Since I’ve clearly stated my disdain for any meat white on a chicken, it is not impossible to understand why I might have skipped this meal at Plan Check altogether, yet despite my condescension, I somehow allowed myself room to be proved wrong and gave this particular piece of poultry another chance. And boy was it worth it, and I have my own nosh intuition and the very gracious committee of hosts and servers at Plan Check to thank.
Moving past all that, let’s get into the meat of this post (hah well you know I had to do it), Smokey Fried Chicken at Plan Check. This impossibly-succulent (I say impossible because in my opinion chicken breasts of today’s America has no flavor, no texture, no tone, basically no way of tasting good) piece of meat was the exact opposite of what is true all elsewhere in at least the whole of America. Oh did I mention I might be slightly biased because I grew up eating chicken of all colors, young and old, ones that have ran mountains and cliff-sides, chased their youngs from egg-state, good ol’ school farm with other animals such as ducks and cows and horses and pigs? Yup that’s why I say what I say about American poultry. Anyways that’s besides the point (sort of) and we will forgo this topic for the sake of moving this article along.
the jidori breastessess in all of their glory; side of sweet potato waffle fries, baby kale “caesar” salad, and smoked milk gravy, yam preserves, and spicy pickled okra that comes with the jidori chicken boobies. also a pint of sage beer (no longer on the menu) to wash it all down.
If you see on the menu of Plan Check Kitchen+Bar Fairfax location, under Dishes, you can find the first item of order to be the topic in line, SMOKEY FRIED CHICKEN, and underneath that it explains, jidori chicken, smoked milk gravy, yam preserves, spicy pickled okra. At the time of consumption I had no idea what jidori meant nor did I really think much about it. But in writing this post commemorating jidori’s glory through the above rant about why this breast is a must-eat got me curious if the term jidori meant anything at all. So I did a little digging: into what it means to be a jidori chicken, and why it tastes so good, like the poultry of my childhood. And apparently that is exactly what it is! I still remember how the chicken tasted when I consumed them in mass quantities in Taiwan…fresh, muscley, tender, juicy, basically the definition of delicious. And without going too deep into the whole name thing and how it came about, jidori is a label for chicken that equates to what kobe is for beef…extra-fresh, extra-exercised (they got pecs they should use them!), a whole new level of poultry (when that’s how they really should be…not this big chicken farm/slaughter house approach, but that’s another topic for another day). But I bet you already know all about “the jidori”, so let’s get back to talking about the rest of the dinner, one that makes me salivate even now, even through nostalgia.
I guess besides the chicken, the rest of the meal was up-to-par also. No not I guess, it WAS pretty darn delicious and I would order it all over again if I’m ever near the place again. Quite the clever idea to replace good ol’ hearty romaine with resistant chewy baby kale, both bitter, but different afterbite, the baby kale “caesar” salad includes red caesar dressing, parmesan cheese, pickled hearts of palm, croutons, the usual works, but just changing the green changed one’s view on the classic salad from the Italian chef in 20’s Mexico, from mundane to extraordinary. Overall, Plan Check’s insertion of pickled textured stuff (the pickled hearts of palm here, the spicy pickled okra that comes as part of the chix dish) really elevates their whole approach to the menu, homey yet complex, simple yet soulful, the food gets right into your guts and heart, all at once.
the Last Tango: the drink that costed more than my main course, but well worth the extra bucks; maybe it’s nothing new to pair balsamic with strawberries, but to top it with st. germain foam?! whaaaaaa this drink blows it out the water, quite literally, I will never think of gin quite the same way again.
personally I like yeast doughnuts better, just in general I prefer food with texture, that requires chewing, but not too much, and not just fall apart in the mouth once bitten, even for dessert, unless it’s a crème brûlée-something, or a molten-something. I can’t complain too much here since I didn’t pick it and it was a restaurant birthday pressie so we didn’t pay for it either. a nice idea of the doughnut in cream and fruit, I just could have done without the cruller part (or the fruit didn’t have to be sweet mushy ‘nanas either…I need some puck and texture damnit!).
all photo by moi – a visual documentist
see what Huffington Post has to say about this jidori…the way poultry should alway be…tasty
Thee (Whole)listics 
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