Hot Lunch: Delpit’s Chicken Shack

413 N. Acadian Thruway

383-0940

Monday through Saturday: 11 a.m. – 11 p.m., Lunch specials: 11 a.m. – 2:45 p.m.

Closed Sundays

Visa, MasterCard, AmEx, No checks

Not for the clogged of heart, this restaurant specializes in thick, crispy fried chicken, both tenders and the bone-in variety.

Often referred to as Delpit’s Chicken Shack in honor of Thomas Delpit, this is heavy-duty, after-church chicken—the kind that takes more than a few napkins to remove all evidence. And the sides are equally intense. The candied yams are golden buttery and moist, but the rice dressing hides a dark, decadent smokiness that will turn off some diners expecting a more traditional and lighter dirty rice.

Yardbird is the main attraction here, and it is such a guilty pleasure it wouldn’t come as a shock to see some docs from nearby Baton Rouge General sneaking in to cheat. Daily lunch specials like meatloaf and roast turkey with all the soul-food fixings offer an alternative for the deep-fried averse.

For dessert the Chicken Shack offers individually baked miniature sweet potato and lemon chess pies. The lemon-filled version is a warm jolt of sugary custard that is almost necessary after such a heavy lunch. Even at noon the small, shotgun-shaped, fast food-style dining room rarely overflows because most orders are taken to go.