Ginger Hot Chicken

I saw an IG post for a new hot chicken place and as an honorary Nashvillian, I had to find out if this was going to be my spot away from Nashville. Hot chicken has been all the rage the past few years and the hype has yet to die down. So my family and I checked out Ginger’s Hot Chicken. When I picked up my order, I learned that it was a new concept started by RegionalAle.  I had RegionalAle a few years ago, and recall it was standard American fare, fast casual food. I was intrigued to see how this sandwich shop would fare in the hot chicken game.

But of course, first had to split a smash burger! It was pretty well seasoned (half a pinch of salt more than I’d like), had the right number of toppings and the bun was not too bready. Arugula really was a nice touch.  However, my biggest qualm was that the patty wasn’t really “smashed.” Smash patties get their name from their preparation, using a flat object to flatten or “smash” the patties—incorporating the seasoning and sometimes onions or other fixings into the flesh of the burger while getting it crispy as it cooks on the flat griddle.

The curly fries were really enjoyable; seasoned and crispy. Who doesn’t like having their fries in fun shapes?!

Alright now to the main event, the hot chicken. There were two ways we tried the hot chicken, tender and a chicken sandwich form.

The tenders were well fried and battered. They had an adequate level of breading, crunch, and a juicy interior. However, I feel I need to go back and try more spice levels, the base level wasn’t quite Nashville base spicy. There should be a good kick before even going up too high the spicy-hot ladder. I’m used to medium spice level getting a little sweat going.

On the other hand, the hot chicken sandwich was a bit of a letdown. First, all the amazing descriptors that I used for the tenders were missing—with the exception of the chicken being juicy. I was disappointed it lacked that textural crunch and crispy edges. I was pleasantly surprised that the sandwich comes as two pieces of chicken stacked on each other. While I would not call this a “Nashville Hot Chicken,” it was a solid chicken sandwich.

I hope as they gain more experience they perfect the recipe. If I could get some Prince’s or Hattie B’s quality hot chicken in the DMV, I would be ecstatic! But for now, I give them 4 out of 5 suya sticks!