It’s been so long since I promised Jodi this post on Lucky J’s, you’d think I’d forgotten all about the experience. Au contraire.

I was never really sold on the idea of chicken and waffles as a viable combination until I caught a Throwdown episode last year. Bobby Flay went up against a woman from Harlem who’d been making chicken and waffles with a recipe dating back to the 1930s. I was drooling. I was entranced. I was ready to move to Harlem. Suddenly, it all made sense, at least in my mind.

During my first visit to Lucky J’s, it made sense to my taste buds as well. In fact, I’m pretty sure a million baby light bulbs went on over each taste bud when I took my first bite.

Both components were worthy all on their own. The waffles were fresh and warm, soft throughout with just a little crisp around the edges. The breading they use for the chicken – well, I’ll have to go back and ask what they dip it in before it goes in the fryer, because the end result was pretty close to perfection. But throw these two together, and it’s nothing short of genius.

A few in the group had been keeping Passover, so they were perhaps a little extra-enthusiastic at the thought of eating anything in the carb family that didn’t come out of a Streit’s box. There was a little grumbling by someone about the lack of fresh syrup (we were given little plastic packets), but when we asked if they had any other kind of syrup, they provided a small container of warm sweet goo out of a crock pot. (I found it strange that we had to ask for the warm syrup, and I’d advise the otherwise brilliant owner of this miraculous little trailer to just chuck the packets if they haven’t already …)

Side note: You can tell by the photo it’s been a while since the visit – we camped out on the grass where there are now tables, chairs and tents. In fact, Lucky J’s will soon take over the building next to their trailer, so you can enjoy air conditioning with your chicken and waffles.

I’m pretty sure Lucky J’s is our city’s first chicken-and-waffle trailer, but I heard somewhere that at least one more has popped up. Maybe I dreamt it. Regardless, I hope the trend continues. We could definitely use a little more Harlem in Austin.