The Bird, the Word, and the Golden Rule
24 October 2008 - James BooI’m a longtime advocate of making southern fried chicken America’s national food. Burgers and hot dogs are fine miniature flag bearers of our fake empire, but in the United States, discerning individuals know that the bird is the word. Sadly, like the zombified burgers and dogs who dominate global markets, our country’s leading export of so-called fried chicken is an abomination of the form. As a result, in life outside of the these United States, the bird is in fact not equal to or greater than the word. It is a slimy, sloppy perversion of America’s heartiest heartland heartthrob.
What then, makes the difference between the world’s most powerfully positioned fried chicken and its very best? Many a hungry American has formulated the answer to this question: the weightless crisp of a minimally floured chicken skin. Fluffy folds of heavily layered, deep fried bread crumbs. Herbs and spices robbed from the grave of an alcoholic Confederate brigadier general. White meat that is juicy to the bone and dark meat that practically falls off it when eaten. The ability to remain crisp and, dare I say, refreshing, after a night in the refrigerator- and the ability to completely dehydrate a human being if he’s too cavalier with his fried chicken intake. All of the above, with an above-ground pool of brown gravy ladled atop. Who is the real hero?
I realized my own litmus test for fried chicken at a shack in Pomona, California. Donahoo’s Golden Chicken is a southern fried chicken joint run by an extended Chinese family that doesn’t allow anyone to photograph their business, which houses two rows of deep fryers, a couple of heat lamp trays and a take-out counter. The design of the building predates Thriller and the giant chicken perched high above the marquee may have served in Patton’s army. The luckiest Donahoo’s customers will have their order taken by a cheerful high school student who has more pride in that chicken than your next door neighbor has in her dry, joyless, homemade chocolate chip cookies.
Donahoo’s fried chicken is supposedly descended from a Donahoo family. I’m fairly certain that the Donahoos of the 50s were a shade less Chinese than their successors, just as I’m certain that their successors are responsible for the wonder that it is today. In Pomona, Donahoo’s fried chicken is an extra nail in Harland Sanders’ casket: the crunchy, chewy folds of floured and fried chicken skin seem to be designed with the Kentucky Colonel’s surrender in mind, aiming for the same heavy duty goal of KFC without the curse of its greasy, slippery, charmless execution. Rich golden brown and speckled with black, it packs a powerful punch of salt and pepper, sending herbs and spices running for the deceptively simple taste of a real home recipe. The texture of Donahoo’s chicken manages to skirt all of southern fried chicken’s hallmarks at once, from stick-to-the-meat pan fry to slide-off-the-meat shell to bunched-in-a-corner deposits of savory deep fried fat.
At times the white meat at Donahoo’s can be dry, but when your chicken is made to order there are few things more succulent than a strip of their fried chicken torn right off the breastbone. On my most recent visit to the golden bird, I ordered the half-chicken dinner special and carried my white donut box of fried chicken, steak fries and homemade dinner rolls out to my car, then sat for a moment to watch the man in the parking spot next to mine. He had ordered his fried chicken less than a minute ahead of me and was wasting no time eating all of it in the driver’s seat of his 90’s Lincoln sedan, windows down and self-consciousness sitting at home, waiting for dinner.
So: The true test of southern fried chicken is how long it takes for a man to break down and eat it straight out of the box (or if he’s a lucky man, straight out of the bucket). After seeing that, I couldn’t recall a time I was near a freshly fried bird and made it all the way home without eating at least one piece in the car. I tried taking my chicken at least to a local park, but made it only as far as the local Jack in the Box parking lot. After devouring my meal, reeling from salt shock and barely able to walk, I knew I was a fool to leave Donahoo’s without taking a single bite.
Donahoo’s Golden Chicken
1074 N Garey Ave
Pomona, CA 91767
909.622.3213
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October 25th, 2008 at 10:17 pm
Ironically before I read your post, I was looking at Venni Mac’s M&M Soulfood and realized there were pictures. While my mouth was salivating, I realized you were the one that took the pics! And now here I am reading your post about fried chicken.
You are a godsend.
