Hello loyal followers! Miss me? I missed you. It's spring and the weather (minus the tornadoes) couldn't be nicer in the Big D. I just love this time of year. Tulips (my favorite flower), baseball (go Rangers!), and patio weather. Today's review has nothing to do with those things but I still love them.
So LK and I headed to Sissy's before yet another 40th birthday party. (Seems like everyone I know has turned 40 in the last 12 months.) It had been awhile since I had been to the former Hector's on Henderson space and was anxious to see what Lisa Garza had done with the place. I liked the decor. It has an old southern home (with a bar) feel, like Hattie's. While I liked the look of the restaurant, I hated the noise. Maybe I'm getting old (afterall, I was going to my own 40th birthday party just 4 months ago - oh Lord I'm 40 and 1/3), but I'm sick of noisy restaurants. I want to be able to enjoy my meal and conversation with my dining companions at the same time. Is that too much to ask, dagnubbit (shake fist)?
Our server came by to say hello and talk about the drink specials. I have no idea what she said. Not only could I not hear her, I was also distracted by her uniform. All the servers are dressed as if they worked in a southern restaurant in late 50s. I'll admit it, having not grown up in the South, being waited on by a woman of color dressed in a costume that could have been worn by an extra in The Help made me slightly uncomfortable. But then I noticed how teeny tiny our server was. She is one of those lucky women who are naturally slight of build. The fat girl who lives inside (and occasionally embodies me) instantly hated her. How on earth was I going to feel good about shoving fried chicken in my gullet now? (And, yes, I know that's wrong of me, loyal followers. She seemed like a very nice person and I should not judge someone like that. But I did, and I'm sorry.).
LK and I looked at the menu, trying to decide what to eat. At first glance, one thing became clear -- most of my skinny, healthy eating girlfriends wouldn't enjoy eating here. (See, I don't discriminate against the skinny. I just secretly wish I was one of them). It's southern cooking. Lots of things are fried, lots of things that are smothered in gravy and there doesn't appear that there's anything green that isn't covered in Hellmann's, butter or batter.
We started with the oysters which were, of course, fried. They came with cane ginger green sauce and spicy mayo. Oysters were fried perfectly so as not to take away from their briny juiciness. I liked the sauces too. The green sauce had a nice tang and the spicy mayo had a nice heat.
LK and I had already decided to have the fried chicken. I mean, come on, you go to a place named "Sissy's Fried Chicken" for the first time and order, what, the meatloaf? The chicken comes in two sizes - 2pc ($10)or bucket ($20). Since we both wanted to order the chicken, we ordered the bucket which was way too much food for two people. I really wish they offered a half bucket for 2. I hate to waste.
I'll admit it, I'm not a fried chicken aficionado. I'm a Yankee by birth and my mother never fried anything because she considered that unhealthy. (Sauteing everything in margarine was, however, perfectly nutritious.) Growing up, my fried chicken either came from the Colonel or, more regularly, a box of Oven Fry. So when I say this was some of the best fried chicken I've ever had, I don't know if that's saying a whole lot. But the skin was crispy and flavorful on the outside and the meat was nice and juicy on the inside which I understand is the making of great fried chicken. I'll let you be the judge.
The chicken comes with whipped potatoes or "sloppy slaw." I asked our server (who, again, was a perfectly nice young woman), what "sloppy slaw" was. She looked at me and said, "cole slaw." Okay, maybe it was a stupid question but there are different types of cole slaw out there and I wanted to know what type of cole slaw it was. I just decided to be surprised. It turned out to be a mayo based slaw that, quite frankly, tasted a lot like KFC's which was perfectly fine with me because that's the kind I like the best (just like Mom used to order).
We also ordered the fried okra (our attempt at something green). It's sliced lengthwise and then fried which made it disappointing as it had that slightly slimy texture that can ruin a good fried okra.
After all of that fried food, there was no room for dessert. But I will try that cookies and milk punch one day. I firmly believe one should get calcium with their brandy.
Speaking of punch, Sissy's does have a drink menu which has a variety of southern spiked punches. LK ordered a Cucumber Cooler which had Tanqueray and, of course, cucumbers. I ordered a sazerac which made me unable to feel my teeth after about 2 sips. There's also a variety of fancy non-alcoholic iced teas available, if you are willing to shell out $9.50 per glass. Although they sounded delicious and refreshing, they didn't come with a genie who would grant me three wishes (first wish: make me skinny like our server), which is what it would have taken for me to spend almost 10 bucks on a glass of iced tea.
Overall, I enjoyed Sissy's but it feels a little one note. I just don't see myself coming back unless I have a craving for fried chicken which I rarely have. Maybe they are counting on the nostalgia factor to create repeat business but I didn't grow up on this kind of food so I guess the nostalgia factor is kind of lost on me. I'm not saying the food wasn't good, it was, but I personally need more to make me come back again. Maybe it won't be lost on you. Try it and decide for yourself.
Cheers!
