By Carolyn Howard
PassPort to San Diego

I brought my 11-year-old son with me to Chicken Charlie’s on a late Thursday afternoon. Already familiar with Chicken Charlie’s deep-fried treats from the San Diego County Fair, I was now visiting Charlie’s first restaurant, which opened in October at the corner Balboa and Genesee Avenues in Clairemont.

A healthy eater, I tend to steer clear of fried foods. This time though, I sampled several different of Charlie’s signature items. My “bites” turned into my polishing off most of the food in placed front of me. Clearly, I couldn’t help myself, nor could my son! Chicken Charlie’s menu was that good and addicting.

I started off with real food, knowing the desserts would follow. My son ate “the best chicken tenders he’s ever had,” while I devoured the baby-back barbecue rib-and-bacon-wrapped shrimp combo with onion rings and coleslaw.

The ribs were lean, meaty, falling of the bone with a finger-licking barbecue sauce. The large shrimps were wrapped in bacon, and flash fried and on a skewer. I couldn’t believe how light and non-greasy they were. Absolutely delicious! The onion rings were a perfectly crunchy golden brown and the coleslaw was crisp and tasty.

On to the sweet stuff! I couldn’t decide between my favorite deep-fried Oreos or the deep-fried Kool-Aid. These delectable desserts tasted equally amazing! Both came topped with a scoop of ice cream — the perfect way to end a meal!

The menu may change, new items will be added including some more health-conscious dishes. Currently, there are salads available and a grilled-chicken sandwich. Everything is fresh, using high-quality ingredients and the portions are generous. The prices are a great value. (Not County Fair pricing!)

I will definitely be a returning customer, as there are so many more items I need to try. My stomach could only hold so much and I even brought home leftovers!

Owner “Chicken” Charlie Boghosian is usually on site making sure his customers get top service. A genuine and friendly man, he has a passion for cooking and creating a unique dining experience that you will be telling all your friends about!

Chicken Charlie’s FryBQ is at 5407 Balboa Ave. in San Diego. Call (858) 279-1111 or visit http://www.chickencharliesfrybq.com/.