October 26th, 2008 at 4:01 am
That fried chicken sounds really really good ! And the pictures are making my mouth water… what about biscuits and honey – do they have those too ? Hmmmm, Pomona is an hour and a half away from here or thereabouts…
October 26th, 2008 at 4:50 am
Humble- As always, thanks for reading and commenting :) I’m long overdue for a trip to M&M… thanks for reminding me. Chicken fried pork chops will soon be mine…
Annie- Excepting Popeye’s (I’m so serious about this), Donahoo’s makes probably the best fried chicken I’ve had in Southern California. Sadly, they don’t have any sides worth mentioning- the homemade roll you get with your meal is quite tasty, but not spectacular. The fries are ho-hum. If I were you, I would wait for a reason to go to Pomona, and let Donahoo’s be your reward. In the meantime, you cannot go wrong with Popeye’s spicy chicken with red beans and rice!
October 26th, 2008 at 1:54 pm
Golly, that is some beautiful looking fried chicken.
Reading this prompted us to change our dinner plans.
October 26th, 2008 at 3:57 pm
Zmmann, myself, and the rest of the crew went to M&Ms last night. I should warn you that their portion sizes for the entrees aren’t as generous as before, but still delicious.
October 27th, 2008 at 3:16 pm
Have you heard that the bird is the word?
B…b…b…b…bird bird bird.
October 27th, 2008 at 9:14 pm
DocChuck – good choice.
Humble – Zakhar is the reason I’m able to speak of M&Ms in the first place. As long as the price is still right for lunch, I ain’t got shit to say about portions!
Sarah – PAPA OOM MOWMOW MOW PAPA OOM MOW MOWMOW
March 1st, 2009 at 5:21 am
Ahhhhhh, I long for Donahoo’s golden tasties. Just reading your report brings the smell to my mind and a tear to my eye. Sadly, I live in NM and have to find a reason to travel home to eat Donahoo’s. This chicken is by far the best I have ever eaten. I grew up for a time in Riverside and visited the shop in Rubidoux. I wish they could overnight a bucket to Abq :(
April 2nd, 2009 at 10:27 pm
The original name for Donahoos Golden Chicken was The Chicken Coop. Started by Ed and Dee Donahoo in the 50’s. It was located on Holt Blvd in Ontario. Nancy Aragon started working at that location and it was her recipe for the rolls. The Donahoo’s started to franchise the restaurant. Nancy and her husband William bought the Euclid & G location about 1 year after the Savage Family opened it. The Aragon’s also took over the location on 4 Th & Grove in 1969 which was opened about 4 years earlier. Nancy has passed but William is still alive and worked in the Grove location until he retired in 2006 at 84 years old. The Aragon’s were friends with the Donahoos. Before the franchise broke apart the batter was made at the Ontario location and distributed to the other locations. The location on Grove is the one left. It has been in the Aragon family since 1969 and now is being run by his daughter Shirley. The recipes used at the Ontario location are the closest to Original. They also cook the food in front of you. It takes 15 minutes to get your chicken because it takes 15 minutes to cook it fresh. No heat lamps here! It’s fresh not processed.
April 2nd, 2009 at 11:52 pm
Hey og, this is a great piece of history! I’m glad you found your way here and grateful for your insight. The next time I’m in the area I’ll make sure to try the chicken in Ontario :)
May 18th, 2009 at 8:09 pm
I used to eat them 3 times a week. they make the best chicking in town. too bad i had to mvoe 1 hour away..
January 8th, 2010 at 9:57 pm
In response to Og, you seem to know a lot about the history of Donahoo’s…I’d be very interested in talking with you. I’m not sure if you will ever see this post, but after reading it, and the tears cleared from my eyes, I realized it was worth a shot. You see, Ed and Dee are my parents..so if you, or anyone here has a bit of history to share to bring back fond memories, please feel free to email me at kiermah@hotmail.com. Thanks, have a great day, and may Donahoo’s live long in the hearts of the millions who have tried the best!
January 8th, 2010 at 10:11 pm
This is my Grandparent’s Empire, I’m the Grandson of Ed and Dee Donahoo – Founders of Donahoo’s Golden Chicken.
January 11th, 2010 at 9:28 pm
Carla and Matt,
Thanks so much for commenting. I’m sorry to say I have nothing else to offer in the way of history, but I’m happy that you saw this piece, and I hope I did justice to the family name. The next time in town I’ll be sure to check out the Ontario location, too.
March 4th, 2010 at 6:25 am
The one from Ontario is simply the best ,i go there every friday.