FINGER LICKING
Summer is prime picnic time, and nothing says picnic like a basket of fried chicken. Here are some worthy contenders in the area to try.
AHSO RESTAURANT
22855 Brambleton Plaza No. 108, Ashburn
ahsoresto.com
One of Ashburn’s favorite upscale dining options – Ahso Restaurant in Brambleton – sure knows how to go old school when the mood strikes, which is every Sunday. That’s when Chef Jason Maddens and his team whip up classic Southern fried chicken. It’s sold by the “half-bird” and comes with sides such as grits, bacon-braised collard greens and mashed potatoes with gravy.
Photo of Ahso fried chicken at top
CHICKEN 4U
20020 Ashbrook Commons Plaza, 106, Ashburn
order.toasttab.com/online/chicken-4u-ashburn
There are lots of Korean fried chicken restaurants around Northern Virginia. A noteworthy one is Chicken 4U, a small local brand that opened in Ashburn earlier this year. The pieces are huge, juicy and cooked-to-order. You can get them plain (what we call “American style”) or topped with a variety of sauces such as Flaming Soy, Lemon Spring Onion, Garlic Spicy or Volcano.
ROY ROGERS
540 East Market Street, Leesburg
451 South King Street, Leesburg
royrogersrestaurants.com
There are lots of fast-food restaurants that offer fried chicken. But one that has a decidedly local vibe is good, ol’ Roy Rogers. The name was first used here in the DMV when the Marriott Corp. started rebranding some of its Washington-area restaurants after the famous Western film star. With two locations in nearby Leesburg, Roy’s offers some solid fried chicken with a unique flavor.
LOWRY’S CRAB SHACK
420 West Colonial Highway, Hamilton
lowryscrabshack.com
Sure, this roadside restaurant in rural Loudoun County is a bit of a hike from Ashburn, but if you like fried bird, this is a must-try. While the name may say “crab shack” and the menu may be filled with crab platters, crab balls and crab cakes, it’s the fried chicken at Lowry’s that repeatedly gets named as some of the very best in the area.
– Chris Wadsworth