Projo Food Blog

Perhaps it was because I got an endless stream of Emails from the public relations team for Pollo Campero for the past week that made me hungry; or because I wanted to confirm the East Providence roads weren't closed due to lines for the new fast food restaurant that I found my car heading down Newport Avenue earlier tonight to Pollo Campero.

It is the world's largest Latin American chicken restaurant chain and Guatemalan-based and I wanted to learn more about this first Rhode Island franchise. The most recent missive from the company said there was such traffic through drive thru this weekend, they had to shut it down.

My report: The drive-thru is crazy slow as you would expect with any new restaurant. But I was only behind one car at just before 5 p.m.

As for the food, the side dishes are outstanding. I tried the Campero beans which were blended with bits of bacon and veggies and a meal in itself. The Campero rice was also outstanding with peas and carrots and spices mild yet pleasing.

The fried chicken is a great cut above what we are used to here in America. The flavor is layered and the breading, that's hand-breading, minimal. It's slowly pressure-cooked without trans-fats and there's very little grease left behind and no trans fats. Moist and meaty to be sure.

I'll try the grilled chicken next time. That is marinated for 12 hours before cooking.

The food is not inexpensive. An eight piece meal with dark meat (4 drumsticks and 4 thighs) cost $18.99 (more than for white meat) and included the two sides and rolls or torillas. I asked for tortillas and got the rolls but it was okay.

A kids meal of two chicken strips, with the same wonderful seasoning, includes a small fry and soda and costs $3.39.

The bargain of the place was a good size Caesar Salad for a mere $2.19.

Founded in 1971 by the Gutierrez family in Guatemala, Pollo Campero opened its first United States restaurant in Los Angeles in April 2002. Campero USA Corporation headquarters are in Dallas, Texas.

 Tags  East Providence RI Pollo Campero

Comments

Carol Savage said:

When are you going to list the names of the restaurants that will be open on Thanksgiving?
Thank you
Carol Savage

Link | November 3, 2009 10:32 AM
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