Dave's Hot Chicken is bold, bright and all right
'Get rich or die fryin' slogan sets the tone for 23rd's latest attraction
“Hi, welcome to Dave’s!” someone hollered as other staff wearing “get rich or die fryin’” T-shirts moved around, cleaning windows with teenage alacrity. Some of the kids wore Dave’s bandanas, like Ralph Macchio as the Karate Kid. Others wore red trucker caps. Everything, including the napkins, is branded with fry puns. Dave’s, Dave’s, Dave’s. The walls are loud with faux graffiti; I didn’t try to decipher its message.
“Should I use those screens, or can I order with you?” I asked a young woman working there. “With me is fine!”
I liked her right off the bat. I requested the simply named No. 4, medium spice level. According to a graphic behind her, No. 4 is a chicken slider and fries, with a zippy-looking condiment for the fries. The same condiment zig-zags back and forth all around the fried chicken as if to say, ‘Step back, I’m spicy!
I asked for a beer. “Sorry, we don’t have that,” she said and gestured toward some brightly colored liquids behind her. “Water’s great!” She handed me a buzzer that glowed with a small red No. 4. and said her name was Sofia. Later she told me the milkshake machine will be running soon, and that the pick-up window opening to the sidewalk is just for people running deliveries for the apps.
A man speaking loudly in Russian into his cell phone paced around by my table waiting for a delivery. Two massive bags of food in thick plastic bags with handles were handed to him, and he left. Just then, a Dave’s employee sprinted past, running like the wind to chase the man down with something left behind. Like Steve Prefontaine of Northwest 23rd, he got cheers from people on the corner for the nice save.
My buzzer went off. I eyed the crinkle-cut pickles on the side. They were good. This is a giant slider, can I eat all this? Yes, I can. There’s a little bit of kale in the slaw, that’s good. Look at all those fries dusted with paprika, damn. Also crinkle-cut. A lot of feelings swirled around me. Sofia came by and asked, “Is everything tasting all right?”
Everything was very all right.