Provo’s El Pollo Royo delivers heaven-sent charbroiled chicken
The half chicken plate with rice and beans at El Pollo Royo in Provo.
The half chicken plate with rice and beans at El Pollo Royo in Provo.
The Chili Verde Burrito at El Pollo Royo.
The Super Nachos at El Pollo Royo in Provo.
In life, and when doing restaurant reviews, it helps to have a good translator.
Case in point: My recent visit to El Pollo Royo, a Mexican Restaurant off Canyon Road in Provo. I figured they’d have good chicken — I mean, the word “pollo” is in its name, after all — but that’s the extent of my fluency. Yes, I knew to order chicken. No, I didn’t know specifically which chicken item(s) to get.
“What’s the best stuff on the menu?” I asked the teenage cashier.
“Uhhhh,” he said with a pause. “Everything.”
OK, we were definitely on our own here.
As I floundered, my buddy, a Spanish speaker, overheard two customers sitting next to us. They were savoring some pieces of charbroiled chicken, telling the cook how absolutely divine it tasted. The exchange was all in Spanish. Like I said, it helps to have a translator. Even better if they pay attention to their surroundings.
El Pollo Royo offers its charbroiled chicken in various sizes, so we ordered half a chicken — this ended up being two thighs, a leg and a wing — which came with two sides. We opted for rice and beans. All the mouthwatering colors of the charbroil rainbow — from buttery yellow, through golden, glistening brown and all the way to charred black — sparkled on our plate. It definitely passed the eye test. But what about the taste? Well, after taking a single bite, my friend and I agreed it was probably the best chicken we’ve ever had at a local restaurant. Just a serene blend of crispy skin, tender meat and soft and chewy bits of fat.
Yep, divine.
(I’ll dedicate some space here to our other orders. Honestly, though, you should just order the chicken. It’s El Pollo Royo’s specialty, and undoubtedly the gold medal finisher here. Don’t overthink it.)
El Pollo Royo does a great job prepping dishes that are flavorful and filling without being overbearingly so. Like, I enjoy a hefty burrito, but I don’t want the ensuing coma, you know? The restaurant’s Chili Verde Burrito hit that sweet spot. Smothered in melted cheese, meat and chili verde sauce, our burrito also came with pico and shredded lettuce on the side. I was initially surprised how sparse the meat was, but that ended up being a good thing. Like I said, I’d rather avoid the food coma.
Our final entrée was the Super Nachos. These were OK, but should have been way better. Instead of real cheese, the nachos used the cheese sauce you get in those big Sysco cans. I know you’ve got the real stuff, El Pollo Royo! It was right there on our burrito! Don’t do me like that.
Given how amazing the chicken was, I’ll let it slide. El Pollo Royo really lives up to its namesake. Come for the chicken, stay for the chicken, dream of the chicken.
EL POLLO ROYO
Where: 3161 N. Canyon Road, Provo
Hours: 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, closed Sundays
Prices: $4-$16
Info: (801) 373-9470