Home / Dining in Durham - NC / Southern Fast Food Series #1: Bojangles’ — Restaurant Review
22 December, 2009

Southern Fast Food Series #1: Bojangles’ — Restaurant Review

Comments : 11 Posted in : Dining in Durham - NC, Restaurants on by : The Gourmez

Thus begins my Southern Fast Food series. I was convinced by my friends, Iris and Laura, or perhaps by the fruity rum cocktails I’d been drinking, that I needed to give the chains located in my present state of residence a shot. This was after I had proclaimed loudly and proudly to have never stepped foot inside a Bojangles’, Biscuitville, or Bob Evans in my life. Iris and Laura concentrated their efforts on my need to try a Cajun chicken biscuit and any of Sonic’s multiple crazy drinks. I was worn down. This series is the results of their efforts. I hope to make it out alive.

Bojangles’

Locations throughout the Southeast, creeping to Pennsylvania and . . . Honduras? Huh.

Location where I ate: 4600 Garret Road, Durham

Website

Laura accompanied me for this meal and her guidance was needed – I barely made it through the ordering process with her help. Bojangles’ has a menu that includes fried chicken, fried chicken sandwiches on biscuits or bread, sides including seasoned french fries, dirty rice, mac and cheese, potatoes and gravy, and coleslaw, and your standard drink selection with an emphasis on sweet tea. There are also mysterious items like botatos and BoBerry sweet biscuits. I learned, as I placed my order, that a chicken biscuit combo with seasoned fries and sweet tea is the standard request as the waitress streamed the words together with just a hint of a question in her voice the moment I said, “Combo.” I faltered under the strength of her conviction to ask for coleslaw instead of the fries but did manage to order Mountain Dew instead of sweet tea. I think I threw her a curveball when I added a sweet potato pie to the meal.  While Laura informed me that Bojangles’s recipe is the epitome of properly made sweet tea, I still couldn’t convince myself to try it out. All previous attempts have ended in my dumping the stuff out about three sips in. Unsweet tea, my preferred fast food drink, was definitely not an option here.

I glanced at the side offerings in the case as we waited for our food. The dirty rice looked appealing and I regretted not ordering it instead of the fries, as I’d avoided it since I assumed there’d be beans. This rice looked mostly bean-free so I would have been okay.  As it turned out, the fries were my favorite part of the meal, so I’d made the right choice by letting the cashier chose for me.

Food came fast, though I was given sweet tea instead of Mountain Dew, which was quickly remedied. I believe it was part of a conspiracy, nonetheless.  Laura instructed me to shake some seasonings over my fries, which I did dutifully.  We sat down and dug in.

The fries were great! They are halfway between steak fries and thin ones and come with bits of potato skin still on. A bit greasy, but the seasoning was excellent. It’s essentially a seasoning salt that’s heavy on the paprika and has a good amount of chili powder. It also dulled my taste buds after awhile. Perhaps that’s part of Bojangles’ business plan?

The basic chicken biscuit has a spicy surprise.

Beneath the fried coating, which was a bit too mealy for my liking, there is an excellent dusting of spicy orange . . . stuff? I suppose it might have been more paprika and chili powder and it gave the sandwich a good level of spice, without which it would have been pretty boring.  The biscuit was fluffy and had a nice buttery coating but was thinner than I expected.

I finished the meal off with their sweet potato pie.

Okay, that’s a lie. I finished the meal off with more fries after eating half my sweet potato pie.  That was really all I could eat of it – way too much nutmeg and way too little sweet potato flavor in the thick, dense filling. The flaky crust was fine.

On its own, I give Bojangles’ a

2 stars

2 stars

rating. In the grand scheme of fast food, I’d place it above Taco Bell and Wendy’s but below the other burger joints.  What about you?  What should I try if I go back again? Is it impossible to truly understand Bojangles’ appeal without drinking the sweet tea? Anywhere else you’d like to see me try?  I think Sonic might be next on the list.

Reviewed 12.15.09.

11s COMMENTS

11 thoughts on : Southern Fast Food Series #1: Bojangles’ — Restaurant Review

  • December 22, 2009 at 12:20 am

    You can totally get unsweet tea at Bojangles, they just don’t put it on the menu. Try some bo-rounds for breakfast (spicy hashbrown/tater tots), delicious! 🙂

  • The Gourmez
    December 22, 2009 at 12:30 am

    Good to know, James! Thanks for the 411 on the secret unsweet tea. =) Spicy hash brown do sound pretty good and if I make it back to Bojangles’ sometime, it’ll definitely be for breakfast!

  • December 22, 2009 at 12:52 am

    I’m hardly a Bojangles regular, but it’s a great place to stop for breakfast. I’ll second the suggestion on the Bo-rounds. The Bo-berry biscuit is a blueberry biscuit with icing, and makes for a tasty breakfast treat as well. (Best when warm)

  • January 7, 2010 at 7:41 pm

    I have been eating Bojangle’s since immediately after my birth and I have to say I am not a fan of the Bo-rounds that other commenters have mentioned.

    However, i cannot believe you did not sample one of Bojangle’s most desired delicacies: the BOBERRY BISCUIT.

  • January 7, 2010 at 10:14 pm

    Now that I know it’s a blueberry biscuit, I’m not sure I would try it! I’m not a fan of blueberry, generally, though I do like the very occasional, artificial tasting blueberry muffin. Strange, I know. Thanks for the suggestion, though!

  • Crystal
    May 18, 2010 at 6:13 pm

    ALL I CAN SAY IS I LUVE THE BO-BERRY BISCUITS THEY ARE THE BOM AND THEY ARE BEST IF ATE WARM…I WOULD DRIVE HOURS JUST TO GET THEM..

  • Dave
    May 23, 2010 at 4:39 am

    what ever happened to the Bojangles cajun cole slaw???…..i live in Va. (norfolk, portsmouth) and they tell me, at the drive-thru, “they don’t make it anymore”…..to me, and mine, the cajun cole slaw was the best part of a traditional sunday dinner at my house, without it, sunday dinners are just not the same anymore. If anybody has the recipe for the cajun cole slaw at bojangles, PLEASE e-mail it to wolfe22@cox.net thank you in advance, Dave

    • May 24, 2010 at 12:06 pm

      I have no idea, Dave. It definitely wasn’t on the menu when I tried Bojangles’, but sounds like it might be tasty, so I’m sad about that!

  • Coleman
    May 3, 2011 at 12:58 pm

    You have got to try the sweet tea. I used to think all sweet tea tasted like watered down flat Coke. Bojangles changed my mind. I suggest a 4 piece supreme dinner (4 strips o chicken, one side, biscuit, and drink). The first bojangles ever is somewhere in nc, if it’s close enough try that one.

  • Eva
    October 14, 2021 at 2:23 pm

    What happened to Bojangles sweet potato pies?
    I only had one and our store here in Soddy Daisy, TN 37379 said they could not get anymore.
    I was very disappointed.

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