Chicken Casa Caper

Friday night Michelle and I planned to have dinner and play cards with some friends of ours. They had told us recently about a new restaurant in Lexington that they really enjoyed, the Chicken Casa. We went over to their house around 7:00 and by 7:45 we had called the Chicken Casa and were all set two pick up our two whole-chicken meals with rice and beans and fresh salsa a guacamole. On our way out the door to pick up the food, Gabe handed us some cash and asked that we stop by the market to pick up some Bourbon. Deciding that our chicken would be hotter and yummier if we picked it up on the way home, we went first to the Rite Aid, but drove by the restaurant, glanced in, and thought about all the yummy chicken that awaited us.

Upon arriving at the restaurant, we were happy to see that a police car was parked in front. Lexington's finest enjoyed the Chicken Casa also! we thought. However, as we got out of the car, the cop was walking out and said that we might want to pick another place to eat, that this place had just been robbed. We said that we would rather give them our business given the circumstances and so we went in. Three generations of Chicken Casa workers (I'm thinking the owner's family) were standing behind the counter, the youngest with noticeable tears in her eyes. The owner came up to us as we walked in and said that our order would be ready soon. We sat and listened while the cop and the owner discussed the incident.

The owner said that the man walked in in a mask but that initially he thought that the robber was us, Michelle and me, the folks coming to pick up their food. He said welcome but then noticed the mask and then the gun. They went on like that while Michelle and I waited for our chicken dinners. We realized that had we come to the restaurant before going to the Rite Aid, we would have been robbed too. The man in the mask had taken the owner's wallet and he surely would have taken ours as well.

The oldest of the women working that night eventually came out with two big bags filled with aromatic chicken. We went up to the register and asked if they took credit cards. The owner laughed and said that they prefer it; it can't be stolen. We said how sorry we were and told them about all the nice things we'd heard about their chicken.

Before we left, we put a twenty dollar bill in the tip jar; it was empty save a couple ones, having been emptied by the robber. The owner said thank you but that it was not our fault. The oldest women there said que Dios les bendiga.

The chicken was awesome, roasted to perfection, spiced simply with garlic and salt and pepper. The four of us took down two whole chickens a were barely able to finish the rice and beans. We will definitely be going back to the Chicken Casa and hope that others in Lexington support this great new restaurant.

I am also proud to say that purchasing some W.L. Weller Bourbon saved me from getting robbed. Is there nothing that amber elixir can't do?