You learn a lot of strange lessons criss-crossing the state as a reporter, chasing stories from Salter Path to Cataloochee.
Which doors you can knock without hearing the racking of a well-loved shotgun.
How to locate a public bathroom clean enough you’d at least wash your hands in the sink.
And, maybe most importantly, what you do and don’t want to eat from a gas station.
Hunt Brothers Pizza? Hard pass.
Cheese biscuits? Yes, please.
Fried chicken? I’d almost rather you don’t believe me when I say some of the best fried chicken on the planet can be found in Southern gas stations. More for me that way.
So a few years back, when Beef Burger (formerly Biff Burger) on W. Gate City Blvd. closed for good after more than half a century, I was heartened to see a Pantry Fried Chicken take that hallowed spot. It was the first free-standing outpost of the small, family-owned chain that began in a gas station off of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in High Point and has spread across North Carolina and Virginia.
The spot on Gate City is owned by Romany Barsoum, who began as a cook and worked his way up to owning his own franchise location. Even if you didn’t know that, you’d sense it in the pride, courtesy, and efficiency with which the place is operated, the obvious care that goes into all the food on offer, and the award-winning deliciousness that, once you’ve had it, you’ll think about until you come back for more.
But don’t take my word for it. TikTok and Instagram abound with reviews in which serious fried chicken freaks sing its praises.
“A local gem.”
“The best fried chicken in Greensboro.”
“Touched by the hand of God.”
A bit over the top? Mileage will, of course, vary. I’m personally comforted by the idea of a deity looking out for the precise seasoning and crispiness of chicken wings, drumsticks, gizzards, flounder filets, and even pork chops. I like the idea of a divine hand guiding the exact cutting and seasoning of those potato wedges.
That fried pork chop was the real revelation for me. But the fried flounder would also have won the approval of my grandmother, the wife of a commercial fishing captain who served heaping plates at big family meals.
The secret? The restaurant’s mascot—a somewhat demented looking chicken in an apron and chef’s hat—is a big part of the magic. This is true of any cartoon animal that seems ready to serve itself or its fellows up for your satisfaction. Happy pig on the sign wearing a bib and wielding a knife and fork? That’s where you want to get your barbecue. Fish leaping out of the ocean and into a frying pan with a smile and one raised eyebrow? Get into your stretchy pants— tonight you’re feasting.
At Pantry Fried Chicken, that mascot is proud to tell you the deliciousness comes from the fact that their food is fresh, never frozen. It’s hand-breaded, seasoned with their proprietary spice blend, and fried right on site. It’s not the fastest or the easiest way to get it done. But hear the crunch when you bite into it? Feel the juicy tenderness within? Taste those flavors? That’s how you know it’s the right way.
There are a lot of great places to get fried chicken here in Greensboro. I’ll be disappointed if a number of you don’t write in to tell me I’m wrong and share your favorites. But this one belongs on any local “best of” list.
Great things start in gas stations.