Anytime a new cheekan shack opens up, the Pouch can feel it like a fat twin can feel the other's IBS-D pain across the country. This new chicken spot opened in November and I felt the force of them frying chicken. The only reason why I didn't get there on opening day is because they are located in upstate GA, some bumpkin area known as Marietta... I call it Scarietta because they still lynch obeast slobs like me. But no matter how scary it is, that is still a long way to drive to be disappointed when Popeyes is only 5 minzies away. But the Pouch will always risk pouch and limb to report all that's fit to eat for it's one fan and only reader of this preposterous food blog... Especially, when it comes to fwied cheekan. I'm already facing the prospect of untimely death every time I eat a box of Popeyes in one sitting, a few hillbilly mossbacks in a jacked up Dodge Ram 2500 blowing black diesel smoke ain't gonna scare this fat fuck... That thick smoke will act like a Ninja smoke bomb to help the Pouch elude the redneck syndicate known as the Marietta Mullets.
Enough of the dueling banjos... Let's see what the fuss is about their cheekan and... Git 'Er Dun!
Crispy Chicken Sandwich, Cozy sauce, brioche, pickles, $5.99. Looks like a Tennessee Top Hat doesn't it? Yes, I cannot get the mullet theme out of my tiny pea brain. It's a nice looking cheekan sando but seems a bit drippy. The crust looks thin and crispy. Good amount of pickles and the brioche bun seems to be in good order... And could double as a North Carolina Neck Warmer in this ridiculous Atl-arctic weather.
Look at that Cozy sauce cascading down the side like a Kentucky Waterfall. The white breast meat patty was a bit thin and I was right with the thin crispy crust which is preferred. It was a tasty cheekan sando but nothing really that crave-worthy that I would battle the Ape Drape clan for another.
Rib Meal, 1/2 rack, fried okra, cornbread, $13.95. Add 2 piece chicken (+$1.98). At first, I thought it was kinda weird to see a glazed Beaver Paddle on the plastic tray... Did some lumberjack get their flowing locks cut off in an epic battle out back? Then I realized it was just plain old ribs. I always thought it was kinda strange to see ribs at a chicken shack but after seeing this, it kinda makes sense. First off, the fried okra were pretty damn good, they fried them fresh, not from a brown bag. You have a choice of cornbread or a biscuit, the teenager at the counter said to get the cornbread since she's the in-house culinarian. It's a big square and it was a bit dry and mealy but serviceable enough. The ribs were tender enough and a tad dry but it did have a faint hint of a pink smoke ring... Very surprising since I thought they would poach them off in a Wisconsin Waterfall of liquid smoke and throw it in the oven to finish. Would I go back for them? Fuck no, unless you possess a Canadian Passport. OK, let's get a closer look at the main event...
Dark meat cheekan is always the most flavorful. Their cheekan is pretty good. Very crispy thin crust, a tad salty but I drowned it with hot sauce so it didn't really matter. The cheekan was moist and juicy. It's a respectable fwied cheekan but not a destination... Some may consider it a Missouri Compromise when comparing the fwied cheekan at Walmart. I don't know how Popeyes does it so consistently but they are still the king of all fast casual fried chicken.
If you're cruising around in your IROC-Z sporting a wife beater and a El Camino Headrest, stop by here if you're craving some decently priced fried chicken, but just watch out for the Walmart Wolverines on line in the drive-thru slinging mud around back. It may look like business in the front, but there's a party in the back... Don't forget to bring your Mississippi Mudflaps.
2500 Barret Creek Blvd
Marietta, GA 30066
https://www.cozyusa.com/