There were many a late night at work or DJ’ing where I’d be so exasperated and tired and find myself stumbling into Son of a Gun in the 11 o’clock hour mumbling “I’ll have…the…chicken sandwich” to the hostess as I collapsed into an empty chair.  The sandwich was my spiritual guide, my refuge to comfort me during hard times.  And so yah.  A fucking sandwich holds a special place in my heart.

Fortunately my heart and stomach have room for more than one fried chicken sandwich.  Free Range LA is that new bish in town, the fried chicken sandwich that could. Its modest dwelling is a tiny tent at the Melrose Place Farmer’s Market, only on Sundays from 10am - 2pm.  I read up on it before visiting, and I had very low expectations upon arrival.  Tempura batter?  Very predictable choice when trying to “be different” and “make it your own.”  Couldn’t be that good.

But holy patron saint of poultry, Free Range is no joke the best chicken sandwich I have had in a long time, and even trumps the last fried chicken sandwich I had at Son of a Gun.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you FREE RANGE LA.  Or what I like to think of as a FREER ANGELA. The chicken is free range chicken, no hormones, etc etc. And the cut is encapsulated in a wonderfully crisp tempura pocket that holds in all of the juicies.  Then it’s topped with a zesty slaw of cilantro, cabbage, and pickled onions.  A layer of honey mustard aioli is smathered onto the chick for a finishing touch, and then…

The bun.  That bun is perfectly soft and toasted.  It’s not brioche, I was told they use a “regular ass roll.”  Which I think plays well and lets the chicken be the star.  Brioche is very heavy, flashy, and can be a bit of a ball hog, think young Kobe Bryant.

To make matters worse for a new addiction, this fine sandwich is mind blowingly only $7. You can’t get real chicken for that price anywhere. 

www.freerangela.com