RESTAURANTS • First Person
There's a hot new contender for top-notch fried chicken in San Francisco. Known for her rosemary-laden recipe, chef Fernay McPherson had been frying some of the best bird in the Bay out of a stall in the Public Market Emeryville. She brought it all back to the Fillmore in April, opening Minnie Bell’s Soul Movement in the same neighborhood her family has lived for three generations.
Right after opening, people waited more than an hour to try Bell’s bird. Fortunately, the lines have simmered down a bit — because the chicken lives up to the hype and is seriously good. It’s buttermilk-brined until juicy, fried until extra crispy, and has a whiff of fresh rosemary for a Cali twist.
It’s definitely a neighborhood spot, filled with friends and families chatting and catching the Giants game at the bar. Nods to the historic neighborhood, once the center of the city’s music scene, include a big black-and-white photo of the neighborhood back in the 1960s on one wall, and a mural of McPherson’s great aunt Minnie and grandmother Lillie Bell on another. Gold light fixtures, velvet curtains, and house plants all add jazzy touches.
In addition to the trademark chicken, rack it up with all the sides: mac and cheese with extra cheese melted into the top, earthy and bitter collards slow-cooked until silky, and a sweet and rich slab of brown butter cornbread. (Yes, it’s worth adding some hot honey butter on that.)
There’s a damn fine sweet tea, too. And on the local-leaning wine list, plenty of bubbles by the glass, the ultimate pairing with fried chicken and an apt way to celebrate the return of another new San Francisco classic, not a moment too soon. –Becky Duffett
→ Minnie Bell’s Soul Movement (Fillmore) • 1375 Fillmore St • Tues-Thurs 4-9p, Fri & Sat 4-10p • No reservations.
Photo: Citizen Film