As a new downtowner in employment, I've been scanning the possibilities for reasonably priced AND filling decent lunches, and have found my choices to be somewhat limited. I'd passed Frederick's on my route to the bank several times per week, and decided to give it a go.\n\nMy first time in was pretty successful. So much so that I raved about it back in the office, and then took a co-worker there for a second try, and was intensely let down.\n\nSo I'm starting off by saying that Frederick's is hit-or-miss, depending on the day.\n\nOn my first visit, I walked into an empty restaurant, checked out the menu, and was in the mood for some good ol' fried chicken. The young gal behind the register was VERY sweet and helpful, and I ordered a three-piece dark with fries, and a diet Coke. The guys in the back were friendly and welcoming, fried it up fresh while I waited, and I had a nice $8 lunch in ten minutes. Took it back to the office, and thoroughly enjoyed me some dynamite fried chicken. The outside was crispy and tasty with that kind of bacon-like flavor that you can get when the skin is fried right, and the meat was juicy and flavorful. The fries were very basic, not even salted, but they were overall fine. I had a very pleasant experience and planned to return.\n\nSo for the second visit, I took my co-worker, and after my rave about the chicken, she decided to try that, with a side of mac-n-cheese. I was in the mood for just fish, and envisioned a nice slab of fried fish smothered in tartar sauce that would be as awesome as the chicken. Another co-worker had asked if they had greens, and after a scan of the menu, I decided to surprise her with an order.\n\nMy co-worker ordered her chicken breast and side, and I started to order my fish. \n\nThey were out of every fish but Tilapia. Oh well, I guess I'll have the Tilapia.\n\nThis time, the restaurant was busy, and just a tad more than a tad on the under-sophisticated side of the evolutionary scale.\n\nThe two ladies before us hemmed and hawed at what they wanted, and they wanted it 'this way', but no, 'this way', and with this side, but no, with THAT side, and on and on. The poor gal behind the register was getting a little frazzled, and that was compiled by the 'we don't have that right now' issue that they seemed to be having. \n\nIn the meantime, the guys in the back seemed unable to keep up with the orders, and didn't seem to be able to gain focus on what they were cooking, which seemed to be going a little wrong.\n\nSo my friend and I sat down to wait for our order, and while we waited, the under-sophisticated patrons began to get very verbal and somewhat obnoxious about their orders. 'This is NASTY - I want my money back!' 'This mac-n-cheese is dry and terrible!' Blah-blah-blah. Then there was a verbal altercation between two tables. \n\nOh boy, a floor show while we wait.\n\nWe waited a full half hour this time, and after they dealt with the ranting 'I want my money back' lady and the several trips to the table that insisted that they get the mac-n-cheese right or replace it, our order finally came together. I asked for a good load of tartar sauce which the gal put in the bag, and my co-worker and I were off to the office to eat.\n\nHer chicken was good. The mac-n-cheese WAS dry. The greens were a nice surprise until they were opened and eaten, and then they were a nice thought, but...\n\nSo I sat down and opened my $8 container of fried Tilapia.\n\nAnd one package of tartar sauce was enough to totally smother BOTH pieces.\n\nNow, I can't say for sure - but I do believe that somewhere a fishing company operated by extremely myopic fisherman was duped into believing that a school of baby minnows, on their way to a costume party, all dressed as Tilapia, were indeed a net full of adult Tilapia. I've had sardines that were bigger. \n\nTwo hours later I had to hit up another joint for some cheese fries just to feel like I'd actually had some food.\n\nMy advice for those who are hankering for some soul food who were thinking of giving Frederick's a try, don't be totally turned away - but follow these simple tips instead.\n\n1) Do NOT go DURING the lunch 'rush'. They get frazzled and disorganized, and as a result, so do their patrons. Go BEFORE the rush, or an hour AFTER the rush. They really are very nice, and they do make good food - when they can actually focus on doing just that. \n\n2) The fried chicken really does seem to be what they do best. Unless they take a look at what other establishments downtown are offering as 'fish' and change their portioning and prices, it truly is not worth eight bucks for two fish mcnuggets. I've not tried their ribs (not really being a fan) so I can't speak for them. But the fried chicken, even during mayhem, came out alright.\n\nIf you're in the mood for good fried chicken, they beat the mystery meat of the colonel. Follow my two tips and you'll be fine.
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