Anyone who has followed the price of chicken over the last few years knows that since white meat has become a popular menu item at most franchise restaurants, the price of chicken at the grocery store has increased dramatically. The driving force is the public's concern for health. Chicken, especially white meat, is low in calories and cholesterol, and prices rise to meet demand.
What has surprised me is the fact that much of this chicken is often extruded or reconstituted "parts" reshaped into patties or "nuggets" and then fried. On the other hand, several places, such as the Upper Crust and the Rotisserie, painstakingly spit roast whole chickens to achieve juicy and, according to some cynics, pricy success.I long for the moderate, middle road approach, something I remember from my childhood. This was epitomized in the broasted chicken of a company calling itself Chicken Delight. This company delivered the reasonably priced, steaming chicken, along with some less than calorically modest french fries, right to our door. Considering my current cholesterol count, I would hardly welcome the Colonel's greasy product these days, nor the various fast-food establishments' efforts.
The closest kinds of places I have found today that serve chicken with a healthy flair have been the small, almost invisible, broiler places around the Salt Lake Valley like Chifi's Broiler and Super Chicken, both since closed. Yet there is always someone, often of Middle Eastern heritage, to take their place.
Hi-Land Broiler, open just a month, features an aromatically spiced chicken accented with lemon and garlic. The skinless portions are grilled over an open flame and served with a lemony rice pilaf or Hi-Land potatoes - boiled and sauteed potatoes with a blend of distinctive spices. Diners can also choose a green dinner salad. A whole chicken costs $6.49 while a quarter is $2.99.
The chicken was succulent and flavorful, and the potatoes were very good. Yet customers should also expect a bit of the mysterious. The menu explains that this unique preparation originated in Turkey. Our queries to the help and one of the cooks about the tasty seasoning only answered the obvious - lemon and garlic. We knew there must be other herbs and spices, but we accepted the answers without complaints. The end result was delicious.
Other menu items include whole and half grilled, lemon-spiced fish ($5.95 and $3.95), hefty barbecued beef ribs with a tangy, though not original, sauce ($5.49 and $7.49), several different kabobs, including chicken and shrimp ($5.49), soup in a bun ($2.49), and a split foot-long frankfurter on a french roll ($2.99). A special dessert (95 cents) was baklava.
Hi-Land Broiler offers diners a tasty, even zesty, approach to chicken and fish that is both low in calories and high in appeal. While Chicken Delight-style delivery is probably not in the foreseeable future, their engaging cuisine would be a delightful addition to current fast food fare.
Rating: ***
Hi-Land Broiler, 3130 S. Highland Drive, 486-2233. Open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Closed Sundays. Checks accepted with guarantee card. No credit cards. Catering and take-out available.