It’s often said that smell is the strongest trigger for memory. While science tells us this is true, I’m sure many people don’t need to be a biophysicist to agree that a particular smell can pull you into the past. For me, fried chicken holds a certain sorcery. Even the phantom scent of a golden bird brings me back to a sun-lit kitchen where I’d find my dad, who’d returned from his weekly trip to grocery store, stashing away a foiled pouch. While his intent was to save the crispy fried morsels for later, we’d always find ourselves reaching back into the cooler just moments after we’d finished unloading the groceries to silently enjoy a small indulgence.

Early this week, it was this unspoken ritual that my mind conjured the second I smelled the crisp skin of Under the Sun’s Wednesday night special. Proclaimed “World Famous,” although the accolades remain a mystery to me, the juicy bird comes piled high in a shallow bowl, served with a single side for $11.99 a pop.

Under the sun, fried chicken boulder, 2016

Under the Sun Fried Chicken. Photo by Tristan Chan.

While it’s available only on Wednesday’s, each Tuesday night, you can find head chef Nick Swanson and his crew slicing up whole birds to be brined in a batter of buttermilk and secret spices. The following day, plump legs, thighs and breast are twice dredged and cooked to order. Diners can expect three expertly fried pieces varying in shades of a golden-amber hue. Wash it all down with their beers of similar complexion, but opt for the paler end of the spectrum with the Illusion Dweller IPA. The meal, if you are lucky enough to find yourself in Boulder on a Wednesday, is surely a treat. Even if you don’t have a fond memory to set the scene, it’s unlikely you’ll leave without a pleasant recollection of your own.

Under The Sun is located at 627 S Broadway, Boulder, Colorado and is open Monday – Friday 4 p.m. – 12 a.m. and Saturday- Sunday, 9 a.m. – 12 a.m. Under the Sun is cash only, and does not accept credit cards, although an ATM is on site.

Under the sun boulder

Under the Sun Eatery. Photo courtesy of Under the Sun.