Don’t be chicken

There’s a rumor that hot chicken is addictive, and based on the steady stream of clientele at Rocky’s Hot Chicken Shack in West Asheville, N.C., that rumor is proving more fact than fiction.

In fact, the demand for Rocky Lindsley’s poultry and its peerless lip-singe nearly drove the chicken master out of business. Rocky’s first opened in 2009, but shuttered the shack in 2010 to avoid burnout. As a one-man operation, Rocky just couldn’t keep up. There was public outcry.

With a little help from a former Asheville restauranteur and retail designer, Rocky got his business model on track and re-opened at a new location on Patton Avenue in 2011. Thank goodness.

If chicken isn’t your thing, there are coconut shrimp, salads, veg-friendly faux chicken, and sometimes a fish special—why go to a waterpark and play in the kiddie pool? Whether it’s white meat, wings, or tenders, order up as spicy a yardbird as you dare. The new lemon pepper honey sauce is delectable with just a tiny touch of heat so as to let you know the pepper’s there. The “Mildium,” also known as “Inbetweenium,” earned this first-timer’s response—“It was good, but I thought I was going to die.” Medals of honor go to the two brave souls who made Rocky’s dinner bell ring with orders of the XX Hot, aka “Mount Saint Hell No!” At least one had the smarts to take his order to go, suffering goodly sweats and presumable gastrointestinal pain somewhere other than in public. As the saying goes, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.

Rocky and crew know what they’re doing though. There’s a separate register for customers to order extra beverages without having to wait in line. Side orders include tongue coolers such as coleslaw and potato salad. Make it through to dessert and reward yourself with Coco-Cola cake, banana pudding, or a root beer float. Everything is available for take out, and there are party platters and family-style serving sizes.

Visit Rocky’s Hot Chicken Shack at 1455 Patton Avenue in West Asheville, check out the menu atrockyshotchickenshack.com, and call in an order at 828.575.2260—or amble on up to the counter to pick your poultry and settle down at one of the restaurant’s tables (indoor and outdoor) to enjoy the endorphin ride.