'Hard Knox' for Service and Sides, but Fried Chicken is Worth a Visit to This Richmond District Soul Spot
She really did cook the best fried chicken in the world. And even though I conservatively estimate that I ate more than a thousand pieces of it before she died, I cannot tell you what made it so good.
— Julia Reed on family cook Lottie Martin in Queen of the Turtle Derby and Other Southern Phenomena
I am a fried chicken fiend. My first recollection of it is watching the bright yellow Chicken Delight car with the big plastic rooster on the roof pull up in front of our house. I was far too young then to remember what it tastes like now, but I know I liked it. What a great concept — buckets of fried chicken delivered right to your door. Evidently, the rest of the Silicon Valley didn't think so, because Chicken Delight went belly up.
Since then I’ve eaten fried chicken all over the country, from Gus’s (also in Tennessee) to Price’s (North Carolina). In the Bay Area, the closest I’ve found to the southern fried chicken of my dreams was at Oakland’s Southern Cafe, which, sadly, has closed. Front Porch in San Francisco, where the chicken comes in a bucket, is up there, as is Casa Orinda in Orinda, where they make it like my mom did (marinated in buttermilk for 24 hours and fried in a pressure cooker). Q Restaurant, on Clement Street in San Francisco, uses Fulton Valley Natural chicken, and is definitely worth a try.
For upscale, but still traditional-tasting fried chicken, I love 1300 on Fillmore, and farmerbrown, the restaurant of former BlueJay Cafe owner Jay Foster, does a decent version (both are in San Francisco). I am heading to Ad Hoc in Yountville soon to try theirs, which I hear is wonderful — though $50 for fried chicken sounds pretty crazy (it better be crusted in gold leaf). My late father’s Kentucky-born girlfriend, Kickie, makes the best I’ve had outside the southern United States — she fries hers in a skillet to perfection, and makes it look a lot easier than it is.
So what exactly is "southern" fried chicken? In his book, The World's Best Fried Chicken Recipes, Georgia native Damon Lee Fowler says that "all cooks, no matter how faithfully they might follow a recipe, will bring to the pot their individual taste and experience." The Chinese refer to it as "wok presence," and Fowler believes there is no better illustration of it "than in what can arguably be called the South's national dish — fried chicken."
In 1824, Mary Randolph offered this simple recipe in the third printing of Virginia House-Wife: “Dredge chicken pieces in flour, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and fry in a skillet until golden brown.” She also included the recipe for cream gravy, considered an essential part of the meal. While the basic ingredients — chicken, flour, salt, pepper, and frying fat remain unchanged nearly 200 years after Randolph's book, Fowler insists that if you give those ingredients to a roomful of southern cooks, "you will have as many variations, each tasting completely different from the others, as you will have cooks."
Few places, especially outside the South, use lard to fry chicken anymore, which is too bad because, clogged arteries aside, it imparts the best flavor.
I initially wandered into the Hard Knox Cafe, on Clement Street near 25th Avenue in San Francisco’s Richmond district, the day after they opened last April. After running errands in the area, I was craving Indian food and had planned to graze the better-than-usual buffet at India Clay Oven, which happens to be right next door.
The original Hard Knox, located on 3rd Street in the Dogpatch area of the City, is an institution, known for terrific fried chicken with all the fixins prepared by a Vietnamese-American owner who learned to cook soul food in Texas. I was excited to see them open in the Outer Richmond, known for its eclectic mix of Asian cuisines, but definitely not for its smothered pork chops and blackened catfish.
My first visit started out great — a bubbly server dropped a plate with two steamy, crumbly-but-not-dry, not-too-sweet corn muffins as she took my drink order. I chose a Thomas Kemper root beer, which arrived in a frosty mug. For lunch, I had to go with the three-piece fried chicken entrée, served with two sides, and reasonably priced at $10. The chicken was excellent — piping hot with a thin, crispy, lightly seasoned batter that enveloped moist, juicy meat. The three pieces included a wing, a thigh, and a drumstick, which suited this dark meat lover just fine.
The sides — mashed potatoes and gravy, and green beans — were not as successful. Both arrived stone cold and without substance. The drab green beans were stringy and overcooked. The mashed potatoes were almost translucent and would have benefited greatly from a big whipping of cream and butter. While Hard Knox was generous with the chicken, they were stingy with the gravy, which was actually quite flavorful and helped the mashed potatoes, which had no flavor at all.
Subsequent visits to Hard Knox over the next several months yielded basically the same results.
When Yummy SCOOP columnist GraceAnn Walden guest-hosted for KGO radio’s popular Saturday morning food show, “Dining Around with Gene Burns” last June, she
invited me to talk about soul food in San Francisco. I told her that where Hard Knox in the Richmond was concerned, I loved the chicken and I liked a few of the other dishes, but most of the sides — and the service — left me cold.
