El pollo sabroso

For what it’s worth, this Silver Spring restaurant’s name doesn’t include the English word “chicken”; and “sabroso” (which means flavorful) isn’t like “rico,” “loco” and “señor,” all of which are words most people would recognize even if they’re not Spanish speakers. I don’t think this means that El pollo sabroso is aiming for a predominantly Spanish-speaking clientele, since it’s unusual to see non-Spanish speakers at any place we’ve tried so far. I do think that El pollo sabroso has the best chicken we’ve tried yet. Its flavor stands out for being both peppery and sweet, which suggests chili powder combined with paprika. The chicken also falls off the bone without being overcooked, and the skin, while not crisp, holds a lot of flavor. As with the other places we’ve tried so far, the flavor doesn’t always get down into the chicken itself, especially regarding the breast meat. Let’s find that elusive, full-flavored chicken!

The coleslaw is the same as it ever was, and I’m beginning to suspect that all the places we’ve tried get their slaw from the same place, as if a tanker truck pumped it into their kitchens every morning.

El pollo sabroso also stands out for not serving plantains. We ordered the fried rice instead. Like the rice at other places, it’s well cooked. Though too salty, it’s also sweet and has good chunks of chicken in it.

The green sauce is nice and spicy, and the white sauce is good, too.

Fries and beans were serviceable, or, as they say in Spanish, “se dejan comer.” 

D writes:

 

The chicken is firmer than at other places . It is also very delicous.

The french fries are basic and pretty good.

                                                                                   

The white sauce is lemony very mayonnaisy and good but too thick.

   

The coleslaw I didn’t try but same same.

The fried rice is ok. It’s too salty and the flavor isn’t great, but I like the idea.

Chicken Rico

The latest stop on our rotisserie-chicken tour was Chicken Rico, in Hyattsville on University Boulevard just west of Riggs Rd. We went there about a month ago after buying World Cup soccer player stickers at Zodiac Sports next door. My memory of that past visit was that it was better than it turned out to be on our second trip. The chicken is definitely well cooked and tender, but a little monotonous, salt and pepper the strongest flavors by far. The mild smoky charcoal flavor does help to add depth.

For the most part the sides were good. The beans are a little too saucy, but they're also well cooked with a good texture. The plantains are caramelized nicely and their texture sets them apart from other places we've visited; it's more al dente than creamy. The fries at Chicken Rico are the best so far, crispy, hot, and tasty. Also notably good is the green sauce. It's as spicy as it is at Señor Chicken, for example, but it's got an interesting tomatillo and lime taste that's definitely different from Señor Chicken's cilantro-centered sauce. The white sauce is thick, heavy on the mayo, and has a good lemon flavor.

D says:

Chicken Rico has the best french fries. They are crispy, cooked through and not soggy at all.

The cole slaw is also very good. It’s lemony and tangy. I love it. It’s better than the cole slaw from other places.

The white sauce is lemony. And thick like mayonnaise.

The beans are good but a little too mushy.

The chicken is salty. And hard to pull off the bone.