PetalPop Café’s chicken and waffles are decadently delicious

By COURTNEY BOWERMAN

PetalPop Café, a floral-themed brunch restaurant that opened in March, chose a very clever and fitting location: a former flower shop. Anyone familiar with the Genesee neighborhood will know that up until 2010, the pair of brick buildings on Ionia Street, known as the Bailey Buildings, used to house Belen’s Flowers. 

The café has an appropriately bright and cheery atmosphere. While the space is small and can get busy during the lunch hour, the service is relatively fast. The menu items are also a must for avid brunchers, with a wide variety of omelets, pancakes, waffles, sandwiches and specialty craft sodas. 

Chicken and waffles
$16
PetalPop Café
519 W. Ionia St., Lansing
7 a.m.-2:30 p.m. daily
(517) 999-1551
petalpopcafe.com

For my first outing, I wanted to get something special. After some waffling (pun intended), I decided to give the chicken and waffles a go. It’s a dish I’ve tried only once before, because, quite frankly, it’s always seemed like a strange combination to me. I’ve never even considered having chicken for breakfast, let alone with syrup. I know it’s a “Southern” dish, but even for an area known for its sugary cuisine (case in point, Elvis’ beloved fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches), it feels like too much. Just thinking about it is enough to spike my cholesterol. 

That being said, when I finally did try chicken and waffles for the first time several years ago, I was surprised to find that the combination isn’t as gross as I thought, though I still wouldn’t eat it on a regular basis.

PetalPop’s chicken and waffles aren’t for the faint of heart. No, the base is not a Belgian waffle — that would be far too decadent. It’s a plain waffle loaded with several fried chicken strips. The waffle is thick and fluffy, and the chicken strips are fresh and crispy. The maple syrup and butter are served on the side, so if you don’t want any syrup touching your chicken, you can keep them on separate ends of your plate. However, if you’re adventurous enough to give the combination a try, the result is sinfully delicious. 

We may not be in the South, but this unlikely duo works just as well for us Midwesterners. True, it’s so filling that you’ll probably feel obligated to spend the rest of the day exercising just to purge your guilt, but it’s worth it. After all, don’t we all deserve to splurge on calories sometimes?