I guess it’s fair to say I’m obsessed with fried chicken. When it’s spot-on, it’s amazing, but when it’s not, it’s so defeating and lame. There is no middle of the road with fried chicken. And even though it’s more popular now, and on a lot of menus, it’s hard to find a good version. I’ll be honest with you—I am not into the chicken-and-waffle thing. I love waffles. I love maple syrup. I love fried chicken. But all together? No. With waffles, you introduce another opportunity for failure. OK, listen: The crust has to be crispy, right? The skin must adhere to the meat. I don’t want to take a bite and have all the skin slide off. The meat needs to be moist. And hot. I do not like cold fried chicken—I want it rippin’ hot, fresh from the fryer. And the crust shouldn’t be over-seasoned, just crispy and salty.

At The Front Porch, they serve their chicken with collards and mashed potatoes, which is the right way. It’s like going to see Grandma. That place is near my house, and they do a good job. I also like the fried chicken at Foreign Cinema. It’s like fried chicken with a suit on—a little more refined. You can get that same chicken in a sandwich at Show Dogs. So, Front Porch for old school, Foreign Cinema for damn tasty.

The Front Porch, 65A 29th St., 415-696-7800, thefrontporchsf.com
Foreign Cinema, 2534 Mission St., 415-648-7600, foreigncinema.com
Show Dogs, 1020 Market St., 415-558-9560, showdogssf.com

See what other SF food illuminati are obsessed with here.