Square 1

The prettiest seat in town

The little town of Chambersburg, PA is slowly but surely taking on a more multicultural nature, from the Korean stone-pot bibimbap dishes in Bulgogi House to the juicy drool-inducing roast chicken in Inka Kitchen (the same kind of roast chicken that causes traffic jams in Washington DC's suburbs).

Inka incidentally has been so successful it's spun off a second location, focused not on Peruvian but a kind of Pan-Latino cuisine. Square 1 located smack dab on the center of Chambersburg's downtown features what's arguably the most sophisticated take yet on Mexican/Puerto Rican/Dominican Republic cooking. It also (see pic above) has what's easily the loveliest table in town, with an unobstructed view of the town fountain, and the surrounding trees draped with Christmas lights.

ReINKArnated

ReINKArnated

Inka Kitchen on 1228 Lincoln Way East isn't exactly easy to spot. If you check the photo below, they have an unpretentious storefront with a small emblem above the door, a roadside sign you see when getting off I-81 to turn towards Gettysburg, and that's about it. Easiest way to remember their location? They're the place beside Kentucky Fried with chicken that tastes much much better.

INKA Kitchen

INKAntado

Anthony Bourdain in his old TV show No Reservations made an impulse visit to a legendary hole-in-the-wall in Washington DC called El Pollo Rico, which served something called Peruvian roast chicken (the segment starts 18 minutes into the show). The place was packed, and not just with regulars; out-of-state visitors and even foreign tourists have lined up to order, including myself. 


Now our little burg has acquired our very own Peruvian chicken joint, and I don't have to drive ninety minutes to order; just take Route 30 east of I-81, right next to KFC to try some of the best chicken in town. 

You heard me. I say this standing next to the Chambersburg Branch of Korporate Franchised Chicken, with a straight solemn face. 

"Best chicken in town."