El Pollo Rico – Wheaton, MD

When I first started working in Wheaton, the first thing my co-workers told me is that I need to eat lunch at Pollo Rico. They made sure that I had my cash ready (at the time, it was still cash only) and that I knew exactly what I was going to order so that I would not be intimidated. They told me to order a quarter chicken with double fries and extra sauce. Everything went without a hitch and I was hooked.

Fast forward to a present day.

Pollo Rico has long since moved to its new spot on University Boulevard. I’ve been to the one in Arlington a few times recently, but never to the new location in Wheaton. My buddy and I decided to meet there for lunch.

The parking lot is located behind the restaurant. It’s the first time I’ve ever parked in that lot.

We entered and headed down the steps to the restaurant. There was a pretty good crowd for a weekday at lunch time. The restaurant is small, but it’s still bigger then the old location.

The menu is pretty much the same, although they now serve a wider range of sides then before. It used to be just fries, yuca, or cole slaw but now you can get beans and rice or salad among other things.

Not much can be said about Pollo Rico that hasn’t already been said. The chicken is delicious, the sauces are great, and the prices are low. I ordered the half chicken with rice and beans. I’m not shy and I quickly dismantled it with my hands.

I don’t eat Pollo Rico often, but when I am in the mood for Peruvian chicken it still reigns supreme. If you haven’t gone yet, you are making a big mistake.

There are tons of options for Peruvian chicken, but Pollo Rico is definitely the gold standard. Even though Crisp and Juicy delivers.

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Area Round-Up

Good afternoon, everybody!

Just a couple of updates in the world of food from our area.

• Elevation Burger is now open in Wheaton Mall. It’s located next to Panera. I’m yet to try Elevation Burger, but I have heard mixed reviews. I’m sure I’ll get over to the mall to try it out soon.
• DCsocialite is reporting that the Arlington location of Pollo Rico is now taking credit cards. No mention of the Wheaton location. I’m interested to hear if they are now taking cards in Wheaton. The story is here.
• Wheaton Patch recently reviewed Nut House Pizza. Never tried it myself. The review is here.
• Tom Sietsema really enjoyed his meal at Fishnet, the new seafood restaurant in College Park. The review is here.
• Eatin’ in Wheaton contemplates ordering chicken feet.
• The Ecclesiastical Revue enjoyed the bánh mì at Saigonese.
• Congee is good for the soul. Or so says Janet Yu, the owner of Hollywood East. Read the article here.
• Speaking of soup, Hôpital Sacré Coeur shares a recipe for Jouwoumou, a Haitian soup that is traditionally served on New Years Day. One of the ingredients is a tropical squash that can be found at HanHnReyn Asian Market in Silver Spring. The link is here.
• Rockville Spoons checked out the Great Wall Supermarket in Rockville, located where Jeepers used to be on Rockville Pike. The link is here.
• Earlier this week, I went to the open house at Beers and Cheers in Germantown. They were offering 20% off of everything in the store, and were having beer and wine tastings. This was a great event and there were a lot of people there. I was able to try the Sam Adams Double IPA which was delicious.
• I had a craving for tacos yesterday, and was in the Arlington area. I drove past El Chilango but did not have any cash and there is nowhere nearby that is convenient to take out any money. I drove to El Charrito Caminante and they were closed. I didn’t realize they are not open on Tuesdays. I ended up ordering food at Chevy’s this week, which I hadn’t done in a long time. I ordered the Chevy’s Super Cinco which included one chicken enchilada, one beef enchilada, a beef crispy taco, a hand rolled pork tamale, and a hand battered chile relleno. Chevy’s food is not worth screaming from the rooftops, but it’s not too bad when you get the craving for Mexican food. We played an order for carryout, and they were very prompt about bringing me my food when I arrived. This is not my go-to choice, but I’m glad it’s there.

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