The Prodigal Fried Chicken Returns: Pies N Thighs Reopens

At the rate we praise the pleasures of fried chicken on this site, one would think we all had our own Jazzy motorized scooters we ride around town to accommodate our super size selves.  And now the place were my deep fried adventures began, Pies N Thighs has reopened in its new stand alone location. Since the opening last Monday, the news of its return has made the rounds on every food blog, Brooklyn blog and anyone who has ever tasted its glory.

If you’re unfamiliar with P&T, their old location was attached to Rockstar Bar on Williamsburg’s southside, in a tiny little kitchen that churned out soul food staples like collared greens, macaroni and cheese, fresh baked pies, and of course fried chicken. They developed a loyal following and I always made a point to trek over there to explore my glutenous side and kick some ass in air hockey. During their sabbatical, chef Carolyn Bane,  was appeasing her adoring public by frying up chicken in Bushwick’s Roberta’s kitchen. But it really didn’t taste the same and was a bit on the pricey side.  Since then they have set up shop on S 4th and Driggs in their own stand alone restaurant complete with an open kitchen and diner counter. It’s big enough to fit large groups but still small enough to allow fast turnover. With the new expansion, there is quite a few menu additions including hearty salads, fresh burgers from The Meat Hook, and a full brunch menu. But the real stars of the show are the box combos. You can choose from fried chicken, Carolina pulled pork sandwich, fried catfish, or the brisket sandwich. Each comes with a choice of two sides from 10 different options and a biscuit. While the biscuit left something to be desired, all of the sides are top notch, especially the baked beans. And for $10, you get a hearty helping of food that had my whole dining group not quite painfully full.

I stopped shoveling food long enough to take this picture

And let’s not forget about the pie, my old familiar friend. We got three slices of banana cream, key lime and apple pie. All were engulfed immediately most likely due to improbably perfect flakey crust. While my dining experience was everything I hoped it would be, they still suffer from the usual kinks new restaurants deal with.  They do serve pitchers of beer, but wine won’t be available til next week. If you want to avoid the crowds altogether, I suggest takeout or delivery if you’re lucky enough to live in the hood. There were people in and out of there all night carrying orders big enough to feed one large polygamous family. While P&T has been away, would-be competitors have attempted to fill the fried chicken quotient. Egg has succeeded but their menu isn’t very broke-ass friendly and before they sustained fire damage, Brooklyn Star’s greasy effort fell short.  All in all, the neighborhood has seemed to embrace P&T’s return, just in time for you to squeeze into your new spring bodysuits and bike shorts.

Top Photo Courtesy of: Gothamist

Pies N Thighs
166 S 4th St
At Driggs Ave [Williamsburg]