Will a handheld menu item be a breakout favorite?
What restaurant dishes will become breakout hits on the island this season? It’s any- one’s guess — today’s vastly more adventurous palates tender fewer clear-cut frontrunners or, conversely, too many—but one is a good bet.
It’s already a budding hit, at least on its own turf, and word of mouth is beginning to stir up wider local interest, which would actually comport with its far-flung fans who may or may not have been to Palm Beach (more on that in a moment).
The dish in question: the crispy chicken sandwich at the new Honor Bar in Royal Poinciana Plaza, 340 Royal Poinciana Way, Palm Beach.
Since the casual lunch-anddinner restaurant opened last month next door to its dinner-only sister Hillstone Restaurant Group establishment, Palm Beach Grill, The Honor Bar’s crispy chicken sandwich has been a huge seller among the small plates, salads and sandwich offerings on its menu.
It’s not uncommon for 100 crispy chicken sandwiches to sell in a day, according to executive chef Andrew Schor, who leads the culinary team for both The Honor Bar and longtime uber-popular Palm Beach Grill.
In other upscale markets where California-based Hillstone Restaurant Group dining establishments serve the ‘Ding’s Crispy Chicken Sandwich’ — from Boca Raton to Beverly Hills — it has practi- cally become a cult favorite.
Online diner comments and restaurant cri t ics’ reviews rave about how it equals a crunchy, tangy and creamy eating experience.
So what are some of the ingredients that make up the crispy chicken sandwich at Palm Beach’s Honor Bar, an intimately-spaced eatery that’s one of four Honor Bar locations in the country?
On a housemade sandwich roll, it’s layered with sliced tomato, baby Swiss cheese and a housemade kale slaw with a tangy and spicy vinaigrette-style dressing. As for the chicken, Schor explains, “We hand-batter each chicken brea st…This is about the combination of really good-quality ingredi- ents.”