as I love the chicken. Just a word of warning, the chicken strips meal looks like this in-restaurant at Hattie's,
but the chicken strips look more like this at the Hot Chicken Festival.
Both are delicious, but they're a different experience.
- Break up the duties. Assign everybody in your group with a different line responsibility, then meet up. That way, you can enjoy samples and cold beverages at once!
- Stay hydrated! It's going to be a hot day, and you'll be eating spicy food. Don't forget to drink plenty of water! (You won't be allowed to bring outside beverages into the park, but there will be plenty of places to buy a water or soda!)
- Don't forget your sunscreen! Tomorrow's weather forecast calls for scattered thundershowers, which should break up in the afternoon. It's easy to get sunburned in a hurry in the Nashville sun!
- Don't forget to try some local brews. Yazoo is good stuff.
- Leave the souvenir shopping till the end. Nobody wants to have to carry t-shirts and posters around all day. That said, you probably want to pick something up. The designs are always quite cool, and trust me when I say that a "hot chicken" t-shirt is a conversation starter wherever you go! Your Southern Foodie cred is pretty much cemented.
My beau picked up this awesome t-shirt at last year's festival.
Most of all, have fun and enjoy the Music City's signature fast food!
Five Things That Kind of (Maybe a Little) Connect Tom Cruise to Kentucky
Thomas Cruise Mapother IV was born on July 3, 1962, in Syracuse, NY. But, anybody who's lived in Kentucky any time knows that, before he became the superstar actor Tom Cruise, he spent some time around here. There was a period in the '90s where it felt like every Louisville native I met had an older brother who'd attended high school with Tommy Mapother. In the spirit of exceptionally large classes at St. X and my general belief that I can put a Kentucky spin on just about anything, here are five factoids that connect Birthday Boy Tom Cruise to Kentucky.
Image via Kentucky for Kentucky.
- The same model of U.S. Navy "Tomcat" fighter plane that Cruise's character Maverick flew in Top Gun is on display at the Aviation Museum of Kentucky, located beside the airport. So, the next time you're catching a cheap flight out of the LEX, you can take a photo of that plane, sing the chorus of "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" and pour a little out for Goose before you board. Everybody knows you don't need to be early for a flight out of Lexington, and you're basically commemorating a seminal piece of Kentucky history.
- Even if it was only for a brief time, Tom Cruise attended Louisville's St. Xavier High School. If you've lived in Louisville (or even visited for more than 5 minutes), you know that going to St. X is The Most Louisville Thing Ever. There you go: Tom's a Louivillian.
- Tom's grandfather, Thomas Cruise Mapother Jr, founded the Louisville bankruptcy law firm Mapother & Mapother. So, if you went to law school and hated studying the bankruptcy code, or even if you've ever gotten a collection letter from Mapother, you're basically a cousin to Tom, right?
- Speaking of cousins, Tom's cousin and Mission Impossible 2 co-star William Mapother is also an actor, and a full-on Louisville native.
- Before matriculating at St. X, Tom also attended St. Francis Seminary in Cincinnati, a city which everyone knows is just an extension of the Northern Kentucky Metro Area.
So, there you go. Tom Cruise's Kentucky roots run deep.
Happy birthday, Tom, you Crazy Kentuckian!!
{Lest you doubt the veracity of these claims, please note that much of this article was influenced by Kentucky for Kentucky's blog post Tom Cruise Briefly Attended High School in Louisville," which, in turn, references "multiple biographical sources gleaned from the Internet in a great haste.' Never let it be said that the HerKentucky girls don't do their research.}
HerKentucky's Guide to an Extraordinary Independence Day!
Happy Fourth, y'all! Independence Day is a great holiday. There's cookouts, and fireworks, and cookouts and fireworks...
But this year, why not do a little more? Celebrate the nation while doing something fun and memorable! Here are some great ways to celebrate the holiday around the Commonwealth.
2014 Nashville Hot Chicken Festival
- Start the day off right with a run! Owensboro's Independence Bank is holding a Freedom Day 5K on July 4th. You'll get your exercise in for the morning and feel a little better about splurging on some good holiday food the rest of the day!
- Hot Chicken Festival! Nashville's Hot Chicken Festival is always fun! You can sample the Music City's very own fast food delicacy, take in some great local beer, and meet some really cool new friends.
- The Flea off Market With great vendors and even better food trucks, Louisville's Flea off Market in Nulu is a fun way to see everybody and find some unique treasures.
