Most of the customers in the Spring Chicken Inn out for a late lunch a couple of weekends ago were hardly "spring chickens." Yet the stately group of senior citizens left with a spring in their step and plenty of foil-wrapped leftovers for snacks later in the day. Obviously they know a good thing when they find it - a restaurant that features plenty of reasonably priced food.
When I saw the highway sign just before the Wanship exit I was somewhat leery, despite the reputation of one of Utah's better known restaurants. Restaurants that often find themselves on such signs are usually chains or truckstops with a greasy-spoon aura.I also flashed back to the dietary advice of two of my boyhood idols - Satchel Paige and Mel Brooks (in the persona of the 2,000-year-old man): "Never eat fried food." (To say nothing of the directive of my gastroenterologist.)
But fried chicken is a secret passion, and if one has to indulge, the Spring Chicken Inn is as good a place as any. When my three-piece dinner ($8.25) arrived at the table, it wasn't three pieces but rather enough chicken to equal three-fourths. In addition to a pile of fresh cut French fries, the plate was heaped with a total of three drumsticks and three thighs. For the less indulgent, a quarter-breast or thigh, which comes with warm rolls, salad and fries, is priced around $5.50.
There was no discernable breading, but the chicken had a nice crunch and was piping hot. It was a bit bland, challenging another doctor's dictum to avoid the salt shaker. But when one indulges, you might as well go all the way. (We even inquired about the cooking oil, a part vegetable and part animal blend. While it might have elevated someone's cholesterol, it left no aftertaste.)
We also sampled a quarter chicken and 6-ounce steak combination ($9.50). While the steak could have been trimmed a bit more closely, it was still a nicely aged piece of beef. It was a serving that could have easily been split between two diners.
Other chicken entrees on the menu include a half fried chicken ($6.20), a white and dark combo ($7.20), an all-white half ($8.50) and a whole chicken dinner ($11.95). Pork chops, several steak dinners, shrimp and ham round out the hot entrees. A dozen or so sandwiches including hamburgers, grilled specials, hot dogs and a BLT are also served. Several salads such as a shrimp and chef's salad are available, too.
The salads that come with dinners are mostly iceberg lettuce, and the rolls are a spongy white. The custom-made fruit and cream pies offered for dessert had not yet been delivered for the Saturday night rush.
We could have barely found room anyway. We were satisfied, nonetheless, knowing that there was at least one place in Utah that made no apologies to the current dietary trends and served up plenty of hot and juicy fried chicken.
Rating: * * 1/2
Spring Chicken Inn, Wanship. 336-5334. Open Monday through Saturday, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday open at 8 a.m. No credit cards, local checks with guarantee card accepted. Reservations for parties of 12 or more.