I know what I'm about to say will be unpopular, but it must be said.
With the enormous and growing epidemic of diabetes, high death rate
associated with cardio-vascular disease related to high cholesterol
levels, and a steadily growing obesity problem especially in African
American teens and women, what we do not need is another fast food
restaurant that promotes high fat, high salt food and high calories.
Now, don't get me wrong, I'm all in favor of having quality down-home
food. What we need to do, though, is to discover ways to have the same
food without all of that fat and high calories. Furthermore, we should
be promoting recreational opportunities that get our kids away from the
tv and Netendo and get them outside doing some games or going to the
park.
We have an epidemic rate of obesity that must be stopped. In order to do
that we must be willing to say no to the food that is the culprit and
yes to the food that will assure that another Black man will not die by
time he is 73 years old, or that another Black woman will not die by
time she's 75.
Oh, well....
Stephen H. Braunginn
President/CEO
Urban League of Greater Madison
251-8550
-----Original Message-----
From: Hedi Rudd [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2003 11:57 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: :)
Popular Popeyes flexes its muscle
By Bill Novak
June 26, 2003
Cajun fever has Madison jumpin' for Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits.
Now in its third smash week at 3737 Milwaukee St. in a former Hardee's,
Popeyes is drawing people from all over the area for its spicy fried
chicken, jambalaya, cornbread biscuits and red beans and rice.
Franchisee Pat Mackesey said he had never seen anything like it when his
restaurant opened June 2.
"We set a new national record for sales for a Popeyes in our first
week," Mackesey said. "People were lined up out the door."
And around the building. People in the area have become used to seeing
cars ringing the building at night for drive-up service.
When my son Bobby and I visited Popeyes earlier this week for dinner,
things seemed to have calmed down a little. About a dozen people were
lined up at the counter placing their orders, and the seating area was
about three-quarters full.
Lunchtime is still wall-to-wall people, said manager Karl Krug.
"We serve about 200 people at lunch," Krug said. "We need to open our
other restaurants to take some of the pressure off this one."
Mackesey will open his second Popeyes in a former Hardee's at 1902
Northport Drive in mid-July, and the third Popeyes will open in a former
Hardee's at 2844 Fish Hatchery Road in Fitchburg in mid-August.
What is it about this food?
"It's juicy, good," Bobby said, chomping down on a meaty chicken breast.
He got the mild style chicken, while I opted for the spicy.
When I took some of the coating off the chicken and popped it in my
mouth, I was a little disappointed because it didn't taste very hot.
After I bit into the chicken meat, I learned something: The heat is in
the meat.
"We marinate our chicken pieces for 12 hours before it's battered and
fried, so the chicken absorbs the flavor," Krug said. He wouldn't
divulge the recipe, but it's safe to say the flavor stays with you for a
while, and it's definitely flavor, not just heat.
On a scale of one to 10, I'd give the heat about a four, so it's mild
enough for just about everyone to try it but strong enough to make you
want more if you like spicy food.
The side dishes really set Popeyes apart from other chains. Red beans
and rice, Cajun rice, mashed potatoes and gravy, and a marvelous chicken
and sausage jambalaya keep the customers coming back.
"People are loving it," Mackesey said. "The sides are really going
well."
Raven Campus and Shelly Renton, two students at the Madison Cosmetology
College, were hunkering down to enjoy their chicken and sides when I
interrupted them in mid-bite.
"I like the spicy chicken," Raven said, "and the mashed potatoes are my
favorite."
It was Shelly's first time at Popeyes.
"It's really good," she said, digging into her mild chicken. "It's good
to have a different taste in the area."
The walls inside Popeyes are adorned with colorful murals of Louisiana,
people dancing and making music, and such slogans as "Cajuns say -- if
you're smilin', you're not whinin' -- for true!" and "We do good
ba-you!"
When Bobby and I left the restaurant a half-hour after arriving, the
counter crew still had plenty of customers to deal with. Fast service is
a key; we got our food within two minutes of ordering it.
"Business is jumping like a jackrabbit," said counter worker Brenda.
The Popeyes menu is pretty limited, but new side dishes including corn
on the cob and new main dishes including catfish should be joining the
other Cajun specialties eventually.
The two two-piece chicken combo plates, plus a small side of jambalaya,
came to just over $12. We were stuffed.
Krug said people are coming in from all over Madison to get a taste of
Cajun-style chicken with all the fixin's, so the two new locations
should take some of the pressure off the only Popeyes now open in the
city.
"I had no idea it would be this popular," he said. "It's an eye-opening
experience."
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