There is no contentiousness to be found in the following statement, a statement that all savory, crispy-craving food lovers would agree with: Not only should exceptional fried chicken be worthy of recommendation, but the person making it should probably have an interesting back story, or mission, to share.
It's a pretty mythical foodstuff, on the menu of Americana eats, and Major Dave's Chicken in Pasadena, which debuted in the summer of 2014, comes with just the back story one desires.
When three-time Iraq and Afghanistan veteran Major Dave Caldwell returns to the U.S., he found a market where jobs were hard to come by. Pair that with his respect for his dad, and his dad's fantastic chicken recipes, and Major Dave soon had a fresh idea: A fried chicken joint based on family history and a respect for all of those who serve.
It's a respect that will show especially brightly on Wednesday, Nov. 11, when "(c)urrent and former service members eat for free." Further, eatery is raising money for the EOD Warrior Foundation (the Semper Fi Fund was the Nov. 10 beneficiary, in honor of the Marines).
Major Dave has a passion for supporting his fellow veterans, as seen in the cake served on Nov. 10 in honor of the Marine Corps anniversary.
But the eatery is open all year long, and not just during the hallowed, show-thanks second week of November. And it's getting the accolades and notice, too; LA Weekly gave Major Dave's fried chicken sandwich, a piled-high affair with oodles of coleslaw, a big shout-out when the publication added it to a Best Fried Chicken Sandwiches in LA list in late September 2015.
Ah yes, the sandwich. It's getting some notice, which means you'll need to decide what dish you'll go for at the family-sweet, back story-strong restaurant. A classic fried chicken meal or the between-two-buns favorite that's on the rise in the local-classic-dish lists?
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You can study up on the menu before heading over. And if you do see Major Dave, be sure to thank him for his service, before moving on to the hard-to-choose choices he's presenting to fans of savory, crispy-yum chicken dishes.
