My life has always been full of contradictions. I was the competitive soccer jock who also choreographed dance routines to the Spice Girls. I was the “Always on Stage” yearbook superlative winner who preferred to stay home and play RollerCoaster Tycoon. I was the homosexual who claimed to have impeccable style, yet would often rock oversized carpenter jeans and Old Navy track jackets.
So, it was no surprise that the picky eater whose childhood food pyramid consisted primarily of bologna sandwiches and Gushers grew up to become a food and travel writer.
While my job often takes me to pockets of the globe to sample all types of cuisine, from the street carts of Thailand to the Michelin-starred restaurants of San Francisco, it is my craving for that quintessential comfort food — the chicken finger — that has remained a constant. I love the meal so much that I can consume a 12-course tasting menu, only to order room service from the kids’ menu after returning to my hotel.
This passion for poultry has evolved from a simple love to a downright obsession. I am now committed to finding the world’s most perfect chicken finger.
I began this pursuit as a way to bring familiarity and, frankly, stability to my constant trips abroad, where I put my taste buds through frequent, yet welcomed chaos during hours-long dinners. Sure, you can add caviar bumps and 24-karat gold flakes to practically any dish, but nothing is going to taste like home more than the crunchy, juicy, golden-brown excellence of a chicken finger.
While I’ve found many creative interpretations and international gems such as Nantipa Hotel’s tasted-as-if-the-chicken-was-just-butchered finger in Costa Rica or a tzatziki-smothered variety from Calilo Resort in Ios, Greece, the U.S. reigns supreme when it comes to fried, well, anything, especially when served with my two favorite dipping condiments: honey mustard and barbecue sauce.
As a respite from my busy schedule, Friday nights in my New York apartment became “Fried Chicken Fridays.” I literally created an Excel sheet of eateries that served the beloved menu item and would order, sometimes from more than one place, to sample unique takes and recipes, document my findings, and then share my final thoughts on social media.
This ritual led me to Sticky’s, which was close to the best chicken finger I had ever had the fortune of eating: a flawless breading-to-meat ratio, generously seasoned, and accompanied by one (or six, in my case) of 16 available, practically technicolor sauces. Eating a Sticky’s chicken finger felt akin to holding a miniature Oscar trophy — it set the standard and couldn’t be beat.
The company would agree, using guaranteed refunds if it wasn’t “the best damn chicken finger” that customers have ever tried. But then, my world crashed: Sticky’s was no more.
After filing for bankruptcy and awkwardly blaming “cold weather and congestion pricing” as the source of its demise, the greasy haunt shuttered its 12 locations.
So now the search continues, like a game of bizarre, yet way more entertaining, Where’s Waldo. Will my new favorite iteration be served in a bungalow in the Maldives? An all-inclusive in Mexico? In the form of a dinosaur in the frozen food section? Maybe even disguised as a chicken cutlet in my homeland of Italy?
As a digital nomad who continues to globetrot at the drop of my favorite wide-brimmed Cuban hat, this obsession is now coupled with my career, allowing me to add another layer of storytelling. The love for chicken fingers is universal, and I take great pleasure in sharing my culinary discoveries.
It’s true that I may never find the perfect chicken finger. After all, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and this beholder has some pretty high standards. But Sticky’s was proof that perfection is certainly within arm’s — er — finger’s reach. Until then, I’ll have no other choice but to yet again order the humble finger as I retreat to my hotel room after long days of exploration. After all, it’s part of the job.
Become a Saturday Evening Post member and enjoy unlimited access. Subscribe now
