Pollo Wow!, Langley Park

[DonRocks]

While driving by the Takoma/Langley Crossroads strip mall today, I noticed a new restaurant - Pollo Rico (not El Pollo Rico). I was going to get some Pho 75 carryout, but thought I'd try this instead. It's a little take-out only counter which opened three weeks ago, and I ordered a Whole Chicken ($9.99).

While I was waiting, I asked if this was related to El Pollo Rico in Wheaton, and to my surprise, the cashier told me (in imperfect English), "It's the same chicken." And after I raised my eyebrows, she added, "but a different owner."

She was busy with the cash-register tape, and another customer was arriving, so I didn't want to take much of her time. But after I regrouped, I asked her, "Are you saying this is the exact same recipe as El Pollo Rico?" She said yes, adding something about there having been two owners, and one of them split off. But then she said something about "Chicken Rico," and I was uncertain if she was mixing English and Spanish, or was perhaps referring to the Chicken Rico right around the corner, or maybe the one in Greenbelt.

I walked out with more questions than answers, but I also walked out with a very good chicken - a chicken heavily marked by cumin in the marinade, which is a trait I've always found at El Pollo Rico, but also found on my one-and-only visit to Chicken Rico in Greenbelt.

Is it an ownership split-off of El Pollo Rico, or perhaps Chicken Rico? I'm not sure. Regardless, it appears to be an independent operation. Based on this one chicken, it's well-worth knowing about as a carryout option.

Cheers,

Rocks.

[bimbap]

What is the actual address on this place? That area is such a clusterfuck to me that I loath navigating it. However, that whole area is heavy with dining options especially for us in food-starved Ward 5.

[DonRocks]

What is the actual address on this place? That area is such a clusterfuck to me that I loath navigating it. However, that whole area is heavy with dining options especially for us in food-starved Ward 5.

I'm not sure - it's on the Southeast corner of the New Hampshire Avenue / University Boulevard intersection, in a little strip mall on your right as you head up New Hampshire Avenue from the Allen theater Washington, DC towards Sammy's Villa White Oak.

[Joe H]

I'm not sure - it's on the Southeast corner of the New Hampshire Avenue / University Boulevard intersection, in a little strip mall on your right as you head up New Hampshire Avenue from the Allen theater Washington, DC towards Sammy's Villa White Oak.

The Allen Theatre!!!! My God!!! I saw Fouad Ramses' Blood Feast there with a blind date in 19--. Great popcorn, too! Thanks for the memory, Don.

I should note that my blind date hated me for taking her to see "Blood Feast." Not only would she not kiss me afterwards, she wouldn't go out with me again, either!!!

I think she's divorced three or four times today...

[DonRocks]

Is it an ownership split-off of El Pollo Rico, or perhaps Chicken Rico? I'm not sure. Regardless, it appears to be an independent operation. Based on this one chicken, it's well-worth knowing about as a carryout option.

Without going into too much detail ... within a couple days of writing the initial post in this thread, a courier showed up at my place of business, asking me to sign for a letter which was obviously from a law firm (I took the letter, but refused to sign). Then the same letter arrived via email, and then a third time via U.S. Postal mail the next day. I was being (politely) asked to verify my authorship of the post, but didn't want to get involved in a private dispute, and so I chose not to respond.

However, Pollo Rico is now named Pollo Wow! (with exclamation point), and defiantly claims to have "the best charcoal-roasted chicken in Maryland."

More than any other genre of cuisine, perhaps even Pho, Pollo a la Brasa seems to be discussed in terms of comparisons, usually against either Crisp and Juicy or El Pollo Rico. The problem with doing that is that sometimes you aren't in Wheaton, or Arlington, and you just want a good roast chicken without driving thirty minutes. Pollo Wow! makes a very respectable, crispy version ($7.95 for a half-chicken and two sides) and offers a better selection of sides (yucca, two types of rice, corn, etc.) than most pollo houses.

Cheers,

Rocks.

[TedE]

However, Pollo Rico is now named Pollo Wow! (with exclamation point), and defiantly claims to have "the best charcoal-roasted chicken in Maryland."

Do they sell the last chicken I'll ever need to buy?! Stop throwing your money away, call NOW!

[fuzzy510]

Do they sell the last chicken I'll ever need to buy?! Stop throwing your money away, call NOW!

You know the Peruvians make good stuff!

[Rhone1998]

For less than $7, I made a filling lunch of a quarter chicken (choice of dark or white meat), beans and rice, fried yucca, and a small fountain drink. Quite a deal. The chicken was tasty, but at 2:30 on a Sunday afternoon it had been sitting for a while and the skin wasn't really crispy at all. I also didn't get any of the cumin on the skin that Carman mentioned in his initial review of the place, which is prominently displayed on a wall. Has anyone been recently and is it better when they're turning over chickens frequently at regular lunch/dinner hours?