By Will Hanson

On the evening of Tuesday, February 23, I drove into the Lakeside neighborhood after lacrosse practice. I was not particularly familiar with the area, but using Google Maps, I was able to find Hobnob, a cozy little restaurant on Hermitage Road. I was determined to figure out if this fried chicken sandwich was a sleeper pick or not. 

In order to answer this question, we must first assess the competition. Before visiting Hobnob, my only experience in this field was the Chick-fil-A and Popeyes fried chicken sandwiches. These sandwiches were the two original and are the most well-known sandwiches out there. Chick-fil-A sets the gold standard for bun appeal, while Popeyes blows the competition away with its crunchy breading-to-chicken ratio. 

Hobnob entrance and mural.

Rolling into the gravel parking lot, my expectations were that of a fast-food fried chicken sandwich. The comfortable patio by the door and large mural on the side of the building was surprisingly welcoming. The mural consisted of what looked like mechanical bees flying over a patch of colorful flowers. Unlike a  Chick-fil-A or Popeyes parking lot, Hobnob was pretty quiet. I was unaware that, due to COVID-19, the restaurant only provided to-go orders. If it had not been for a car that pulled in five minutes after me and drove around to the back of the restaurant, I would have been standing at the entrance knocking for who knows how long. I proceeded to hop back into my car and drive around back. I was greeted nicely by a lady who quickly went inside and grabbed my food. For the entire duration of my drive home, my car was filled with the warm aroma of fried chicken and pimento cheese. 

The description on the Hobnob menu for the “fried chicken sandwich” is as follows: “Buttermilk fried chicken breast, pimento cheese, American cheese, white bbq sauce, bread & butter pickles, grilled bun.” At first glance, the sandwich did not have any particular features that stood out. However; it had quite an enticing smell. In the initial bite, it reminded me of the classic Chick-fil-A sandwich for a moment, until the tangy barbeque sauce came in strong. This combination of tastes lasted the longest on my palate. Right before swallowing, you are finally introduced to the sweet pickles alongside the pimento cheese, which ends with a slightly spicy aftertaste. 

Fried chicken sandwich.

The sandwich had an average breading-to-chicken ratio, which I would rank above Chick-fil-A, yet not as extreme as Popeyes. The bun, on the other hand, looked less appealing but did its job holding the sandwich together. This fried chicken sandwich exceeded my expectations drastically. Especially due to the fact that it could be considered a gourmet sandwich when compared to Chick-fil-A or Popeyes, since it was not fast food and had a more colorful flavor. 

In between consumption and writing this article, I have already recommended it to many of my friends and family members. Savannah S. from Yelp says “all of the toppings on the sandwich complement each other so well.” Collegiate Upper School English teacher Vlastik Svab says “it’s the best chicken sandwich I’ve ever had” and “the kids’ portion of chicken tenders [are] just as good.” Hobnob is a great substitute if you are looking for a more flavorful chicken sandwich, or if you have already gone to Chick-fil-A or Popeyes too many times this week. The only downside is that the origin of this sandwich can be a hefty trek if you live near Collegiate, but I hope that you don’t let that come between you and your new favorite fried chicken sandwich.

Photos by Will Hanson.