We had waffles yesterday morning. Um, still trying to work on that - we used Alton Brown’s recipe, but we haven’t gotten the hang of the waffle maker yet. I think it needs to be hotter. Plus, I got the first waffle, which supposedly is the worst.

Such a contrast with last weekend in Oakland, where I had fantastic waffles with fried chicken at a retro diner and bakery called Merritt.

Fried chicken and waffles is a combination you’re most likely to find in soul food restaurants; in L.A., Roscoe’s is best known for this (and some sad souls actually think they invented it), but according to Wikipedia it’s most likely a Harlem creation. Some people are surprised by the combination, but what’s the big deal? You have waffles with bacon, waffles with sausage. Is fried chicken really so different?

And just look at this:

Oh yeah. It’s that good.

The chicken was perfect, fried to an absolute crisp yet juicy and flavorful beneath its crust. I was the wuss who ordered a breast; everyone else got dark meat. But Merritt’s even did well by the white meat. It shouldn’t be a surprise - as I look at their takeout menu, one-third is devoted to various iterations of fried chicken meals, from a “mini pak” to tide you over to the “Big Barn” and then the “30 Pieces Special.” They do other stuff for breakfast - mostly omelettes - and have a surprising variety of burgers (what the hell is a French burger?) and a few other sandwiches. But it seems their heart is really with the fried chicken.

As for the waffle, it’s textbook: crisp on the outside and tender inside. It’s been a long time since I’ve actually finished a Belgian waffle, but I tore through this one.

Merritt
203 E. 18th Street
Oakland
(510) 444-8680