Grilled, worldly flavors and a classic rock ‘n’ roll vibe await at Rockin’ Chicken, open daily in a former Long John Silver’s at 2519 N. First Ave. that was bought and transformed two years ago by entrepreneur Steve Waddle.
A Florida transplant who spent some of his formative years in Peru, Waddle developed his menu with Peruvian chicken as a foundation. It evolved to include Argentinian-style sirloin steak and baby back ribs with Cuban roots. Get any of those on a platter for dine-in or carry-out, or dive into a sampler with all three. Platters come with two sides and a roll.
“Everything’s homemade, including all of our sauces and all of our sides,” Waddle says, and that includes fried plantains, mac and cheese, potato salad, and black beans with rice.
Waddle puts his own spin on the Cuban sandwich, another big seller. “We smoke our own pulled pork in house,” he says, “and add ham, Swiss, pickles, mayo, and mustard. And we serve it with Argentinian fries, tossed in parsley, olive oil, garlic, and Parmesan.”
He describes Rockin’ Chicken as “fast casual” but with a greater emphasis on customer service. “That’s where we have to thrive,” he says.
