Grille Chick’n Pollo

6470 Freetown Road
Columbia, MD 21044
410-531-8689

http://www.dechicknpollo.com/

Pros: Affordable, large portions

Cons: relatively small menu

There are a couple different Peruvian Chicken places around Columbia, MD, but this one is clearly our favorite. In case you don’t know what Peruvian Chicken is, think rotisserie chicken with a ton of different spices. De Chick’n Pollo is clearly a family-owned restaurant that not only offers Peruvian chicken dishes, but also a few pan-Asian plates.

De Chick’n Pollo allows you to order your chicken in terms of quarters…namely how much of the whole chicken you want. And the chicken explodes with flavor. It is also served with a range of different side dishes. Our favorites are the rice and beans and the fried plantains. Although rice and beans sounds like such a simple side, this restaurant does it exquisitely.

Another one of my personal favorites are the Thai Fusion Burritos. These dishes are probably 180 degrees from the Peruvian chicken, but are so intensely satisfying nonetheless. Back on the West Coast, I used to frequent places that tended to combine different countries’ cuisines into a wrap (or simply a large burrito). The Thai Fusion Burritos remind me of my old West Coast haunts. Be warned, as these are LARGE burritos.

Aside from these dishes, the restaurant has recently started instituting a daily specials menu that we have not yet gotten a chance to try, but if the rest of the dishes are any indication, they should also be more than satisfying.

UPDATE (4/15/2012): Sadly, Chick’n Pollo has closed its doors. Although there are plenty of places in the Baltimore/DC area to get some fine Peruvian Chicken, I will definitely be mourning the loss of the Thai Fusion Burritos. If any one knows of any places where I can get a comparable burrito, please let me know!

UPDATE (11/10/2013): Fortunately, the restaurant re-opened its doors quite a few months ago (with a very subtle name change from de Check’n Pollo to Grille Chick’n Pollo), and of course, my wife and I have resumed our regular dinings there!