Opinions Du Jour

There is rarely a situation where I do not appreciate exemplary customer service, and earlier this week I experienced another awesome service experience. My wife and I were having a quiet dinner out at CPK, and my meal was cheerfully brought to me. However, after a few bites, I noticed that the meal was just not right. It lacked something that the dish has had in previous dining experiences. Upon bringing my displeasure of my meal to my server, the restaurant manager came to my table, apologized, and asked me if he could have a replacement made for me.

Naturally, I said yes. What surprised me, especially in difficult economic times like we are now living through, was that the restaurant manager told me he was buying my entree, in addition to making it over. I only expected them to make me a new dinner or offer me something different. But to buy my dinner too?!?  That really got my attention.

My close friends know that I enjoy eating at CPK, but now I’m a ‘raving fan’!  So, if you find yourself hungry for some really good California inspired cusine and there is a CPK nearby, stop in and have dinner. You and your friends will have a great meal and experience some exceptional customer service.

It’s a good thing Col. Sanders is no longer among the living, because as a merchant of fried chicken, he’d be fired by Rusty. Yup, that’s right. Col. Sanders would be unemployed, no longer collecting royalties on his famous “herbs & spices” recipe.

For years, whenever I would eat their chicken at a family get together, picnic, or dinner emergency, I would always be left with greasy fingers that weren’t so finger licking appealing, and a sickly feeling in the core of my being, usually culminating in a seat-gripping gastric blowout that always made me feel hollow inside. But damn, whenever the urge for fried chicken would strike, there would usually be just 3 choices; suffer the gastroenteridis from eating KFC, eat chicken nuggets from a fast food burger joint and experience a different emptiness, or deny myself the joy of fried chicken all together.

Happily for me, I have discovered a new 4th choice: Popeye’s Chicken & Biscuits. Yeah, you know, the scrappy little fast food place you never check out that pretends to be a restrauant along the Louisiana bayou with that fun cajun Mardi Gras flair. After multiple taste tests performed by an incredibly unfair and equally unbalanced panel of eaters, I can safely say that as far as Rusty is concerned, Popeyes is better that KFC. Rusty can eat fried chicken and not have to bankrupt my bowels hours later on the ceramic bank teller.

Believe me when I tell you, Popeye’s spicy chicken strips/tenders are the best. Great extra crispy texture that delivers a satisfying crunch along with a hidden layer of cajun spice that makes you occasionally long for a garden hose attached to a dispenser of your favorite carbonated beverage.

Do yourself a flavor; fire that nerdy white-haired cartoon of a southern gentleman and get yourself some Popeyes!