- Peaches from The Peach Truck! Catch The Peach Truck, Nashville's mobile source for the most amazing fresh peaches, is bringing its Freestone Tour to Kentucky and Ohio over the next few days. At noon on the 4th, they'll be at Brownsboro Hardware. On Monday, they'll be in Somerset and Danville. Check their website for the full schedule, then take a look at Garden & Gun's recipe for Bourbon Brown Butter Peach Ice Cream.
- Take in a Reds Game! Baseball is America's pastime, after all. Why not catch a game in the Cincinnati Reds' series against the Brewers? Sign up here for a free Mustache Appreciation Glass with your ticket purchase.
- Ice Cream Social! Take in the 4th of July Pie Contest and Ice Cream Social in Lexington's Cheapside Park.
- Local Celebrations! Of course, the best party of all is the one that includes your own family, friends and neighbors! Take in your hometown fireworks with friends. Celebrate Elizabethtown's birthday. Celebrate freedom!
- Wear a patriotic tee with a Kentucky twist! I've already planned my outfit with a little help from My Kentucky Tee.
What are y'all doing for the 4th?
B.You July Challenge
Those of y'all who've been reading HerKentucky most of this year know that I fell in love with B.You fitness studio. I quickly found relief from my back injuries through barre classes. I was feeling great, looking great, and then...
And then I hit that point. Everyone who's ever signed up for a gym membership knows exactly the point I mean. The point where, all of a sudden, it doesn't feel like quite as much of a necessity to go to fitness classes. The point where long workdays, or a touch of the flu, or a million other excuses mount up. I was still going once or twice a week, but I was no longer devoted. My form in class suffered. I went up a pants size. My back started to hurt again.
It's like B.You specifically had me in mind when they designed the July challenge. 21 classes in 31 days -- that will certainly get me back to where I need to be. It'll be nice to win a tank top. It'll be much better to lose a few inches and get back in the groove of health and mindfulness.
Meet me at the barre! There's still time to sign up for the B.You July challenge, and I guarantee you'll feel better for it! Visit B.you's Facebook page for more information!
Five Things You Probably Didn't Know About The Corvette
Celebrating the 62nd birthday of the Corvette!
On June 30, 1953, the first Chevrolet Corvette was completed. Conceived as the "dream car" of GM Chief Designer Harley Earl, the original Corvette was crafted by hand.
The Corvette quickly became THE American luxury sports car. The body styles have changed throughout the years, but the Corvette brand remains a cult favorite for folks who love classic American styling, big motors, and speed. Famous Corvette owners include John Wayne and Matthew McConaughey. Seriously, does it get any cooler than that?
1968 Corvette. Image via Car & Driver.
The Corvette is also one of Kentucky's most famous exports. The Bowling Green GM plant has produced every single 'Vette for the past thirty-four years. If you've ever taken a trip from Louisville to Nashville on I-65, you know that Corvette owners from across the country love to drive their cars to festivities at the plant and the museum next door. It's a really cool, surreal experience to see a caravan of Corvettes heading down the highway!
In honor of the Corvette's birthday, (and just because I love any opportunity to drop a little Matthew McConaughey and Steve Sanders into a HerKentucky post), here's some fun Corvette trivia:
- The name "corvette" comes from a small, highly maneueverable naval warship. The Middle French term is derived from the Dutch "corf", meaning "small ship."
- The 1953 Corvette had a base price of $3,498.00; optional accessories were a heater ($91.40) and an AM radio ($145.15). The model came in one color combination: polo white with a black soft top, red wheels, and a red interior.
- In 1981, production of Corvettes was moved to Bowling Green. New 'Vettes from Bowling Green included clear coat paint and the fiberglass-reinforced rear monoleaf spring.
- There was no 1983 Corvette. 1982 was the last year for the C3 model. Although a handful of prototypes were built in 1983, the focus was on the redesign for 1984's C4, which included a one-piece removable roof panel and digital instruments. 1982 was the last year you could purchase the optional eight-track tape deck in a Corvette.
- In February 2014, a sinkhole measuring 40 feet across and 25-30 feet deep damaged the National Corvette Museum, which is located across the street from the Bowling Green plant. Several special edition cars, including the one millionth Corvette, were impacted.
Image via Reuters.
Happy Birthday to the Corvette! If Steve Sanders loves you, then you must be legit.
Everybody's favorite 1990s Corvette enthusiast, 90210's Steve Sanders!