Welcome, my friends, to Diego Von Alejandro's Chicken Francese Review to the Stars

The Journey

We are often told, “live your life to the fullest”; I am here to do just that. Diego Von Alejandro's Chicken Francese Review to the Stars serves as a vessel to launch my passions in this ever changing culinary world. It's a view into my humble beginnings as a regional traveler which QUICKLY changed to a world traveler and self proclaimed connoisseur of food and drink. And then it was born: the LOVE and PURSUIT of the perfectly made chicken francese ('CF').........and countless orders from the finest restaurants in the world. So, sit back, relax, and read on. Amor a primera vista my friends.

While sometimes attainable, the paper thin egg batter along with gently pounded cutlets are tough to perfect; the hint of lemon in the wine sauce sometimes achievable; the fresh black pepper from Wisconsin or shaved Reggiano from Positano occasionally presented by your waiter....fun to dream......and I truly hope you enjoy the reviews herein. Haven't seen a rating over nine (9) yet in my travels to date but I have confidence in the up 'n coming chefs in search of perfection. Dine on mi amigos !

2019 ALERT & UPDATE: There seems to be an ongoing regional debate as to whether this popular dish should be spelled Francaise or Francese. It's easy to say both are correct spellings but this flavorful flour and egg-dipped favorite has a much deeper heritage. From the data available (going back to the early 1500's), food scholars seem to agree that the dish is of Spanish heritage. Some say Chicken Francese was invented by Italian-American cooks in the late 1800's who were tired of the traditional way of frying chicken cutlets; Chicken Francaise is said to be a French derivative of the same flour and egg-dipped cutlets. It is the opinion of this blog and long time food critic that the Spaniards did indeed introduce the dish and in my view, perfected it. The Italian version is excellent and the French alternative is somewhat inferior.

Note: it is widely known that Coach K is an avid fan of chicken francese (and remains a follower of this site), but his attitude on dining out has been irreversibly damaged due to his team's crushing loss in 2012 in the opening round of the NCAA tourney (to a small Division 1 powerhouse in eastern Pa.)

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D V A aka Mr. Alejandro

Feb 12, 20191 min read

Did it start in NYC?

.....it was a warm breezy afternoon in the spring of 1974.....and we stumbled upon Sevilla in the west village after a long day of...

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The Early Days

Is Essex county still the staple of......

For alot of us in NJ, quality Italian food starts in Essex county....some of the good old places along Bloomfield Ave are now gone but new establishments are giving it their best shot at gaining your business....Montclair is all about the local amenities, mid-town direct and a constant mix of northern Italian style cafe's offering farm to table freshness and of course, chicken francese. Subtle lemon flavored sauce, organic vegetables and cappellini round out this favorite dish. One can always rely on this Bloomfield Ave staple for an enjoyable meal and vibrant surroundings. Earning a solid 6.7 the last time visited, I am looking forward to going back to Fascino's. Ciao mi amigos

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Classic and "in transition"......

-does one miss the old bar room?

For over twenty years, people from all over northern NJ would frequent this well established, cozy restaurant with wonderful owners, friendly bartenders and diligent waiters......wives would often ask themselves: "why does it take my husband so long to pick up our simple take-out order and get home" ??

Well, insiders knew the dark mahogany bar and intimate setting contributed to a relaxing, delayed departure for all who visited.

My, have things changed a bit.....the cozy bar and men's dark mahogany hideaway is gone as the building was fully renovated and expanded threefold Q2, 2018.

What is not gone is the effort to deliver a first rate CF dish to area patrons. Fresh vegetables and the shaved Reggiano often accompany the nicely presented dish. The jury is out on the large expansion of the building (and bar) but I have high hopes for this Morris county staple. Until then, a solid 7.8 rating stands. Grazie all !

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Well appointed staple...... Buona sera.....heading a little west into the center of Morris county, a visit to this well maintained establishment (La Strada) is always a safe choice. Male waiters only, you say? yes, my friend....a wonderful experience awaits and a bit of an upgrade when compared to other local spots to this carefully prepared CF (chicken francese of course ), lemon/wine sauce with a little more consistency and don't forget the homemade side of burratta.....a solid 7.2 rating my friends. Enjoy !

D V Alejandro Esq.. circa 2014

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Diego V Alejandro site visit Q1, 2019

1.5 & Stay Alive

1.5 & Stay Alive you say? please explain........well, after a long train ride from Manhattan, I had met friends at The Station for a pinot noir (1945 vintage) and then strolled down to Bistro 73 for a relaxing meal. As you know, at times, this restaurant can come alive with activity and excitement with an eclectic crowd. This was one of those eves. Set amongst the Bernardsville mountains with bustling waiters, wonderful owners and happy, exuberant patrons, the atmosphere lends itself to a fun experience.

....on this particualar night, CF was off the menu.....but the accommodating chef had no problem preparing it for our table. In fact, two of us ordered the dish and the sides were wonderful (spinach, mashed potatoes) BUT the CF was served with 1.5 pieces of chicken. In my years dining, I had never seen the 2nd cutlet purposely cut in half. My friends at the table inquired on my behalf (as I sat there in dismay) and the waiter seemed just as dumbfounded......in the end, they brought out an additional well prepared cutlet with perfect combination of wine, butter, broth & northern Italian fresh parsley.....it was fantastic.....and a night to remember. Bellisimo !

....and this was a meal without the owner's famous burrata - doesn't happen often when visiting Bistro 73 ! ...the straightforward, first class meal earns a 7.8 rating my friends. Please visit B 73...grazie. Dine on.

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Not a freestanding restaurant but......

Lunch AND Dinner....expect the best

While traveling along the highways of northern NJ during one late morning this winter, the feeling hit me......how can I get a quality meal before 12 pm ? especially a lunch which includes CF and fresh vegetables. Pasta was off the diet this week so I drove into this small strip center which appeared to have a large, casual Italian restaurant. Once inside, I knew I was in the right place....sharp decor, balsamic chicken pizza under immaculate clean glass tops, pizza margherita and an expansive lunch menu......yes, with chicken francese available. I ordered an entree size (of course) with fresh vegetables; no pasta. 11 minutes later, a handsome waiter delivered my dish and left fresh parm alongside the hot serving.....a perfect way to have lunch, all in a casual quiet setting before the lunch crowd stormed in. A solid 7.3 rating for this energetic establishment....well done my friends !!

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Expecting the best and.......

As a BYOB, you KNOW the focus is all about the food AND service.....no disappointment here at this comfortable getaway...buonissimo !

A trip to Chester as kids (or now as adults) to visit the antiques shops or Taylor's Ice Cream shop, stopping by downtown was always a memorable event. Luckily, one can also stop into Benito's Trattoria (tucked away off Main St) for a classic chicken francese meal after a day of window shopping !

To date, this well established restaurant GETS A WELL DESERVED 8.1 RATING due to overall freshness, nicely appointed lemon sauce and of course, the baked asparagus parm as a side with shavings of Reggiano and the occasional Grana Padano....ciao !

While Benito's maintains the top billing to date, the Sussex Turnpike corridor nearby offers fierce competition in the local world of CF. The chef will need to stay focused in order to maintain their subtle edge in today's environment.....in bocca al lupo my friends.

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