Your vote for boston's best chicken parm?

[twentyoystahs]

I know the merits of this have been debated in the past but I am on a never-ending quest to find the best chicken parm in Boston......for years I thought I had found it at Il Panino Express, but when prices went up recently and it started costing me over 7 bucks for a chicken parm there, I decided it was time to try a few new spots. A recent review of the very reasonably priced chicken parm at Mangia Mangia inspired me to try theirs..and while pretty good, I still think Il Panino Express's is in a league of it's own. Here's why I like Il Panino's version:

1) really fresh baked bread, I'm pretty sure it's from Parziale's bakery, down the block
2) a delicious tomato sauce, flavored w/ just the right amt of parsley, basil and garlic
3) lightly breaded chunks of white meat chicken, hardly pounded at all
4) served piping hot from their oven with mozz cheese bubbling over the sides
5) Usually a big portion, enough for 2 meals (for me at least)

Mangia Mangia's was ok, but more of a "classic" parm; though it was real chicken breast, it was pounded too thin for my taste...I'm not a fan of chicken parm's like this 'cause i feel you can hardly taste the chicken. . The red sauce was good....was a nice big gooey mess with the mozz cheese and certainly a plentiful portion (the other half is tomorrow's lunch.) The roll was just ok, seemed more like a store-bought roll than one that was freshly baked, much softer --I know some folks may like that, but I prefer more of a crispy roll. Probably the best part of the sub was the overall experience --forking over under 5 bucks for a huge sub wrapped in aluminium foil and then packed in a brown bag....lots of local folks sitting at tables eating their lunch....old time Italians behind the counter manning the grill, preparing the sandwiches....all good stuff. But Il Panino's is still the leading contender, with Victor's in Ball Sq a close second. I still need to try Dino's in the North End, I've heard good things about them too. Any others I should try?

[frankie Imbergamo]

Tryout the chicken Parm at L'osteria on salem st. in the north end!!

it is awsome!!

Frankie Imbergamo

[MC Slim JB]

Frankie, do they do a sandwich at L'Osteria, or is it a chicken parm plate?

[twentyoystahs]

I'm guessing it's a chicken parm plate, like some of the other recs..which are great, but slightly different than what I'm looking for. I want a sandwich --a sub I can take out and bring back home.....

[tatamagouche]

What about Joseph's Bakery in Southie? I've heard that's good.

[itaunas]

One place that did a similar chicken parm (basically tenders, fried to order and dark brown) was Maria's on Gore St in E. Cambridge not far from the North End. It was really addictive, even though I tend to prefer the pounded breast style. They unfortunately were sold and despite the new owner promising to keep the menu, I have been a bit uncertain to go back.... its now called Olive Cafe if you want to give it a shot.

A bit further away, Amici's in West Medford also does chicken parm the same way and uses their tasty sauce (more italian seasoning, less oregano). Bread is nothing special, but good.

[chezchristine]

I love the ones from the Comella's in Wellesley. It tastes like it's fried to order, and I know they make their own sauce there because they sell it frozen. It reheats well too, with the bread getting nice and toasty. An amazing deal (usually 2 meals for me) for $5.99! Haven't tried their other sandwiches.

http://www.comellasrestaurant.com/

I think they have two other locations too.

[twentyoystahs]

Hey, thanks for the tip, i know they have a location that recently opened with w.rox, not far from me :)
I will have to check them out. Do you remember if the breasts are pounded really really thin?

[chezchristine]

No, it's not that thin. But at least it isn't processed chicken! I've had the mess there and personally didn't like it, everything was pretty much the same texture. But the chicken parm was great, and they seemed to have an interesting selection of housemade ravioli.

[tamerlanenj]

Isn't that the place where they throw all the leftovers into a big mound and serve it?

[twentyoystahs]

Well yeah it's called the "mess" though I don't think they advertise it as throwing the "leftovers into a mound and serving it"...it's more like a combination of a bunch of ingredients, i.e sauce, pasta, chicken, sausage, etc all baked together in a big dish...there are a bunch of diffferent versions of their "mess" --all listed on their menu accessible online....if I ever get there I personally would gravitate toward their more traditional dishes like chicken parm or baked ziti.

[limster]

The main reasons why I like the one at Mangia Mangia most are because of the thin cutlets for the balance between the crisp crumbly batter and the chicken and the cheese , which I think was a provolone rather than a mozzerella when I had it - it gave off a nice and subtle pungency to it that I really enjoyed. That's why I'd rank it over Il Panino's, but of course it's a matter of personal taste.

I haven't been to Victor's in a while and need to go back there -- I really enjoyed that version too.

I've also enjoyed the ones at Venice Ristorante in Beacon Hill (also deep fried to order), although they are a notch down from MM and Victor's imho.

I remember the version at Artu in the North End to be rather tepid, unlikely to have been fried to order.

