During my search for spots in South Florida that are serious about fried chicken, I came across Yardbird.  Then, I almost completely forgot about them, until I went to Swine and had a great experience there.  Since both are owned and operated by 50 Eggs, Inc., it was a no-brainer that I needed to try them out.  Their biggest claim to fame, of course, has been their fried chicken.  Did they deliver?  H’mm, let’s see…

Since we were going to get down “Southern Style”, we went for brunch.  That is prime time for Chicken n’ Waffles.  The online reservations were almost completely booked, so it was a bit of a surprise when we got there and the place was not jam-packed yet.

Lots of little gems written on the walls.  It was fun to look around and read everything.  We were promptly offered water and beverages.  Everything is sold a la carte, so I started with an order of biscuits.

When I saw pictures of Yardbird’s biscuits on Yelp, I was not particularly impressed by the way they looked.  But, no southern meal is complete without a biscuit or some cornbread.  Do not be deceived by their appearance.  These were some of the most flaky, buttery, delicious biscuits I have ever had.  I reluctantly gave one to my dining buddy, and then ate the other three myself.  Sharing is for suckers.

She ordered one of the maple-glazed bacon doughnuts.  That thing looked unreal.  She enjoyed it, but I was too chicken to give it a try.  I’m sure it’s good, though.

Most of the plates are made for sharing, so you can order a few and try a little of several menu items.  We went with Llewellyn’s Fine Fried Chicken, the Big Ol’ Cheddar Waffle, and a side of bacon.

First off, get a load of this bacon!

No emaciated strips here.  These were solid chunks of salty, smokey, meaty goodness.  Fork and knife bacon.  Bacon that eats other bacon for breakfast.  I could keep going, but the bacon was gone before I knew it.  I almost shed a tear.  But, the bacon isn’t what I was here for, anyway.

There it is, folks.  It’s the fried chicken that built this empire.  My first impression was that, for a whole chicken, the portion was a bit small.  It was enough for two people, though, so that’s good.  The chicken was tender and juicy, but I would have preferred a little bit more seasoning in the breading.

The Big Ol’ Cheddar waffle sounded like a promising adventure.  Sadly, it didn’t work for me.  I think they use the same waffle batter that they use for their plain waffles, but just add cheese.  What you end up with is a waffle that tastes like vanilla and cheese, which is just not a good combination for my palate.  I tried it with the chicken to see if it would make it any better.  It didn’t.  I was hoping for a more savory waffle.  The green tomato relish on top didn’t help.

I am curious to try other menu items from Yardbird, and would be willing to go back during dinner hours to try some of their specials.  They certainly take pride in what they are serving, and it shows.  I’ll skip the waffle next time, though.

For more information on Yardbird Southern Table and Bar, visit their web site at http://www.runchickenrun.com/.