Fried chicken
in Brooklyn? Go find it.
Sure there’s Kentucky Fried Chicken, but eating out of a box
loses its charm quickly. Churchill’s Restaurant in Downtown Brooklyn
is the answer to comfort cooking in an upscale room. The restaurant
opened in May with a sign outside promising "just good food."
They’ve kept their promise.
Chef Vaughn Clements’ classic American dishes quickly gained
a following. His fried chicken (pictured) is the real thing:
moist inside, spicy and crunchy on the outside and almost greaseless.
His crab cakes, macaroni and cheese, and good, smoky barbecue
soothe homesick diners, even if home is a quick stop off the
L.I.E.
Six dollars will buy you the Churchill’s special. One week, Clements
served his fried chicken with mashed potatoes and corn on the
cob. The next week, diners drooled over his prime rib sandwich,
macaroni and cheese and fresh green salad.
For $9.95, chef Clements offers a daily, all-you-can-eat special
buffet. Head over on Wednesdays for barbecued chicken or brisket,
or, if the holidays can’t come soon enough, stop in on Thursdays
for the Thanksgiving feast. On Sundays, settle in with the newspaper
for an all-you-can-eat, $12.95 lunch buffet.
If you’re used to fluorescent-lighted lunch spots with the tables
bolted to the floor, Churchill’s will come as a pleasant surprise.
The dining room’s lights are soft and recessed, the walls and
tables are mahogany, antiques are scattered throughout the room
and the floor is slate. In a room like that, you won’t want to
rush back to the courthouse.
Churchill’s Restaurant (180 Livingston St. between Smith and
Hoyt streets) accepts Visa, MasterCard and American Express.
Entrees: $6-$12.95. The restaurant is open Monday-Friday, 7 am-7
pm; and Sunday, 11 am-9 pm. Closed Saturdays. For more information,
call (718) 422-1940.
