Butcher Berry Salinas and an evolving lineup of chef-friends are hosting an ephemeral Fried Chicken and Pie Cafe called Butcher and Cook Sunday evenings through February 3, 2013.
The dinners feature fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, collard greens, coleslaw, “mile high” biscuits and granny-good pies at Don Taylor’s Omelette Express (112 4th Street Santa Rosa) from 4:30 to 8p.m.
Dinners are available in two sizes, a full supper for four (8 pieces of chicken, 3 sides, 4 biscuits and a half pie) for $58 or a half supper for two, $35. Reservations highly recommended for take-out or sit down at butcherandcook.com or by calling 695-2169.
Super….SUPER bummed by dinner on 12/9. We waited a week thinking they would have some kinks to work out but it got rave reviews from a couple of friends who went the first night so we were pumped. First off, the front counter should have their act together a little better. It was a little disorganized when we arrived. Secondly, you should know that there are no plates so dining in is a little inconvenient unless you bring your own. They don’t offer any beverages except water.
Now on to the food. We were one of the first groups through the door so everything you would expect to be hot and fresh and ready to roll. The chicken I will give a solid A too. A couple of pieces were a little darker shade of golden but for the most part it was tasty and amazing. Super hot, juicy, flavorful. Every bit of the crust that my husband discarded, my little one swooped in on. I mean GOOD. The real shortcoming here was the sides. I’m an Irish girl and I know my way around a potato. Wow were they bad. They were grainy, as though maybe they rushed them a little so bits were undercooked. Not good ol’fashioned lumps (which I would never allow in mine, but some people enjoy), but these little measily rough textured grains. When you mash them like that, you can’t really recover. However, they were also WAYYYY oversalted, and I love me some salt. The gravy was like light brown water with about as much flavor, no exaggeration. The biscuits were cold, tough and lifeless. The slaw I passed on because I’m not a fan but the collard greens were new to me. The only way to make those things better is to just leave them in the field where they grow and enjoy them visually because oh my God, that was an abomination, a mugging of my taste buds. I can’t say they were poorly prepared, but I have never tasted anything so off-putting in my life and that could just be the fact that they are awful in general.
We were really hoping the pie would save it all and end it on a high note but it just wasn’t that great. This dinner is not $65 dollars great by any stretch of the imagination. Basically a total rip-off. I will recreate that meal next Sunday and I will kill it because as my husband said, “this makes me appreciate your skills in the kitchen even more than I already do.” But on a positive note, the chicken really was good.
We tried your dinner for 2 yesterday and I have to say both of us were very disappointed. One of the pieces of chicken was undercooked and another had part of the skin burnt in one place. Neither of us cared for your pie or the coleslaw. I could have had a much better dinner served to me elsewhere for $35.
I agree with your review of the butcher & Cook dinner on Dec.2.Best collard greens and biscuits, good crust on pie. Cole slaw too tart, and chicken unevenly cooked. However, it was the opening night and think that they were a bit overwhelmed by the the number of people who turned out. Fried chicken may not be the easiest comfort food to feed to a crowd. I will try again.
We can’t wait to start serving Sonoma county Fried Chicken & pie !!! Thank you everyone for your support !!!
Oh hell yes!!!! I can’t wait!