By Max Appell ’18
Being a previous fan of Chick-Fil-A, I was not disappointed by their new location in Norwalk. I arrived on opening day, Oct.19, around dinner time at 6:45 p.m. To no surprise, the place was overcrowded and police were directing traffic in the parking lot. In order to get the full experience,I parked and decided to dine-in.
Although the line went out the door, the wait took no longer than 10 minutes, thanks to the abundance of staff the restaurant had. I ordered the spicy chicken sandwich meal which came with a spicy chicken sandwich, waffle fries and a medium fountain drink. I also ordered the eight piece chicken nuggets with tangy buffalo sauce.
When I sat down with my food I felt very comfortable, as if I was in a diner. The waiting service came up to my table asking how my meal was and even cleared my food as I finished it, not something usually seen at fast food establishments.
When I unraveled my sandwich I was greeted by a steamy freshness and whiff of strong spice. I was impressed by the presentation of the sandwich due to the large amount of customers they had to deal with that day. After a few bites I had finished my sandwich.It was gone so quickly I almost couldn’t taste it.
Although the tasting was over quickly, I did catch a lot of things about the sandwich that made it so delectable. The amount of spice on the chicken was perfect; it was prominent enough to offer a kick but not overwhelming to the point where I was reaching for my drink after every bite. The addition of pickles at the bottom of the bun were a beautiful touch; it cooled the spicy and gave the sandwich a nice zesty element.
The chicken sandwich meal, though more expensive than most fast food locations listed at $7.19, tasted authentic and didn’t leave me regretting the meal moments after, a feeling I experience with places like McDonalds or Shake Shack.
Once I moved on to the the iconic waffle fries, I again was not disappointed. Although I usually enjoy a crispier french fry, the waffle fry is quite original and offers the perfect amount of salt and crunch. The larger size of the fry forced me to enjoy them one at a time.
Hoping to satisfy my appetite, I opened up the chicken nuggets. To my disatisfaction, I only received seven nuggets, not eight, but write that off as a opening day complication that will be fixed in the future. I was also unable to appreciate the nuggets and buffalo sauce as much as their now competitor, Garden Catering’s.
Overall I was very happy with the meal and would recommend it to anyone who can appreciate a chicken sandwich. I’d give Chick-Fil-A a four stars out of five.
And to those who call Chick-Fil-A a fast food restaurant, it ranks well above that. It’s almost like a fine dining experience.
