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By Lisa Kampeter

I was a little hesitant about the latest restaurant of choice for the Dining Divas. First, they don’t take reservations. Second, every time I’ve driven by, there’s been a line outside the door. And finally, their specialty is fried chicken, and the last time we went to a place like that, I heard more complaints than compliments from the Divas. They couldn’t seem to be able to accept the restaurant’s chicken and sides’ prices compared to a place like KFC!

Thankfully, I worried for nothing. I knew once I saw a waiter serve a 40-ounce beer in a small brown paper bag, I was going to like the place.   It brought back so many memories of my younger days.

The Dining Divas went to Gus’ World Famous Fried Chicken on Manchester in Maplewood. Fried chicken restaurants must be the in-thing, just like barbecue joints a few years ago.   And Gus’ knows how to do fried chicken.

The lack of reservations didn’t matter this night as we lucked out when a few tables opened up as we arrived. It was the middle of the week, and the restaurant was constantly busy, but there wasn’t a wait, which was great for us. Not only was our waiter attentive, but the other staff members were, too, as we continued to bother them more than once to ask for another chair and then another when more Divas showed up than expected. And again, they didn’t snarl when we asked to push yet another table together with ours to let us spread out more. They all were genuinely kind.

The Missing Diva joined us again after four months. Too many trips and other commitments kept her away, but she was glad to be back. She could relate to the Job-Changing Diva. More than a year ago, she had lost her job after 22 years. And now another Diva was going through the same thing, with a company she’d been with for 30 years. Shock and sadness surrounded the table, but with confidence, the Divas believed she’d bounce back better than ever.   The Missing Diva did!

It was good to see the Bonus Diva. She’s been battling the side effects of seafood poisoning, years later. We consider it a bonus if she’s feeling good enough to spend time with us. The Traveling Diva had just returned from Florida and a cruise. We’re over being envious of her. The Birthday Diva anticipated an exciting weekend with her husband while the Just-Turned-Fifty Diva defended herself and her sour look at her surprise birthday party the weekend before. According to her, she wasn’t sour, but those of us in attendance would disagree!

It’s not too difficult to figure out what you want when your options are chicken and chicken. Picking out your sides isn’t that difficult either when it’s “picnic sides” as one Diva put it. Baked beans, potato salad, mac n cheese, coleslaw…your average sides you’d have at a picnic.   And if you’re looking for another protein option besides chicken, you should probably go somewhere else. Fried chicken is it.

And they do it spicy well. The chicken had a little kick at the end. Not too much to disappoint the Picky Divas and spicy enough to be interesting for the rest.

We’d gone into “fried food overload” once we had the chicken because we started off with fried pickles and fried okra as appetizers. But it wasn’t too much to skip out on the homemade pies. Multiple forks attacked slices of pecan, coconut, and chess pie (some type of chocolate pie). The Fasting Divas were sad to miss out.

Gus’ renewed our opinions of fried chicken joints. It’s reasonably priced and better yet, finger-licking good. I think the Colonel would agree.

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