Milk Drunk

The team behind Homer opened a casual counter spot exclusively serving fried chicken and soft serve (alongside odds and ends like curly fries and thick mozzarella sticks), and it’s a combination that seriously works.

The greatest thing about Milk Drunk’s double-fried chicken is the coating. For starters, it has the kind of thunderous crunch that fills your ears with noise when you take a bite. And unlike many fried chicken spots in town, there’s a kick of curry flavor in the slightly-puffy breading, which ends up tasting like a beautiful cross between a beer-battered fish fry and a pakora. Despite all of that going on, the brined chicken within the shell still shines. Order strips of it, which you can dunk in herb-flecked green aioli, or on a sandwich (our favorites are the Original filled with mustard seed slaw and avocado and the spicy-sweet Nashville-style). You also have the option to sub in a portobello if you feel like eating more plants.

As far as ice cream goes, the only mistake is to not get any at all—from malted chocolate to fig leaf-coconut, there are plenty of swirled dairy-based and vegan options worth making room in your stomach for.

photo credit: Nate Watters