Nearly eight months later, not much has changed except a few of the sides (they got rid of the stringy green beans) and the temperature of those sides, most of which, fortunately, now arrive somewhere between warm and hot.
BBQ spareribs ($11), wonderfully sloppy in a rich, tangy sauce, include three huge ribs full of velvety pork. They don’t have a smoker, so they bake them first to ensure tenderness and then mop them with the sauce. Unfortunately, this means they fall off the bone a bit too readily (I like a little resistance from my ribs), but the flavor is quite good.
Sides were mixed — the red beans and rice aren’t bland like they used to be, but now they are overwhelmed by herbs and spices, especially thyme; the collard greens have improved — tender, briny and satisfying.
The shrimp po'boy ($8) was a soft French roll full of sweet, tender fried shrimp dressed in a tangy rémoulade. I asked for mine "undressed" because that's the way I love them in New Orleans. My dining companion ordered the catfish po'boy ($8) "dressed," with lettuce, tomatoes and onions. The fish was perfectly cooked — moist and delicate and wrapped in a crunchy breading. The side of macaroni and cheese hit the spot — it was bubbling hot and coated in Velveeta-like cheese goo reminiscent of childhood sleepovers.
Braised ox tails ($15) were another hit, with melt-on-your-tongue meat, deeply flavored from slow cooking on the bones, and slathered in brown gravy.
Sides were hot but not great — black-eyed peas and rice suffered the same over-seasoning as the red beans and rice. When I asked our server if the corn on the cob was fresh, he said it was — not likely in February, and one mealy kernel was all it took to prove him wrong.
Fried red snapper ($13), coated in a cornmeal crust, was under-salted and dry. Sides were mixed — plump candied yams were gooey and good, while the potato salad could have been good were it not for the rubbery chunks of hard-boiled egg.
Hard Knox redeemed itself once again with the fried chicken, this time in a sandwich ($7.50) — a crisp-coated juicy breast on a soft roll topped with zesty ranch sauce.
One of the best sandwiches on the menu is not southern at all but rather a Philly cheese steak ($7.50) that could hold its own with some of the cheesesteak joints in town.
Service remains the weakest part of the Hard Knox experience — they always seem to be short-staffed on busy nights, and during one late afternoon visit, the server could barely be bothered to take our order, more interested in the basketball game on the overhead television.
I’ve had the fried chicken on every visit since they opened (and have taken my trusty pit bull,
Jasmine Blue, hiking for an extra half-hour afterward each time because of it), but my hard work at the Hard Knox has paid off — I can now say unequivocally that the fried chicken is among the best, if not the best, in the City. Consistently steaming hot, golden brown, and dribble-down-your-chin juicy, the fried chicken alone is well worth a visit.
Hard Knox Cafe 2448 Clement St. (at 25th), San Francisco, 415-752-3770; Sun–Thu 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Fri–Sat until 10 p.m.
AMBIANCE Very casual, with galvanized steel siding on the walls and condiments kept in metal buckets on the tables. If you want a stiff drink have one at home — they only serve beer and wine.
SOUND LEVEL Quiet enough to hold a conversation without shouting during the day, a bit more of a din at dinner.
LIGHT LEVEL You can leave your Mini Maglite at home — menu items are bolded and the lighting, even at night, isn’t too dim.
NOT TO MISS DISHES Fried chicken is what it’s all about at the newest Hard Knox Cafe
WHAT THE DIAMONDS MEAN Yummy ratings range from zero to four diamonds and reflect food, atmosphere and service, taking price range and style of the restaurant into consideration.
OUR REVIEW POLICY We conduct multiple visits anonymously and pay our own tab.
Dishing with Chef... Dominique Crenn
By Susan Dyer Reynolds
Dominique Crenn is on a roll — the Versailles-born culinary powerhouse was named 2008 Chef of the Year by Esquire magazine for her work at Luce in San Francisco’s Intercontinental Hotel, and this past Saturday she cooked dinner at the prestigious James Beard House.
Crenn returned to the Bay Area last year after a stint in Los Angeles, but she spent nearly a decade working in some of San Francisco’s most lauded restaurants, including Stars (under the tutelage of Jeremiah Tower) and Campton Place.
When she returns from New York, Crenn will face off against Jennifer Biesty in the
“Battle of the Chefs” at Macy’s in Union Square (170 O’Farrell St., San Francisco), Wednesday, March 4. The event is $10 and includes the competition, pre-event food samples and cocktails at 6 p.m.; the bell sounds at 6:30 p.m. Tickets go on sale today, and space is limited.
(We’ll dish with Crenn’s opponent, Top Chef alum Jennifer Biesty of Scala’s Bistro, in next week’s Yummy letter.)
