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Best Bargain Restaurants: El Pollo Rico

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El Pollo Rico
Arlington , Springfield , Wheaton

Rotisserie chicken has become a staple offering at chain restaurants in the last few years, but it was introduced in this area by simple, family-run Peruvian restaurants. El Pollo Rico remains one of the best. It continues to make superb charcoal-grilled chicken, good French fries, and little else.

The chicken is marinated, then cooked on a charcoal-fired rotisserie. The restaurant's volume is high enough that your chicken is almost always direct from the fire, the skin crisp and spicy, the flesh moist and succulent. A quarter chicken costs $3.10, a half $5.25 and a whole $9.95. The chicken is accompanied by two sauces, a hot one that seems to be made mostly of ground peppers and the other a less-interesting mustard-flavored mayonnaise. Tamales and chicken empanadas may be ordered as side dishes, but the best is a tortilla Español de papa, a sort of potato omelet.

Service is fast and friendly. With your meal you can drink Inca Kola, a soft drink that tastes like bubble gum.

El Pollo Rico , 2917 North Washington Boulevard, Arlington; 703/522-3220. Open daily 11 am to 10 pm. No credit cards. MapIt!

El Pollo Rico , 7031 Brookfield Plaza, Springfield; 703/866-1286. Open Monday through Saturday 11 am to 10 pm, Sunday noon to 9 pm. No credit cards. MapIt!

El Pollo Rico , 2541 Ennalls Avenue, Wheaton; 301/942-4419. Open daily 11 am to 10 pm. No credit cards. MapIt!

QUALITY: ****Excellent; *** Superior; **Very Good; * Good
PRICE RANGE: $$$= Very Expensive; $$ Expensive; $=Moderate; ¢=Inexpensive

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