At Captain Blacks, those who aren’t eating chicken and waffles are
talking about chicken and waffles. The topic at one table is Roscoe’s
House of Chicken ‘n’ Waffles in Los Angeles; at another, a debate about
chicken-and-waffles-as-concept is under way. Is it an unholy
alliance of breakfast and nonbreakfast that appalls the mind and
senses? Or is it a logical—some might say vast—improvement
on your customary savory waffle accompaniments (e.g., bacon and
sausage)?

The origin is ambiguous. According to the great brain of Wikipedia,
Thomas Jefferson imported the waffle iron from France; chicken and
waffles happened sometime between then and 1938, when Wells Supper
Club, the first documented Home of Chicken and Waffles, opened in
Harlem. (Wells served it as a late-night compromise between dinner
and breakfast.) It may or may not be Southern; it’s made its way
around the country slowly and spottily. (Gladys Knight’s chain, started
in 1997, is only in Georgia and Maryland.)

Captain Blacks is on Capitol Hill in that odd little house on
Belmont where the Healthy Hedon (vegetarian, worst name ever) failed to
thrive. It’s got two decks, few frills, a minimal nautical theme. The
namesake is a pipe tobacco; the missing apostrophe, an aesthetic
choice. While people are going bananas about the celebration of
batter, bird, and grease now available at Captain Blacks, chicken
and waffles are not new to Seattle. The Kick N Chicken Waffle House on
Rainier appears to have closed, but the excellent Silver Fork diner
serves both dishes, and no one looks at you funny for ordering them
together. In the upscale department, both Spring Hill and the Kingfish
Cafe have chicken and waffles at brunch.

Captain Blacks’ waffle is thin and crispy, folded into a half-circle
with citrus-laced butter inside; the chicken is kosher breast,
crispy-fried to a darker shade than normal and sliced; the syrup is
real. The meat is slightly on the dry side, and the all-white
bonelessness will disappoint those who favor fried chicken that
requires diligence and a stack of napkins. The
price—$11—reflects that this is food-as-trend, brought to
the Hill with a convenience fee attached.

Is it worth it? So far, the consensus seems to be yes. Elsewhere on
the menu, an $11 oyster po’ boy is quite good, with the right amount of
cornmeal in the oysters’ breading; macaroni and cheese ($6) has such a
thick blanket of the latter on top that the former ends up swimming in
oil. While salad is available, no one’s eating it, and most of the
food here glistens: beer-battered onion rings ($5), deep-fried
Beecher’s cheese curds ($6). (An off-menu special: a waffle with a
scoop of Molly Moon’s vanilla ice cream, aka the Molly Rogers.) Eat a
lot and risk a food coma; eat often and answer to your arteries. recommended

6 replies on “Bar Exam”

  1. Chicken and waffles is a great combo, but so’s chicken and spaghetti. Add hot sauce on the chicken. Yes, both are Southern concoctions and much loved.

    Try the maple syrup as a dip for the fried chicken. You’ll love it.

    But $11 for comfort food that costs $5 back home? Hmmm…chicken is chicken, right? And so’s waffle batter.

    Why is the trendy-tax added on?

  2. Born and raised in Detroit, the legend in Motown was that the performers working late would ask for dinner, but as the sun rose only breakfast was being served, so the left-over fried chicken was added as a favor. The Harlem account predates Motown Records but that’s the deal. Kelly-O, have you heard of this?

  3. the harlem account is the correct version. it migrated down south after that, and then 80 years later it hits CH bone-free and easily palatable–although not quite at the steep price point. I’ll stick with sushi if I am going to pay that much–but I’ll drink some beer on the porch!

  5. Thank you all the folks who pay and eat there and places like this who think it is the greatest newest thing in CH. You make it possibler for me to go and hang out and chill and not consume the massive amounts of junk food. I bless thee.

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