Not long ago, I asked around as to where to get the best fried chicken in South Florida.  Aside from the standard chains (Popeye’s, Church’s), my friends didn’t have a whole lot of insight.  So, I turned to the Internet.  This is how I first heard of Michy’s fried chicken.  Michy’s, an upscale restaurant located in the North Miami area, offers a bottomless fried chicken dinner for $39 per person on Wednesday nights during the summer months.  Many locals seemed to swear undying allegiance to their fried chicken, so I figured it HAS to be good.  Fortunately for me, I found out about them during the summer, which meant that it was the perfect opportunity to give them a shot.

I was promptly seated and handed their regular menu, as well as their Wednesday night menu.  Someone came by and dropped off a plate of bread with butter, which I didn’t touch.  My partner-in-crime for the evening and I were saving all of the room for the main attraction.  The server brought out the starter salad.

This is their watermelon Greek salad.  It has greens, olives, feta cheese, cucumbers, watermelon, tinto vinagrette, and Zahtar spice.  Zahtar spice, as it turns out, is a table condiment that is popular in North Africa and into Turkey.  Toasted sesame seeds and thyme seem to be the main ingredients, although I also saw some versions with Syrian Sumac.  I’m not into fruit in my salads, but I decided to give it a chance.  My first bite was underwhelming.  I thought the salad lacked impact, but I kept on eating it.  After about two or three more bites, the salad came to life.  It was refreshing and zesty.  The feta they used for the salad had a nice saltiness that complemented the watermelon.  I am glad that I didn’t know there were olives in it until after I ate it, because I don’t like them at all.  I didn’t see a single one in there, so maybe they’re chopped finely, or in the dressing.

Then, it was on to the main course.

They serve their chicken with coleslaw, biscuits, and mashed potatoes with gravy.  The first thing that I tried were the mashed potatoes.  The potatoes were real.  That should probably go without saying at an upscale restaurant, but you never know.  They were thick, but not lumpy.  The gravy is dark, so I was expecting it to taste a bit like KFC gravy (which is one of the few items on KFC’s menu that I like).  Not so.  It was actually a very muted, subtle gravy.  My partner didn’t care for it, because he said it had a sweet undertone to it.  I actually didn’t even notice much sweetness, but I probably have a higher sweetness tolerance than he does.

There was a lot of hype around the coleslaw.  I don’t like coleslaw, but I tasted some anyway.  It didn’t stand out as anything particularly unique or special.  I didn’t need more than two bites.  I enjoyed the biscuits.  The menu said they were Gruyere and scallion biscuits.  They were very tender and buttery.  I kind of wish I had had seconds of the biscuits, but I didn’t think about it until after our plates were cleared.

The chicken, of course, was what we came for.  As far as crispy, flavorful skin goes, Michy’s definitely delivers.  The chicken didn’t feel greasy or oily, which was a definite plus.  Cutting into the chicken revealed tender, moist, juicy meat.  Even the white meat of the breasts was juicy, which we both agreed is an accomplishment.  I did, however, find the meat to be under-seasoned for my taste.    Most of the flavor was in the skin.  Of course, that was nothing a little drizzle of gravy couldn’t fix.  I pat myself on the back for having the foresight to ask for an extra side of gravy to be served with our meal.  After my third piece of chicken, I was done.  I come to a restaurant that will give me all of the chicken I want, and I cap out at three pieces!  How disappointing!  I fared better than my friend, who waved the white flag after 1 piece.

Still, we put on a brave face and let them bring out the dessert.

Their pineapple rosemary cake with Chantilly cream was a unique experience.  The rosemary gave this extremely dense cake a more savory flavor profile, which I didn’t love.  But, we didn’t come for dessert anyway.

Overall, I had an enjoyable meal.  I wish I had been able to eat more, considering the price tag of the meal.  I was happy with the overall experience, but I am not sure if I would come back.  Not for their chicken, anyway.  But, considering their cult following, they must be doing something right.  So, keep doing what you do, Michy’s!  We’ll be seeing each other again, perhaps on a weekend.