Pies 'n' Thighs Review

Several strong reviews of Pies 'n' Thighs, a Williamsburg restaurant specializing in fried chicken and pies, were enough to motivate my dining companions and me to endure the ride to an outer borough for brunch on a hot, humid day. We expected a long line given the amount of publicity it seemed to have gotten of late. But we were pleasantly surprised to find our choice of tables (perhaps it was the lack of air conditioning that did it) and we chose the one in front of a giant fan. We were able to linger for hours and eat at a leisurely pace, in stages. It's the way a lazy Sunday morning should be.

We split two chicken boxes between three of us. Each platter came with three pieces of chicken, a biscuit and our choice of side. On one plate we got fruit salad (as if to assuage the guilt of eating fried chicken) and home fries on the other.

This delicately crispy golden crust is something to admire close up. That gorgeous exterior dressed up some juicy, tender meat. One of my personal barometers for good fried chicken is a skin that adheres to the chicken rather than flaking off on to the plate — this one succeeded. The home fries were quite good and the fruit salad was surprisingly nice, a good mix of ripe fruits and berries. The biscuits were flaky and tender and we also got to try a freshly made ginger marmalade with it. The chicken was so tasty that one of my dining companions and I ordered two more pieces a la carte. The flexibility to add on one piece at a time is a smart move.

We also tried a special egg sandwich with sprouts and avocado on wheat bread. It was a large sandwich that felt healthy relative to the rest of our meal, a good addition to our morning pig out. But we saved room for the pies.

Both pies were screaming with tartness. If you like your pies bursting with flavor, you'll love these. But, for me, they tipped a bit over the edge. The crust on the key lime was a little moist and softer than I would like — I prefer something sturdier.

The blueberry sour cream pie looks like it would have a gentle creamy quality to it, but it was a little strong. The blueberry flavor held up well and this crisp crust fared better than the key lime.

I wouldn't come here just for the pies, but if it's a good friend chicken you're after, Pies 'n' Thighs has you covered.