Meet Derek Coleman (pictured, left) and Kevin Seltzer (right), otherwise known as the Gentlemen of Chicken. Their mission? To find the best fried chicken the Greater St. Louis area has to offer (or die trying – presumably – of cardiac arrest).
These gentlemen (who work as a lawyer and bartender on the side) are true aficionados of the fried fowl, dedicating their lunch on two Fridays of every month to their endeavor. Their trek started roughly four months ago and since then, they have visited Porter’s, Hodak’s, Friendly’s, Diner’s Delight and Tip Top, to name a few.
After graciously being invited to tag along with the Gentlemen of Chicken (GoC) several weeks ago, we met them at one of their favorite eateries, Frank and Helen’s Pizzeria. (Don’t let the word pizzeria fool you into thinking the chicken here was anything but divine.) The duo had already visited Frank and Helen’s on their tour (and many times in the past), but they made an exception for us, wanting to show off the place where their plan was first hatched.
Frank and Helen’s, at the time of our visit, was also the highest scoring chicken contender, receiving a total score of 36.5 out of 40 according to Seltzer and a 38 out of 40 from Coleman. Fried chicken rankings are based on four categories: chicken meat; breading/skin; sides; and atmosphere. Each category is rated on a scale from zero through 10. 
The GoC’s scoring also includes intangibles which is where the real hilarity comes in. Intangibles can result in small deductions to the overall score and range from anything to a long wait, a cash only option, too much grease and a wobbly table. Other intangibles, which result in bonus points, range from whether there is a Big Buck Hunter on the premises (HD widescreen, of course), an all-dark meat option, a storied restaurant history and cheap prices. In the GoC’s reviews, they also include non-chicken highlights – my favorite being the time they overheard a waitress bringing a customer a salad which she introduced to the customer as, “I don’t know what the f*** this is.”
Unfortunately, the GoC only share their reviews via email to their friends and family, but we will be sure to check back with them when their mission is complete. Until then, good luck Gentlemen of Chicken, and may your arteries live to tell the tale.
Beyond Sauce’s fried chicken short list, published in 2011, do you have any fried chicken establishments to suggest for the GoC to try? Anyone out there on a mission to find the best _____ around town? Let us know! We’d love to join!
— photos by Michelle Volansky
This article appears in January 2013.