This was their Pasadena restaurant, which is just two blocks from where I used to live. Quite the interesting neighborhood, in part because it varies so much from one block to the next, probably more than anywhere else I’ve ever lived. The block I lived on was really cool, with lots of historic old houses and super friendly neighbors, low crime, etc but just one block over there were problems with repeated drive-by shootings.
Anyway, I’ve been to that Roscoe’s a number of times and there was always a big wait to get in, especially on weekends. I wonder if this guy had waited in the line to order food before getting turned away and then was just unwilling to wait a second time?
If you’ve ever been to a Roscoe’s, you would know that this dude’s hankering and subsequent crime were 100% LEGITIMATE HUMAN NEEDS. Their food is crime-inducing, to say the least. My stomach is growling now, and I’ve got an itchy trigger finger… might be time to go make lunch.
There is a whole lot of debate and search for the origin of fried chicken and waffles. Maryland, Harlem, and the Pennsylvania Dutch all try to lay claim while apparently, the south has tried to deny it a home.
I get it now! Maple (or “maple-flavored”) is the kind of syrup that people serve with chicken and waffles. Reading abide‘s post—“I would venture a bet we’re not talking maple syrup, either, but corn syrup”—above, I had thought that maybe people put plain corn syrup on chicken and waffles. What did I know?
I’m used to other syrups at pancake places—blueberry or apricot, usually, in addition to maple—so who knew what strange thing people who eat chicken and waffles might pour on their chicken and waffles? Anything seemed possible.
Apparently everyone knew but me—Roscoe’s website doesn’t seem to even mention syrup, that I could see. But various reviews on the internet all mention maple syrup.
Looking at recipes on the internet, it looks like spicy maple syrup on chicken and waffles is a thing, too.
For some reason I like saying “chicken and waffles”.
Which, surely, makes it genuinely American. Unlike things like apple pie which exist in one form or another in every European country and quite a few others as well.
That’s not what the person I was replying to meant by “American”, though. It was (it sounded like) a playful jab at the “bad” food America is known for like Velveeta and Taco Bell, not a reference to genuine culture. My point was that chicken & waffles might look like the former to an outsider, but is actually the latter.
What did I know? 