[twentyoystahs]

May have been a provolone at MM, now that I think of it I think Il Panino's version has provolone too. And even though Il Panino's chicken is not fried to order (in fact it sits behind the counter in a vat, alongside the sauce and cheese) I personally like it because of the light batter and thicker cut. But yes, perhaps a matter of personal preference. I brought a friend there once to try the parm and she thought the bread was "hard" and "tough to chew," preferring the softer, more commercially baked rolls (probably more in line with Mangia Mangia's version.) Anyway, to each his/her own.

[Luther]

I used to really like the chicken parm at Village Fare (a Greek pizza place) in Brookline Village. It used to be a daily special on some day of the week, so the large, 2-meal type sub was a very good value.

[wontonton]

During the weekdays, if I get a craving, I get the chicken parm at Ottimo's on High St. downtown. The roll is decent, they toast the sandwich, the chicken is good, The sauce is sweet but not cloying and they don't drown the sandwich in it, which is a plus for me. Best part is it's only $5.50. I wouldn't say it's necessarily "Boston's Best" but it beats out many of the other soggy, overly breaded, saucy messes I've had around town.

[tamerlanenj]

I just had a very good chicken parm dinner at Carlo's Cucina. Not a hero, but an entree. I'm sure they'll give you some bread to stick it between if you really want.

[Small Plates]

I have always craved Pace's chicken parm (and the eggplant parm too!) from their take-out counter.. Their sauce is delicious - more sweet than acidic - and the cutlets are tender, juicy and lightly breaded. There is tons of melted mozzarella, and the portion is HUGE! I have not had it in a long time (in fact maybe years ago at the Devonshire Street location - not even sure if that is still open) but I recall the price being something like $6.95 - hard to beat that. Has anyone tried it lately??

[lissy]

The Pace on Devonshire close to State Street closed but the one on Devonshire near Franklin St. is still there. I think they actually use provolone on their chicken parm, not mozzarella. I don't find them overly generous with the cheese. I do like their eggplant parm.

[Small Plates]

You are right, Lissy - I misspoke. And thinking about it now (it has been a long time since I have had their parm) I do remember it with provolone. Yum.

[9lives]

I like the Italian cold cuts at Pace..but prefer the chicken parm at Viga..a few blocks away.

Not to say it's the best in Boston; but my favorite for that part of town.

[taxi]

There is a Pace's in Saugus if that helps any. It is right off the Fellsway.

[heathermb]

Vinny's At Night. Absolutely - this is the best I've had anywhere. And it's easily two meals' worth of food. Juicy chicken, tangy sauce, as much cheese as you like - with a nice browned crust on top. And with their homemade mafalde it's heaven on a plate! It's not Boston, but worth a trip!

Just made myself hungry!

[Joanie]

My chicken cutlet at Vinnie's was pretty good. The chicken was as you describe, chunks of well breaded white meat, good breading. Roll was only okay, could have used more sauce but you can always ask for that, $5.50.

[MC Slim JB]

Not to discourage your research, but I found Dino's a distinct disappointment all around. Very weak roll, thin, overly-sweet sauce, inferior cheese, processed-tasting chicken. It was huge for the money, but big and bad is still just bad to me. Mangia Mangia kicked it to the curb.

It's been a long time, years, but I seem to remember Artu (the Beacon Hill one, not the North End one) having a very good chicken parm sandwich for not a lot of money.

[twentyoystahs]

Good to know about Dino's, I think I will scratch it from my list. Processed-tasting chicken is exactly what I'd like to avoid. Thanks for the heads-up! (And yes, it was your review in the Dig of Mangia Mangia's chicken parm that inspired me to give this place a shot...glad I did, so, thanks!)

And yes, Artu does have a good chicken parm sub. It's been years since I've had it --and I have only been to the North End one --but will have to try it again to see how it compares.

[buffet king]

I also tried Dino's in the North End and was disappointed that their sub roll is very long but it's also very narrow. If they had used french bread the sub would have been much better. Not in Boston but Bob's Food Store on Main Street in Medford would get my vote for the best chicken parm sub. Order a jumbo chicken parm with light sauce and you'll have enough food for two meals. It comes in a giant braided roll with melted provolone cheese and tomato sauce. Make sure you get plenty of napkins cause it could get messy.

[twentyoystahs]

I forgot about Bob's. Excellent chicken parm though i do remember it getting messy. Perhaps light sauce is the way to go. Either way, certainly in my top 5 though i still like Il Panino best. Will have to give Pace's a try sometime soon, and Vinny's too.

[BJK]

Love Bob's chicken parm, though (a) it DOES get messy (must order light sauce) and (b) they don't have an oven.

BK

[hellohi1968]

the best chicken parm in the South End is at Anchovies on Coulmbus Ave. I have been going there for over 10 years and it has not changed (and I think the price has only gone up by a dollar or so). Other restaurans try to do it but at Anchovies it is exactly what you are looking for. Perfectly cooked chicken, CHEESE and great sauce with a great garlic bread. There is nothing fancy about chicken parm but when you want it it has to be great. Anchovies is the place. It is served in a casserole dish and is all bubbly and great. Give it a shot. The meatball sub is also awsome. For $5.95 you can get great homemade meatballs on great garlic bread and have an inexpensive weeknight meal.