I didn’t know that a slow-roasted bird flavored merely with herbs and spices, not fried, could be so close to mealtime nirvana. It’s not only the best rotisserie chicken I’ve ever had. It’s the best damn chicken I’ve ever had period.
I’m talking about a little gem of a place that opened up about a year ago in Brick, Super Pollo II. Yeah, yeah, some of you may say “Brick’s’ not South Jersey”. But it is in Ocean County. And it is amazing food. So who cares? It’s worth a drive from anywhere, so listen up if you’re looking for something spectacular, for about the same price as a meal at ho-hum Boston Market. Oh, and did I mention they also have Peruvian cuisine? No, I’m not joking. Super Pollo II (yes, the second- the first is located in Brooklyn) is a warm, modern little joint with funky painted murals, tasteful wooden tables and chairs, and brick-colored tile: it’s the kind of place that you feel comfortable just hanging out and waiting for your takeout, or to bring a bottle of wine or beer and stay a while. In other words, it works hard at giving you a little atmosphere while it seduces your taste buds.
But, oh- the food! If you’re shy about trying Peruvian at first (or like me, have to convince your Mom that she’ll love this), start simple and pretend you’re at a Boston Market: order a whole or half chicken (pollo), with a side of fries (papas fritas) or sweet potato chips (camote frito), or rice and beans (arroz con frijoles). I don’t know what they do to this chicken, but it is perfect: crisp, seasoned skin (pepper, garlic, maybe coriander- I don’t know, but it is incredibly aromatic), jucy, juicy meat (whether you bite into the dark or white) with a wonderful, simply chickeny flavor in every bite. The rice and beans are creamy, rich, and good.
But if you’re willing to ask questions (and the guys behind the counter are friendly and seem happy to answer them) you’ll be rewarded with some amazing new food experiences. Don’t pass on the chicken, whatever you do- but grab lots of appetizers to go with it.
Why not start with more meat-like chunks of seasoned, deep fried pork (chicharron de cerdo con camote frito)? The seasonings are similar to those used on the chicken, and did I mention they are deep fried pork chunks?As if that weren’t good enough, they are served with sweet potato chips and their salsa criolla: lime- marinated onions with jalapenos, which elevates the whole dish to food of the gods status.
The empanadas aren’t to be missed, either. Flaky pastry wrapped around a filling of chicken (from the rotisserie of course, sauteed with onion) or seasoned ground beef (my favorite- spicy and hearty). The tamales are the best in this area-while the pork is wonderful, go with the chicken filling (with chili, peanuts, hard boiled egg and black olive).
If you have a crowd with you, you can add on more main dishes to share- and there are so many I haven’t gotten to yet. There is an array of ceviches (seafood marinated in lime juice and chiles until they are “cooked”) which are delicate, flavorful and perfect; beef dishes such as bistec al Lo pobre (grilled or breaded steak served with rice and beans, fried sweet plantains, and topped with a fried egg), and chicken dishes like aji de gallina (shredded chicken breast in a creamy gravy with potato slices and rice). Sides that you will absolutely need yuca frita (if you haven’t experienced the simple, crispy goodness of a yuca fry, you don’t know what you’re missing), and tostones (fried green plantain chips) or maduros (sweet fried plantains). If you’re feeling more adventurous, make sure you try the chicha morada: it’s a purple corn drink steeped with pineapple, apple, lime juice, and cinnamon. It’s slightly sweet, refreshing- a cross between a grown-up Kool-Aid and chai. Odd, but good. to have are
Yes, they have desserts. Yes, you need these, too. The crema volteada is a traditional caramel flan- it was obviously made there and very good. Others I’ve had my eye on to try are: mazamorra morada (purple corn pudding with pineapple, apple and cinnamon) and picarones (sweet potato and pumpkin fritters drizzled with a homemade syrup).
El Tenampa, our favorite local Mexican “chain” (there’s 3 that I know of), is located a few doors down from Super Pollo, while a Boston Market, a KFC, and a Chevy’s are located across the street. I have to admit, I love seeing yet another ethnic restaurant in the Kennedy Mall open up in the shadow of its fast-food, watered-down equivalent and taste how it blows it out of the water.
Super Pollo II, Kennedy Mall Shopping Center,2770 Hooper Avenue, Brick. (732) 202-7011.
-Lisa
Eating in South Jersey Blog 