Restaurant:Luce: 888 Howard St. (in the Intercontinental Hotel), San Francisco, 415-616-6566
Food Style: Farm-to-table; simple but innovative and elegant
Upcoming projects: Crenn will be opening the season of cooking at De Gustibus Cooking School on the eighth floor of Macy’s in New York, joining the roster of luminaries who have cooked there before her, including Mario Batali, Julia Child, Thomas Keller, Wolfgang Puck, and Martha Stewart.
Fun Facts: Crenn used to be a ballerina.
What is the last thing you cooked for yourself?
I made a Croque Monsieur — sometimes I just get cravings for those things from my childhood.
What is your favorite food from your childhood?
Definitely my mother’s apple tart — she would make it every Sunday, and I couldn’t wait for the week to go by to get this.
How would you describe working in your kitchen?
Very calm; tight; very respectful of each other and the ingredients. I am very much into evolving every day with my crew. We work as a team.
Something in your ’fridge or freezer that would surprise people?
That there is nothing in them.
What was your worst kitchen experience?
I haven’t had any really bad experiences; I guess once, in L.A., when we had a power outage. We had to be creative to keep people happy. We did a lot of cold plates — cheese, charcuterie … It was perhaps the worst at the beginning, but it ended up being great because we made a lot of people happy; we took a bad situation and made it a good experience.
What is the last restaurant you ate at?
Momofuku, it’s a David Chang restaurant in New York — it was very simple and very good.
If you retired tomorrow, what dish would you be remembered for?
Probably my hot cocoa — seriously, that’s what people say.
What is your favorite offal?
Oh, I love it all — tongue, brain, sweetbreads, cheeks — I do a lot with cheeks. I don’t want to gross people out, but when I was a kid I used to suck on the rabbit’s head. The brain inside is so delicious it’s not even funny.
What is your favorite staff meal?
One of my cooks did fish and chips from scratch and it was wonderful.
What is your ultimate fantasy meal?
I would be on an island with wine and chocolate and bread and butter — I know that is very French, but those are the things I love.
Have a favorite chef you’d like to see interviewed? Send your suggestions to susan@yummyletter.com.
2301 Stevens Creek Blvd. (near North Bascom), San Jose, 408-294-7886
The falafels at Falafel are fabulous — light, moist, ground chickpea fritters with a crunchy, brown crust. You can order them one at a time or in a sandwich, wrapped in a warm pita and topped with cool, creamy yogurt sauce and their signature hot chili sauce. Even the small order (half a sandwich) is a meal. The fresh-cut onion rings may be the best in town — soft, sweet white onions fried crispy with a golden breadcrumb coating. If you don’t love the addictive banana milkshake, you must be too full — it’s the perfect consistency (not too thin, not too thick), and bursting with fresh banana flavor.
I first developed an obsession for fried zucchini while working as a hostess at TGI Friday’s in Cupertino during college. I ended up getting fired for cursing at a customer — a really obnoxious customer, albeit, but still, as the manager who fired me pointed out, “The customer is always right.” Years later I was writing for Gayot.com and they set up a press tasting for me at a restaurant in San Jose. When the manager came over to introduce himself, he turned pale as a ghost. That’s right — it was the guy who fired me.
Much to his relief, I told him that Friday’s had been a great experience — first, it taught a self-absorbed 21-year-old girl that the world did not, in fact, revolve around me; that being cute was not always going to get me off the hook (though it had worked so well with those traffic tickets). But more important, TGI Friday’s introduced me to zucchini battered or rolled in breadcrumbs, fried, dusted with Parmesan cheese, and served with ranch dressing. Friday’s had long since stopped serving fried zucchini, though insiders could still get it by ordering the fried mozzarella and substituting zucchini (because they still had the zucchini in the kitchen for the steamed vegetable side dish).
The three Bay Area Friday’s (San Bruno, Cupertino, San Mateo) suddenly and mysteriously shut down this past December. They were franchised and, rumor has it, victims of some bad accounting (business was only down about 5 percent, even in this tough economy). But I think it’s more likely because they discontinued the fried zucchini. That, and hiring Guy Fieri to hawk their Jack Daniels menu, but that’s another story.
Though it’s not a very common menu item, a few places do fried zucchini. Here are five of my favorites:
5.
The Franciscan Pier 43½, Fisherman’s Wharf, San Francisco, 415-362-7733
The fried zucchini at The Franciscan is cooked perfectly — soft but not mushy inside, crunchy outside — and it would rank higher on the list if they had the holy trinity of fried zucchini (crunchy coating, Parmesan cheese, ranch dressing), but they’re missing two of the three. You can ask for Parmesan cheese to sprinkle on yourself, but they don’t have ranch dressing (neither does their other restaurant, Bobo’s, which also serves fried zucchini). If you’re an aioli fan, you’ll be happy because that’s what they serve for dipping. To me, it’s fried zucchini blasphemy. Still, good flavor and crunch consistency help The Franciscan crack the Fab Five.
