Chicken Tender Impressions, Part II: Money Chicken

Chicken tenders, it would seem, are all the rage. What started as lazy, forgettable bar food has inexplicably morphed into a bone fide phenomenon. In a span of just a few years, Cincinnati now hosts tender-specific fast food outlets competing with the ubiquitous KFCs, Popeyes and Chick-fil-As around town. Tossed into the mix are now Raising Cane's, Slim Chickens, Tender Towne and the "upscale" tender variants: CityBird and Money Chicken.

Their popularity is a bit mystifying. After all, chicken is easily the least exciting protein beyond tofu. Chefs typically get annoyed when they have to work with it. But cover that shit in batter and dip it in a vat of hot grease and suddenly, mmm, you've got money, baby.

Maybe that was the thought behind Money Chicken downtown, a spin-off restaurant from the folks who brought us Pleasantry in Over-the-Rhine. Or maybe the "money" adjective is a reference to the "You're so money" line in the movie, "Swingers," a flick everyone loved in the 90s but now wince at when they're reminded how terribly it's held up over the years. In any case, "money" here means, "fantastic," "awesome," "great." It could also be a reference to how expensive it is, as in, "I can't believe I just paid $9 for a chicken sandwich that costs half as much at Wendy's."

Money Chicken is located in the new Encore luxury apartment building at Eighth and Sycamore. There are actually two restaurants at the base of the building sporting black-and-white chicken logos --Money Chicken's is the one nearest to 7th St. It's a fast-casual concept, with a stunningly stark, white, understated interior that will leave some passersby wondering if it's still under construction.

The menu features three chicken options: a buttermilk-brined, spicy chicken breast sandwich with pickles and mayo on a potato bun; chicken tenders; and buffalo or dry-rubbed chicken wings. There are two salads available, as well as french fries and a cole slaw with peanuts and honey miso vinaigrette.

Chicken sandwich

French fries

I stopped by a couple times for what turned out to be fairly expensive lunches. On my first visit, I ordered the chicken sandwich ($9), a small side of fries ($3) and a fountain drink ($2.50). With tax, my lunch cost nearly twice as much as my usual lunches downtown. Money Chicken justifies that cost by providing "ethically sourced" chicken and other ingredients.

On my second visit, I tried out the chicken tenders and the Asian-style slaw. I skipped the fountain drink, which brought the price down to a more reasonable $11.

There's no doubt that my chicken sandwich was quite beautiful: crispy and golden brown, with an attractive, toasty bun. The signature chicken spices feature a slight palate-numbing effect strangely reminiscent of Sichuan cuisine. The fries seemed fresh cut, tossed with salt, pepper and chives...which made them taste like a deconstructed baked potato. A dollop of sour cream would have completed the flavor profile.

Chicken tenders and cabbage slaw

Money's tenders are plump and liberally dusted with the aforementioned Sichuan spices. Five dipping sauces are available, and you can add more than one complimentary sauce at 50 cents a tub. My five-piece basket was too much food given my side of cabbage slaw; a three-piece next time will be more than adequate.

Money Chicken's unique spice blend and special attention to quality makes it an interesting twist in the sea of fried chicken options, but it can be a pricey habit for downtowners on tight budgets. If Money could just shave a dollar or so off the menu, they'd be a huge hit --for as long as the chicken tender fad lasts, that is.