Worst Vegetarian Ever: Ressurection Twice Fried With a Side of Sandwich

Forget molecular gastronomy. I have recently had the pleasure of tasting two of the greatest and most innovative restaurant dishes ever created: twice fried chicken and the side sandwich. Ok so the side sandwich was actually Fred's creation, but thank you to Ressurection Ale House for creating a sandwich good enough to be elevated to the status of a side.

You are of course scratching your head right now, puzzled as to why one would need to improve upon such perfect culinary masterpieces as fried chicken and the sandwich. Friends, please be patient and I will try to explain. It all started when my fellow food bloggers (and vegetarian food bloggers I might add) introduced me to a small, off the beaten path bar serving great food with more than one vegetarian option. Sounded like my kind of place.

Nestled in the Graduate Hospital/Naval Square area, it is very much a neighborhood joint. Usually an indication that you'll find unpretentious food at a reasonable price minus the crowds surrounding any restaurant within walking distance of Rittenhouse Square.

Within seconds of perusing the menu Fred remarked upon the aforementioned "twice fried chicken" which prompted our waitress to inquire if we were here because we read the recent magazine article. You'd think that I of all people would have been in the know, but alas I had not read said article. No problem. We did not need a magazine article to tell us that this would be fried chicken unlike any other fried chicken any of us had ever had. As if twice frying was not enough to seal the deal, the spiced honey drizzled on top was the proverbial icing on the cake. I officially recommend that the phrase "icing on the cake" be changed to "honey on the chicken."

So what were we to do when two people wanted to order the praiseworthy chicken and they also wished to sample the Monte Cristo? Well anybody with common sense and decency would of course order one of each and share. Luckily, my two fellow diners had no such qualms about following convention and thus proceeded to each order the chicken with a "side of sandwich" to share. I have a feeling the waitress immediately when into the kitchen to tell everybody about the table that was foolish enough to order a side sandwich. Another waitress, who must not have believed that such people exist, delivered our entrees and lo and behold there was an extra sandwich. We ignored the stares and instructed her that it was ours, and no we were not waiting for another person. And that is how the side sandwich was born. May it live forever, or at least as long as such delicious sandwiches exist.

Other courses included the humble pickle, transformed. I've heard of pickled beets, but how about pickled pumpkins and grapes?