When is crack a good thing? When it looks like chicken, of course! The powers that be at the Shack say the name comes from the sound an egg makes when opened. If you haven’t heard about the Crack Shack in Southern California or Las Vegas, you must not be a fan of fried chicken. I admit I have a slight weakness when it comes to fried chicken. Whether we are talking about an air-fried wing or a deep-fried chicken breast…I love my chicken.
I have visited their restaurants in Encinitas, Little Italy, and Las Vegas. I live in Temecula, so it’s not a regular visit for me. But since my son lives in San Diego, and I enjoy Las Vegas every now and then, I can get my Crack fix!
I first came across the Crack Shack when I heard that Richard Blais was associated with the restaurant. If you are a TV Food Show watcher, his name should be familiar. I always like the way he presents himself as a Chef and I enjoy his passion and creativity for the type of food he cooks in those shows.
I started going to their spot in Little Italy when I wanted to take my son who is living in San Diego out for a bite to eat. My son had the Firebird Chicken Sandwich and I had the Baja Chopped Chicken Salad. Both were awesome.
At various times since, my friends and I have had the Gluten-free Chicken and Chicken Oysters in Encinitas. The Señor Croque, the Firebird, and the SoCal Scramble in Las Vegas.
I can hear the question…What the heck is a chicken oyster? The oyster is a little round piece of dark meat in a small hollow space on the backside of the chicken. Many people think it is the best nugget of chicken there is. My buddy had the Chicken Oysters in Las Vegas and was not a fan. He found them a little greasy. I was not there, so I’m not sure if it was a bad day in the kitchen or what. The ones I had in Encinitas were great.
There is a reason the chicken tastes so good.
They offer fried chicken, using free-roaming, grain-fed Jidori chicken from Southern California which is some of the best you can find!
Is it expensive…yes, compared to your average chicken franchises. Personally I would love to go weekly, but my budget and my diet won’t allow me. But when I want to splurge on myself, I know where I can get some great gluten-free crack! (By the way, their non-gluten free is pretty damn good!)
As always, thanks for Spending Time in My Kitchen!
