ever since the Central American fried chicken giant burst onto the local dining scene with their traffic-stopping Bailey’s Crossroads outpost.

When they first arrived, the incredibly long lines kept me impatiently at bay. And I must admit I was a bit perturbed by their morally ambivalent mascot (for more on hospitality logos gone Hannibal Lecter, go here).

But all my reservations flew out the window once I got a hold of the signature chicken (crackling, herb-rubbed skin, juicy white meat), vibrant sauces (zesty symphonies of tomatoes, smoke and roasted peppers) and daringly delicious side items (bacon-spiked pinto beans, Spanish rice, savory tostones).

Those who’ve not yet sampled this alterna-bird can do so this Thursday, when the company offers up free chicken sandwiches (fried or grilled; 1 per customer) as part of a new promotion.

The giveaway is good at all their D.C.-Metro  locations. To find a store near you, look  here.

–Warren Rojas

Photo Credit: beketchai

With the recession taking a hit on the nation’s disposable income, restaurants have taken to inventing “tax relief dinners” and “economic stimulus dinners” to lure customers back through their doors.

So, what’s on the menu?

Comfort foods, naturally. Plenty of feel-good foods, like fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, chicken pot pie and s’mores.

It looks like restaurants have been picking the right recession menus because the 2008 Google Zeitgeist (a glimpse at “the spirit of the times” through breakdown of the year’s Google searches) finds a distinct upsurge in people seeking comfort foods.

Here are the Top 10 Most Googled Comfort Foods in 2008. For fun, we’ve linked each search term to its “I’m Feeling Lucky” destination

1. 1.  ice cream
2. 2.  chili
3. 3.  spaghetti
4. 4.  meatloaf
5. 5.  fried chicken
6. 6.  chicken soup
7. 7.  apple pie
8. 8.  pot pie
9. 9.  potato salad
10. 10.  macaroni and cheese

11. For some reason, Google doesn’t count “booze” as comfort food. However, they did include a list of the year’s most popular cocktail searches because there’s been an apparent increase in people looking to mix their own cocktails.

    Makes sense to us. Why pay for a round at the bar when you can drink twice as much for less cash, right?

12. Here are the Top 10 Most Googled Cocktails in 2008, along with their “I Feel Lucky” links (when searching “[name of drink] recipe”).

13. 1. martini
14. 2.  mojito
15. 3.  margarita
16. 4.  manhattan
17. 5.  cosmopolitan
18. 6.  sangria
19. 7.  bellini
20. 8.  mai tai
21. 9.  white russian
22. 10.  bloody mary

What are some of your favorite comfort foods and cocktails?

– Christina Lee