The definition of insanity: eating the same fried chicken over and over again and expecting different results. I've written about the Cardinal in these dispatches before -- it's a North Carolina southern food house in the East Village, and it's a nice place with a nice ambiance. They have good sides and good pies and good catfish and some other good things. The fried chicken? It's fine, but nothing too Earth shattering. Yet I go back from time to time and order it, trying to confirm that it really is just decent-enough fried chicken rather than really good fried chicken; for some reason I always think I must be wrong and it's actually better than I think, but my impressions of mediocrity always prove accurate upon return. By all means go to the Cardinal and enjoy many of the fine foods and drinks they offer; just don't expect a stellar fried chicken; expect a decent-enough fried chicken; or maybe I'm wrong and it's great fried chicken; I will need to go back to be sure.
The Cardinal
East Village
East Village