We Try Golden Chick's New Pimento Crunchwich; Is It Worth $5.99?

In the world of food writing, it's important to stay grounded. Every day, we grapple with the temptation to slip into a cycle of candlelit dinners over white tablecloths, washed down with a bottle of red wine that we could never afford ourselves. But that would be disingenuous. Sometimes you have to realign yourself with the fundamentals, the real salt of the earth. Sometimes you have to go to Golden Chick.

Yesterday was one of those times, albeit an easier one than normal. Golden Chick announced the Pimento Crunchwich, a new spin on their classic chicken sandwich with pimento cheese spread, jalapeno crisps, and extra-thick pickles, culminating in a promise that the item would be "packed with flavor you can hear."

We've seen bars set high, but we've never expected onomatopoeia, especially when that expectation is set for us, not by us. For the first time, a late afternoon trip to Golden Chick seemed like a necessity.

The pimento crunchwich arrived in a small yellow box, inscribed with the chicken pun "peace, love and tenderness."  We don't want to make a broad comment on all Golden Chicks around the country, but the buns on the sandwich we ordered were ice cold. Of all the elements on the sandwich that could be cold, we'd probably prefer it be the bread, but we'd also prefer it all be hot to begin with.

At any rate, we moved past the temperature to dive in for that highly anticipated first bite. Sadly, we couldn't detect an audible sound as advertised, but the taste was pretty close to what was promised.

Crispy from the chicken breading and thick pickles, tangy from pimento cheese spread and just spicy enough from the jalapeno crisps, you get what you pay for at Golden Chick. And credit where credit is due, you don't pay a lot. The Pimento Crunchwich is sold a la carte for $5.99. It's also available as a combo with a side and a 30-ounce (!!) drink for $8.99

We can't say we'll be rushing to the next Golden Chick for another crunchwich, or that we'll be telling our friends and family about it. But for what it's worth ($5.99, literally) and for the sake of creativity (a food item peddling the sound of a bite along with taste), it was a decent stop. Quite the bang for your cluck, if we may.

If you want to try it for yourself, the pimento crunchwich is available through August 3.