Lucille's Smokehouse BBQ - Long Beach, California

Address: 4828 E 2nd St, Long Beach, CA 90803

Items Ordered (lunch menu):

• Southern fried dill pickles, 1/2 order
  
• Southern fried chicken with gravy, garlic mashed potatoes, & vegetables
  
• Ribs and hot link with macaroni & cheese

There are many-a-days when I sure do miss Texas friends, family and food, and while I can't materialize the former two, I can continue my search for scrumptious Southern food in California. I always find the plating a little too fancy compared to some of the really home style restaurants in Texas, but nevertheless, Lucille's BBQ was pretty decent. The ribs actually fell off of the bone and had a nice smoky flavor, and my favorite, the fried chicken (which was actually chicken fried steak) had a nice crispy skin and savory seasoning. I prefer fried pickle chips so the appetizer was just okay, and the macaroni and cheese was too dry for my taste. Lucille's is not my favorite BBQ joint on the West Coast, but it suffices for a quick, reminiscent lunch, and I would return for the fried chicken.

--y

Honey's Kettle - Culver City, California

Address: 9537 Culver Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232

Items Ordered:

• 16-piece chicken meal, 8 biscuits, fries, macaroni salad, mashed potatoes & gravy
  

Did you know that at one point in my life my nickname was "fried chicken?" That's b/c all things chicken, and especially fried are my favorites. I'm not sure why it took me so long to try Honey's Kettle but once I bit into the crispy chicken skin and revealed the juicy, savory meat inside I was hooked. This has really got to be the best fried chicken in L.A. that I've tried. Even better than Korean fried chicken and Popeyes! (:P). The biscuits were soft and buttery and so good with honey on top. YUM!! Also, I would recommend the mashed potatoes b/c the gravy has chicken pieces in it and makes you not want to share it with anyone. Even after re-heating the chicken in the microwave, it was still crispy and scrumptious. All I can say is: EAT HERE, IT'S DELICIOUS.

--y

The Breakfast Klub - Houston, Texas

Address: 3711 Travis St, Houston, TX 77002

Items Ordered:

• Wings and french toast
  
• Katfish with butter grits & biscuit
• Eggs benedict

So you've eaten at Roscoe's in L.A., and you think you're a fried chicken and waffles connoisseur. Well, wait till you go to Texas and eat at The Breakfast Klub (TBK), you will be blown away! Instead of small pieces of chicken and a hard waffle, TBK serves 3 huge pieces of juicy, crispy fried chicken wings, and you can substitute french toast for waffles--although both options are sweet and delicious. I tried the catfish and SUPER BUTTERY grits too, and now I can't decide what to order for my next visit. The food is so spectacular here, but the bad part is everybody and their mamas know it too. However, I wouldn't mind waiting in line for some of the most delicious Southern food ever in the whole wide world.

--y