When you enter Rotisseur, you are hit by the gentle smell of roasted chicken. Blurring the lines between a sit–down restaurant and take–out and delivery place, Rotisseur brings quality, healthy and affordable home–style chicken to Rittenhouse. With its cheerful ambiance, oldies on the radio and modern decor, Philly native Aaron Matzkin’s little 16–seater prides itself on its local cage–free, hormone–free and antibiotic–free poultry.
The menu is written on a chalkboard behind the register — meal combos ($7.50–$12), sandwiches ($6) and curry chicken salad ($6) are accompanied by a variety of interesting sides. The rotisserie is served in portions of a quarter chicken ($4 or $5, depending on white or dark meat), a half ($9) or whole ($15). The crowd is young and hip, and the food comes out in little county–fair–style red and white checker boxes.
With a bit of guidance from the friendly staff and a counter–top of hot sauce options, I was well on my way to a post–Thanksgiving coma when I dug into the superbly juicy yet perfectly crisp chicken, which was spit–roasted to perfection. Whether you are a fan of chicken skin, dark meat, white meat, drumstick, thigh or breast, Rotisseur does not disappoint. Even this picky eater took her delicious breast and wing combo in hand and cleaned the bone entirely. Finger–licking goodness.
To simply consider Rotisseur a glorified KFC does not do it justice. With small ($3) and large ($6) sides available to compliment the meal, your taste buds will experience a variety of textures and tastes that are twists on old classics. In particular, the creamy mac & cheese filled with croutons, the moist mini corn muffins, the crunchy and light apple and fennel salad, the salted kale chips and the exquisite pickled vegetables — cabbage, beet, okra and romanesco — are all gems in their own right. Finish it all off with a warm bread pudding made with oven–cooked apples and light pastry ($5).
Whether you are looking for a delicious and well–priced meal for delivery or to eat in–house, Rotisseur has the winning combination of well–cooked classic sides and scrumptious chicken to have you coming back time and again.
108 S. 21st St (215) 496–9494 $$$$$ Skip: Kale chips Don’t Miss: The chicken (of course) and pickled vegetables
