Welcome Chicken + Donuts
Thigh + Drum Combo with Hot Cake Donut, Korean Chili Sauce and Thai Yum Slaw
Apple Fritter
Basic Glaze
Blackberry Pear Apple Butter
Hot Buttered Rum
Cranberry Hibiscus
Mexican Chocolate Snickerdoodle
Missed due to a New Year closure in early 2016, and thus scheduled as a between-meal stop exactly 365-days later, Welcome Chicken + Donuts confirmed rumors of fried-bird greatness prior to the 2016 Fiesta Bowl while the glazed rounds of Dough were a more mixed experience.
Owned by the same folks behind Phoenix’s Welcome Diner, their Southern-style Chicken Sandwich frequently cited as one of The Valley’s “must have” bites, Welcome Chicken + Donuts sees the team take on a double-fried style akin to Korean Chicken at an East Buckeye Road storefront close enough to the city to be accessible, though those unfamiliar with area may see the building surrounded by barren dirt somewhat out of the way.
Bringing a farm-to-table artisan’s touch to comfort food, purveyors such as Red Bird Farms and McClendon’s both justifying prices higher than KFC or Dunkin’, those entering WC+D after 10:30 Tuesday through Sunday are greeted by the faint smell of oil as well as sweet and savory cooking spices, the Donut case hopefully still stocked from the store’s 8am opening.
Undoubtedly another former eatery, the counter-style ordering seeing Donuts boxed or placed in baskets prior to a brief wait at one of several booths, diners are given a choice of several dark or light Meat combos plus Ramen, Sides and daily specials, the choice of just one Thigh and a Drumstick with Sauce on the side showing evidence of a long brine and good spice mix beneath golden Batter while the Thai Yum Slaw brightened shredded Cabbage with Carrots and fragrant Peanut Sauce.
With both fellow-diners completely in love with the fried Bird, requests for more quelled by the reminder of two full-meals to come, Welcome’s raised Donuts unfortunately failed to achieve the same high marks thanks to a dense, wheaty base that unfortunately comes across doughy unless filled with Fruit Compote while Cake choices trend only slightly better, the Hot Buttered Rum almost textured like a Buttermilk Bar with restrained sweetness to smooth Frosting overlying the ring below it.
www.welcomechickenanddonuts.com
