Fried chicken - The Stockyards smoke house and larder

Is it just me or is fried chicken one of life's most delightful pleasures? I love fried chicken and have ever since I was a little girl. My earliest memories of fried chicken date back to 5 or 6 years old when I had a   weekly date every Saturday with my grandfather. My grandfather is a very interesting man. He appreciates the simple things in life one of those being fried chicken. He's the kind of man who likes what he likes and thats it! You can't ask him to try something out of his comfort zone especially in a restaurant. The man hates carrots and onions although he adores French onion soup (I just don't get it), and if he doesn't like the look or sound of a dish he won't touch it with a 10 foot pole.  Some of the things he likes most are Mcdonald's, Jamaican food, Chinese food, lobster and other crustaceans & mollusks, pizza with pepperoni and anchovies, spaghetti and meatballs, caesar salad, whole fish although he won't touch a fillet, avocado, mango, grapes,  peanuts, but fried chicken is definitely his on the top of his list. I've certainly acquired his love fried chicken and wanted to finally take this opportunity to tell you all about it. 


I recently had some delicious although slightly salty fried chicken at The Stockyards. This tiny hole in the wall restaurant has a line up constantly. The menu is small and quirky consisting of proper bbq, burgers and sandwiches with some surprises like fish tacos and the brunch item called eggs Tommy that I'm dying to try (a take on shrimp and gritts). The day we went the line was so long we decided to take our food to go out of sheer desperation.  That day my hubby went from the peanut butter, banana and dulce de leche sandwich, yes I know he's a weirdo ordering bananas and peanut butter at a smoke house, a but it was Sunday brunch and that's what his stomach desired. 


We shared both dishes and thoroughly enjoyed our food, although we both agreed that the sandwich was slightly overhyped for what it was and missing the promise of drippy dulce de leche stickyness.  The dipping sauce for the chicken was kind of strange like strawberry jelly mixed with cayenne pepper and white vinegar. That being said I would gladly have settled for the chicken and waffles with some pure Canadian Maple Syrup. 


I think Torntonians are so deprived of proper Diner, Drive Inn and Dive worthy fried chicken and waffles we've settled for KFC and Popeyes for years and have zero standards on the subject. Don't get me wrong Popeyes chicken is fucking awesome but it was merely my childhood introduction to deep fried chicken and I've gradually developed much higher standards for gut busting southern fried poultry.


Since i'm still sort of undecided on the final verdict I will bring my grandfather to The Stockyards and get the master Jamaican grandaddy's take on his favorite dish. I will report back my snobettes oh yes and if you know of a great place for fried chicken in our city please let me know. 


Ta.