PHOTOS BY KRISTY GRAVER

There sure are a lot of deep-fried poultry restaurants hatching around town. 

Folks are flocking to Raising Cane’s, an Ohio-based chain that recently opened eateries in Oakland and North Versailles with a third store planned for South Fayette in early 2024. 

My girlfriend hails from the Buckeye State (a restaurant test-market mecca) and couldn’t stop praising Raising, particularly their special sauce. I braved the gridlocked construction zone that is Oakland to see and taste what all the fuss was about. 

It’s fitting that I wore a T-shirt featuring Rev. Henry Kane from “Poltergeist II” that day because the journey was a nightmare. 

I had just pulled out of my coveted parking space with tenders in tow when I realized I had accidentally purchased Layne’s Chicken Fingers. Headquartered in Texas, the brand opened a store on Forbes Avenue in August, just a few blocks away from my intended target on Fifth. Talk about laying an egg.

Twenty minutes later and a mile away, I managed to find another parking space and made the long trek back to campus. Cane’s, like Layne’s, was packed with college students. Back in my University of Pittsburgh days, all we had were 25-cent wing nights at CJ Barney’s and Fuel and Fuddle’s Rosemary’s Breasts. Now there are numerous spots near Pitt dedicated to tasty fowl, including Chick-n Grille, CHiKN, Chick N’ Bubbly, Chik-fil-A, K&T’s Fish & Chicken and Bird on the Run. What the cluck!?

I made it home with roughly 40 pounds of chicken and feasted like a starving mogwai after midnight. Raising Cane’s trumped Layne’s in the bantam battle (that sauce really is special!), but I’d rather go to a hometown place when I’m feeling peckish. 

Last year I raved about the hot chicks from Given to Fly and Bridge City Brinery, but if you want to firebomb your taste buds, the Hot Chicken Sando from Nanban Asian Soul Food is an absolute scorcher. Shake a tail feather to Lawrenceville for chili oil-dipped thigh topped with Bibb lettuce, Rayu pickles, Kewpie mayo and Lazi seasoning. Hurts so good. 

Mr. Nick’s Fried Chicken Sandwich trailer is also cock-a-doodle-delicious. I’m partial to the adorably named Chicken Toddlers dipped in honey mustard. The mobile business is taking a break for the winter, but Mr. Nick will nest outside of area breweries again this spring.

When it comes to broasted birds, I have to crow about the Buffalo Chicken Hoagie from Frank’s Pizza & Chicken, a local chain with locations in Millvale, Shaler, Troy Hill and Ross. That giant, spicy sub is my go-to meal when I don’t feel like flying the coop. I see their friendly delivery drivers more often than I see my neighbors. 

Throughout the pandemic — including my recent bout with Covid — Frank’s roused me from my flavor coma and made me feel human again. (Bonus: you can order their addictive ranch dressing in a 12-ounce bottle!)

Forget chicken soup; just give me a chicken sandwich.