It may be hard to think about eating huge portions of hot, Southern comfort food in this heat, but once you wait out the line, brush away your sweat, and get settled, the cuisine at the relatively-new New York City Upper West Side eatery Jacob's Pickles, is worth it. Jacob's Pickles is not for the weak of heart or diet-tempting eater, this is the real deal: buckets of grits, fried pickles and chicken, biscuits, collard greens, and more.
I think one of my favorite dishes is the Chicken B.L.T., a "sandwich" (which is more like a platter) that is comprised of buttermilk fried chicken, Niman Ranch bacon, lettuce, fried green tomatoes, and house-made mayo heartily placed on a Southern biscuit. The "sandwich" comes with a heaping portion of cheese grits. This meal will blow your socks off. I love it because it has all of the goodies you want to consume in a comfort food joint; fried chicken, fried green tomatoes, biscuits, bacon, and grits all on one plate. Now I'm not the hugest fan of fried chicken, but this chicken is so tasty. The crispy fried crust has a great crunch and when your teeth hit the juicy meat, your mouth welcomes a subtle sweet and spicy flavor. Also, despite being somewhat expensive ($15), this dish could easily serve two with leftovers to spare.
Other dishes to try are the Fried Pickles with spicy red mayo, Homemade Meatballs with a pickled tomato compote (a special of the evening), and Shrimp and Bacon grits. Don't forget to top off your brunch or dinner with the Bloody B.L.T. comprised of peppercorn vodka, Niman Ranch bacon, and jalapeño pickled egg. If you're not into cocktails, there are plenty of beer options on tap and several wines poured out of a tap.
On my last visit to Jacob's Pickles, I had the pleasure of meeting the actual Jacob, an unassuming charming restauranteur who went about politely introducing himself to customers. He's excited about the popularity of the restaurant, as he should be. Jacob's Pickles is a real hefty treat. Go hungry and ready to chow down.