Something to Crow About

A calorie-crushing lunch turns into a full-on feast at Rooster & The Crow, one of Water Street’s most crave-worthy restaurants.

So there I was, feeling pretty good about my accomplishment after my phone congratulated me for successfully — and significantly — upping my burned calories output. (I was unaware it was keeping track, but that’s another story.)

That’s because after an extended time of using it as a clothes/towel rack, I decided to actually commit to my stationary bike. And the results were uplifting, inspiring, even.

Then, the afternoon following my good news, Father Dave and I visited a restaurant/bar in Wilmington called Rooster & The Crow for lunch.

And it’s time to get pedaling again.

Because the grub at this place is off the charts, and, while there, I put back all the calories I shed.

The food that comes out of Chef Kim’s kitchen is simply outstanding, and Allen’s (The Crow) beer selections are equally top notch.

But I’m getting ahead of myself — probably from pedaling.

Rooster & the Crow is located on Water Street across from the Riverwalk in a complex called Chandler’s Wharf. The building, a former warehouse, is quite spacious and houses a few different businesses and rooms, many of which belong to Allen Carpenter and his business partner Zack Harmon (The Rooster).

Harmon earned his nickname early, as he had a support rooster that always followed him around as a child. Carpenter earned his because of a previous life as a drag racer who apparently made disparaging comments about a racing situation that he had to eventually “eat.” And it came in the form of “crow.”

But if it tasted anything like what comes out of his kitchen, it shouldn’t have been a problem, even though a kitchen was never part of the original Rooster and Crow plan. It was just supposed to be a bar.

The actual bar in the place is not big, but it’s very comfortable, especially with a wonderful gal named Whitney attending to those who sidle up to it.

I’d met this beautiful human with an old soul when she was helping to open up The Eagle’s Dare a few years ago. She’d been brought in by the owner because of her bartending savvy, a quality she retains today.

After ordering an excellent Pilsner from Burial called Shadowclock (Father Dave enjoyed a Mexican lager), we talked about what was good on the menu. Short answer: everything.

The Fried Chicken is its claim to fame (understandable, given the place’s avian pedigree), but The Crow strongly suggested a Fried Green Tomatoes appetizer. I wasn’t a fan of the dish — until yesterday. Made with their house-made pimiento cheese, the tomatoes were nothing short of fabulous. And they were plentiful enough that a semi-vegetarian could make a meal out of the dish.

“We wanted to make it a bit different than everyone else does,” said the Crow. And while you can get the dish in plenty of good places, for The PubScout’s money, you won’t find it better anywhere.

Father Dave ordered a Crow’s Call Sandwich, and I opted for a double Smashburger in the Jala-Pimiento style with that wonderful house-made cheese on it. I’m told by others who have visited that the Mac and Cheese is also to die for, and the photo on the website seems to bear that out.

But while we awaited our food, The Crow delivered a small sample of what goes into their Chicken Pot Pie.

Had I known it would be so good, I’d have ordered it before my Smashburger. (But I love those babies, too.) Next time, especially if it’s as cold as the weather folk are predicting for tonight, I’ll get that cockle-warmer.

Both of us needed knives to be able to eat our sandwiches without the help of a feed bag. The fries in mine were perfectly done, and the sandwich itself was incredible. But The Crow had overheard me say that normally I’m a Shrimp and Grits guy, so guess what sample showed up?

If not the next time when I get the pot pie, then the next-next time the Shrimp and Grits will be my mission. And there will definitely be a next-next time.

The restaurant was pretty full with a line waiting at the door, but since we had decided to engage with Whitney at the bar, we weren’t delayed at all.

I did stop by a table to chat with two friendly patrons who were celebrating one’s birthday. Katherine and Andrea (the birthday gal) had a great seat in front of a huge, nicely decorated Christmas tree. Neither would admit to being older than 25, but I suspected they were both at least 27.

Delightful they were, and their smiles and personalities added to the festive lunchtime atmosphere.

In fact, we were pleasantly surprised to learn that if you park in the gravel lot adjacent to the building, you can simply snap a picture of your license plate, bring it inside and you’ll pay no parking fee, as it will be validated inside the restaurant. In the Port City, that’s big.

That’s important, because if you visit, you might be spending some time in The Fowl Play Arcade, The Nest (overflow room for Rooster & The Crow and another bar space which used to house a speak-easy type bar called The Cryptid Den, which has since moved to yet another space in Chandler’s Wharf).

And that place is certainly worth a visit, too. Airy, yet with a secluded feel, its two levels are perfect for before or after dinner drinks, especially if a charmer named Brittney Felix is behind the bar.

Engaging, efficient and knowledgeable about college wrestling (my kind of barkeep), she invented every drink on the extensive holiday bar menu.

That she is somehow related to Bo Bassett and Melvin Miller (IYKYK) made our discussions quite interesting. And the new Cryptid Den is just a few steps away from a very welcoming Beer Garden, which has entertainment. In yesterday’s 68º weather, it was being utilized very well.

And just what is a cryptid? According to the website: an animal (such as Sasquatch or the Loch Ness Monster) that has been claimed to exist but never proven to exist. Kind of like an honest politician. And at this time of the year, add Krampus to that list.

Free bottled water to go is also a feature here.

Be sure to add Rooster & The Crow and The Cryptid Den to your must-try places list.
Even if you have to go back to the stationary bike for a few more weeks to get back to where you started.

Want to go?
Rooster & The Crow
225 S. Water Street, Suite G&H, Chandler’s Wharf, Wilmington
(910) 399-4780
roosterandthecrow.com