The Waffles Debate + Win Free Dinner For Two!

3ChickenandWaffles
Restaurant 3’s Chicken and Waffles Dish – but with WHAT side?!

I recently had the pleasure of having dinner at Restaurant 3, where I talked with Co-Owner Jonathan Williams about their Chicken and Waffles dish. He was joking around, saying they were trying to settle a debate on whether the chicken and waffles should be served with a side of maple syrup or a side of gravy. The argument has been raging internally at Restaurant 3 with the Owner and Chef on different sides.

You see, I feel very strongly about this, and what the correct answer is, but I promised to remain neutral and open it up to you, We Love DC readers to decide. Vote in the comments – gravy or maple syrup, and I’ll use random.org to pick a winner to get a free dinner for two at Restaurant 3. Also, in addition to offering the dinner for two, Restaurant 3 will actually alter the dish according to customer feedback. If the majority of the group says gravy, the restaurant will adapt the dish. Hurry, voting ends at noon on the 18th! I’ll announce the winner of dinner for two, and what dish will be served at the restaurant later that day.

To give you a little insight into the debate at Restaurant 3 I talked to the opposing sides. “The balance between salty and sweet is the classic twist on flavors that make Chicken n’ Waffles ridiculously delicious. The chicken has a crisp salty flavor, it is the sweet maple syrup that is the contrast. And who wants to eat a fluffy waffle without maple syrup?” says Jonathan Williams, Co-Owner of Restaurant 3. His Executive Chef does NOT agree. “Chicken n’ Waffles is not a light breakfast dish. It is a savory, hearty dinner dish that combines the sweet Belgian waffle with the crispy fried chicken. A hearty, savory gravy poured atop the Chicken n’ Waffles gives it the kick the pushes the dish into dinnertime.” says Brian Robinson.

So the fate of chicken and waffles lies to you, dear reader – so what do you say? Should it be served with maple syrup, or with gravy?

Katie moved to DC in 2007, and has since embarked upon a love affair with the city. She’s an education reform advocate and communications professional during the day; at night and on the weekends, she’s an owner here at We Love DC. Katie has high goals to eat herself through the entire city, with only her running shoes to save her from herself. For up-to-the-minute news and reviews (among other musings), follow her on Twitter!

92 thoughts on “The Waffles Debate + Win Free Dinner For Two!”

  1. I grew up in Savannah, GA and went to college in Atlanta so I consider myself an authority on Southern food =) The proper way to enjoy chicken and waffles is with syrup! And yes, I put syrup on my bacon and sausage. Now I’m hungry!

  3. definitely both, in separate cups, so i can alternate with each bite OR PUT BOTH ON THE SAME BITE OMG SCANDAL

  4. Well, the pennsylvania dutch are arguably the originators of the combination, and it’s always served with gravy. However, the chicken is usually stewed or roasted, not fried.

    Wells Supper Club in Harlem claims they were first to pair the fried chicken and the waffles, happening by the pairing of breakfast and dinner. Served with Syrup.

    I say save the gravy for mashed taters. Syrup is the way to go.

  5. I am not eligible to win, so I have to ask who the heck came up with this hipster craze of chicken and waffles? That said, I come down strongly on the side of gravy, unless they are on two separate plates, which is stupid, in which case I would say both, but definitely gravy if eaten together, not that I would eat this because I don’t eat meat.

  7. the original Roscoe’s Chicken & Waffles in SoCal serves it all the Maple Syrup you can handle (not to mention a gravyboat full of BUTTER) and that’s the way it was intended to be eaten the whole world over. Salivating now…

  8. I gotta say, I’m way more intrigued by the prospect of gravy on a waffle than syrup on chicken, so I’m voting gravy. I know they’ll find a way to make it work.

  9. syrup, no question!!! i was also going to mention that roscoe’s chicken and waffles has actually already ended this debate for us, but i was beaten to the punch :)

    carl weaver, c&w is definitely no hipster craze, it’s an american tradition!

  11. syrup!!!! do people even eat fried chicken with gravy? sounds like a heart attack in the making….

  13. I think it tastes good both ways, but given the rich history of the dish I have to vote syrup. Restaurants that would like to serve it with gravy should just call it something else.

  16. you are all ridiculous. you obviously are supposed to have both. this is how Marvin does it, and it’s delicious. also, Roscoes is the BEST.

  28. Gravy’s kinda gross with the waffles, syrup doesn’t quite fit with the chicken.

    But honey works pretty well on both.

  30. Of course, the compromise answer is a gravy that incorporates maple syrup. I believe that prospect would be delicious. Though if I had to choose between the two, it would be maple syrup as long as it is the real deal.

  32. Definitely maple syrup. Though maybe I’m biased because I’ve never liked gravy. But thinking of the sweet and salty together just sounds so delicious! Gravy in my opinion would be way too heavy!

  34. There’s a debate? Anyone who hasn’t tried a little maple on their fried chicken is missing out. Sounds weird, I know, but give it a fair chance.

    Maple FTW.

  35. Having had this dish at Restaurant 3 not too long ago, I was disappointed when it came out with syrup instead of gravy. I might have dipped my waffle in the syrup once or twice, but would have sopped up all the gravy with the waffle.

    I do like syrup on my bacon and sausage – but I like gravy with my chicken and waffles.

    It could be the PA Dutch side of me coming out, but I would have to vote for the gravy in this case.

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