Better-known in southern California, this family friendly chain is known for huge portions of consistently decent grub (sort of an American food version of Olive Garden). I remember having the zucchini spears in L.A. once — long pieces cutely arranged like a Lego log cabin. At the Fremont location, the presentation isn’t as fun (smaller spears in a pile), but they’re just as tasty: dipped in breadcrumbs, fried crisp, and tossed with garlic and Parmesan cheese. They sometimes forget to bring the dressing, but when they do you have that ever-important holy trinity.
3.
Ebisu 1283 9th Ave., San Francisco, 415-566-1770
Of course in a Japanese restaurant you’re not going to find Parmesan cheese or ranch dressing, so you’re missing two of the three components of the fried zucchini holy trinity, but what gives Ebisu the edge is the light, fluffy tempura batter. (Ebisu is closed for remodeling, but you can get it at their sister restaurant Hotei,
http://hoteisf.com just across the street.) They serve one of the best vegetable tempura appetizers I’ve had, and if you ask they will make it with all zucchini (I told you I was obsessed). Served with traditional tempura dipping sauce, it is sliced thin, coated with just enough batter, and fried to golden perfection.
2.
Happi House 5353 Almaden Expressway (in Almaden Plaza), San Jose, 408-265-8282 (Other south bay locations: Three others in San Jose; Milpitas, Mountain View, and Fremont — see Web site for addresses)
Like at Ebisu, you’re not going to get Parmesan cheese at this small South Bay teriyaki chain, but you do get ranch dressing made just the way I like it: herby and not too thick (ranch dressing is like clam chowder — you shouldn’t be able to stand a spoon up in it). The zucchini is always hand-battered and fried to order; the tempura is crunchy and golden brown, and, best of all, it’s dirt-cheap: a big pile is under four bucks.
Mimi’s Cafe 6935 Camino Arroyo, Gilroy, 408-842-4043 (Other Bay area locations: San Jose, San Mateo, Hayward, Antioch, Concord, Fairfield, and Dublin — see Web site for addresses)
Even though I prefer batter to breading, Mimi’s zucchini is so good it ranks at the top of my list: a basket brimming with long, thin wedges of tender zucchini rolled in Italian breadcrumbs, fried golden brown, dusted with Parmesan and Romano cheeses that melts into the zucchini, and served with house-made ranch dressing and marinara sauce for dipping. They’re piping hot every time (be careful or you’ll be pulling burned flesh off the roof of your mouth for a week). And if you want to feel a little less guilty, fried appetizers at Mimi’s are made using cholesterol-free cooking oil and zero grams trans fat
Volume 1 Issue 4 
I am a fried chicken fiend. My first recollection of it is watching the bright yellow Chicken Delight car with the big plastic rooster on the roof pull up in front of our house. I was far too young then to remember what it tastes like now, but I know I liked it. What a great concept — buckets of fried chicken delivered right to your door. Evidently, the rest of the Silicon Valley didn't think so, because Chicken Delight went belly up.
My first visit started out great — a bubbly server dropped a plate with two steamy, crumbly-but-not-dry, not-too-sweet corn muffins as she took my drink order. I chose a Thomas Kemper root beer, which arrived in a frosty mug. For lunch, I had to go with the three-piece fried chicken entrée, served with two sides, and reasonably priced at $10. The chicken was excellent — piping hot with a thin, crispy, lightly seasoned batter that enveloped moist, juicy meat. The three pieces included a wing, a thigh, and a drumstick, which suited this dark meat lover just fine. 
invited me to talk about soul food in San Francisco. I told her that where Hard Knox in the Richmond was concerned, I loved the chicken and I liked a few of the other dishes, but most of the sides — and the service — left me cold. 
Sides were mixed — the red beans and rice aren’t bland like they used to be, but now they are overwhelmed by herbs and spices, especially thyme; the collard greens have improved — tender, briny and satisfying.
Service remains the weakest part of the Hard Knox experience — they always seem to be short-staffed on busy nights, and during one late afternoon visit, the server could barely be bothered to take our order, more interested in the basketball game on the overhead television.
Dominique Crenn is on a roll — the Versailles-born culinary powerhouse was named 2008 Chef of the Year by Esquire magazine for her work at Luce in San Francisco’s Intercontinental Hotel, and this past Saturday she cooked dinner at the prestigious James Beard House. 
I first developed an obsession for fried zucchini while working as a hostess at TGI Friday’s in Cupertino during college. I ended up getting fired for cursing at a customer — a really obnoxious customer, albeit, but still, as the manager who fired me pointed out, “The customer is always right.” Years later I was writing for Gayot.com and they set up a press tasting for me at a restaurant in San Jose. When the manager came over to introduce himself, he turned pale as a ghost. That’s right — it was the guy who fired me. 
