Kenny's Peruvian Chicken, Four Corners

[Pool Boy]

Polleria Trujillo has closed and reopened as Kenny's (it's still Peruvian chicken, however).

Thanks to both of you! DR, I saw Kenny's driving by it relatively recently so I wasn't sure if it was related or not. Thanks for clarifying that!

[Pool Boy]

Thanks for the tip!

Tried Kenny's in Four Corners tonight. Good. Nice crisp skin. Good flavors, but rather mild compared to over offerings out there. Flavors did not penetrate deep enough for my tastes, but the meat was juicy except for a small part of the white meat section (I much prefer dark meat but I gorged on a half chicken...). The fries are of the larger 'steak' size but were made fresh if slightly undersalted. Good flavor, but smaller fries would have been a much better addition. The 'light' sauce was a standout for me, much like the crispiness of the skin. But the 'green' sauce was basically pureed jalapenos and maaaaybe something else to 'sauce' it up, but nothing that made me swoon like what Que Rico in Owings Mills has on tap.

All in all very good, but a notch below Megachicken in Laurel and way, way behind Que Rico in Owings Mills.

[Anna Blume]

Polleria Trujillo has closed and reopened as Kenny's (it's still Peruvian chicken, however).

Pool Boy already offered feedback. I'll update his comments to report the current owners say they've been there about a year. My guess is that while the name of the place may have changed, nothing much has been done with the interior. It's the kind of dreary space that makes you want to do take-out.

When I visited yesterday, only three were dining at eight on an incredibly hot night when nobody really wants to cook. My intentions were simply to pick up half a chicken to bring home for a couple of meals.

I can see why it's unfair to review a restaurant after one visit. In the case of these types of establishments, I read online reports with a grain of salt (hardly needed given the amount of seasoning on my purchase) since I would imagine the difference between soft, flabby skin at one place and crisp, delicious skin at another is timing. Same with juicy vs. dry birds.

At 8 PM, this place was on the brink of closing. The birds were under foil in two roasting pans. Ergo, skin was flavorful, but soft and fatty. Flesh, not overcooked, retained a wonderful texture. Didn't appreciate the backbone ("chicken quarters" is what Bell & Evans calls the cut I find a rip-off) and found the moist, gritty clumps of spice rub a bit off-putting. Without sides, I paid $8.60. Haven't done a bird at Whole Foods for quite some time, but I am guessing I'd rather have had the one from the supermarket. Not bad for convenient, flavorful protein, but I just don't think it's worth it for the kind of bird that (again I am guessing) it was. I can only compare it to what I've eaten on the main drag in Bethesda--which was superior as was atmosphere; great service, friendly to a neophyte.

[DonRocks]

I walked into Kenny's the other day and saw a handwritten index card that said, "now featuring Maria's empanadas." I asked the lady working behind the counter if they were new, and she said "yes, in the past two weeks." I noticed on her white apron a severely faded name, written in black marker long ago, that said "Maria..."

A whole chicken ($13.95, I think) came with two sides (slaw, fries, beans), but I asked if I could pay an upcharge (95 cents) and get yuca and fried plantains, both of which were fine, as were the yellow and green sauces. While we waited, Maria also gave us a little taste of some garlic rice (very heavy on garlic, fairly heavy on oil). She was enthusiastic when we asked for a couple of empanadas (around $2 each), enough so that after we paid the bill and were heading out, she walked over to the cooler and gave us two tubs of potato salad and chicken salad to take for free. (These were too heavy on mayo for my taste, but my mom was raving about them).

The empanadas were good and filled with shredded chicken, and I also liked the rotisserie chicken here quite a bit. It was indeed sitting atop aluminum foil, and wasn't fresh-from-the-brasa crispy, so bear that in mind. Still, for my money? This is the best place in Four Corners (which admittedly isn't saying much), although I haven't tried N. Y. Deli (which has some latino blue-plate dishes on the menu.)

There's plenty of parking around back - turn on University Blvd. towards Wheaton, and take your very first right into the parking lot behind the strip mall.

Cheers,

Rocks.