Powder Witch & Company

So, normally for this project I try to stick to local (or at least local-ish) restaurants. Meaning they originated in Pittsburgh and probably don't have stores outside Allegheny county. Chicken Guy is neither of those, as far as I could find, but it has less than a dozen locations across the country, which felt in the spirit of the project. Although I've since gone back to their website to double check some details and it seems Chicken Guy is in the process of expanding, having gained three new locations in the last two months at time of writing.

One of those locations is right in PPG square, where it primarily caters to the offices surrounding it. They operate like any fast food joint would, with most of the food premade and kept warm to order, but their seasonings and sauces set them apart.

Everything they offer is coated in seasoning, and Chicken Guy has an entire separate menu for its sauces (of which guests can choose two per main menu item. I wasn't sure what to expect, going in. Hot spicy might turn off too many customers (though I'd be very interested), but flavorful spicy might not stand out enough if they don't have the right combination.

I settled on a simple plate of chicken and fries, something I could easily compare to hundreds of similar dishes I've had over the years. The chicken was crusted in spices, to the point that I couldn't see the breading, and the fries were also well coated. Despite that, the spicing was very mild. I could pick out the taste of paprika and cumin, but not much else. In and of itself thats not a bad thing, as it gives the sauces more chance to shine, but it was a little dissapointing.

Of their myriad sauces (seriously they have over a dozen) I settled on Nashville Hot Honey and Curry Mayo (which they seem to have removed since I was there). Nashville Hot Honey was something I'd heard of from my Mom, who used to live in the Nashville area, and it sounded interesting. Curry Mayo was something my sibling had been interested in, and recomended to me. Mayo isn't my favorite condement, but my sibling thought the spicing would tip things far enough to be enjoyable.

And indeed, the curry mayo was pretty good! It has a strong flavor of turmeric, which makes it very earthy, and the other spices kicked things up enough to make every bite of it interesting. But by and away my favorite was the Nashville Hot Honey. Spicy-sweet is probably my favorite flavor combo, and this had both in spades.

Possibly the only really negative I can think of is the vibe of the place. It feels like an upscale Wendy's that's only really visited by office workers, and where your presence is tolerated only for a time. That second point might feel like an exageration, but they have a bunch of "No Loitering" signs inside the restaurant.

I left soon after my lunch, and I don't know if I'll go back. As good as some of their sauces look, I've tried the ones that interested me most.

Would I go again? If I was hungry and nearby, maybe. But I doubt I'll be talking about this place to friends or family.