Dinner for $20: Pinky’s Westside Grill
When I opened the door to Pinky’s, The Rolling Stones’ Mick Jagger welcomed me by singing about being born in a cross-fire hurricane. I sat at the bar and a sign on the wall with a pair of pistols crossed at the barrel warned me that the people here don’t dial 911. Fair enough.
The Tuesday special boasts draft beers for $2.50, so I started with a Birdsong IPA. I didn’t want the beer to get lonely, so I got some Pimp’n Fries, which are waffle fries topped with melted homemade pimento cheese.
When my pimento cheese fries arrived, Creedence Clearwater Revival’s cover of Jay Hawkins’ “I Put a Spell on You” was blaring over the sound system, which was appropriate. I added some Texas Pete and the fries were perfect — a little crispy on top and gooey in the middle. I wanted at least 17 more servings.
For my main course, I ordered a NoDa Jam Session and the Ding Dong Chicken. The bartender smiled and said that was her favorite sandwich. There is not much that satisfies me more than eating what the staff loves.
The Ding Dong Chicken has honey-cilantro slaw, crunchy peanut butter, and sriracha hot sauce. The peanut butter gives it a nice crunch, and the sriracha is a great touch. You have to eat this hefty and delicious sandwich leaning over the table or part of it is bound to end up in your lap.
The two beers were $5, the fries cost $6.95, and the sandwich cost $7.50, for a grand total of $19.45. As always, tax and tip aren’t included.
Photos by Clayton Hanson.
This story was originally published June 4, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Dinner for $20: Pinky’s Westside Grill."