Many restaurants have popped up around the metro in the past few years. There are some restaurants that focus on one specific kind of dish, such as ramen, tonkatsu or burgers, or focus on cuisine from a specific country, such as Japan, Italy, or the US. However, there are some restaurants that don’t exactly center on a particular type of food or cuisine, but still offer great food that customers keep coming back for.

One of these restaurants is Kettle, which opened recently at Shangri-la Plaza’s new East Wing. Kettle focuses on comfort food, and offers a wide variety of dishes influenced by various cuisines. There are a few pastas such as the Gorgonzola Truffle pasta, soups such as the Oven Roasted Squash Soup, sandwiches such as the Shrimp Po’boy and the Reuben, and entrees such as the Lamb Adobo. However, look around the restaurant and you’ll see two dishes that everyone seems to order.

The first is Kettle’s signature appetizer, the Pork and Potato Strips. This is a tower of crunchy pork belly and crisp French fries, topped with Parmesan cheese. The variety of textures keeps the dish interesting and not too alien to the taste. Also, the cheese adds some tang without making the dish too salty. However, given its size, this appetizer is best shared with a group of three to four persons.

The second dish, an entree, is the Buttermilk Fried Chicken. The golden skin is very crunchy with just the right amount of breading, and as you cut through it, you’ll be greeted with moist, juicy meat. The skin is well-seasoned, although the meat could use just a little more flavor. Fortunately, the chicken is served with gravy and spiced honey, which go really well with the chicken when paired together. This entree also includes three pieces of cornbread, which also pair well with the honey or gravy. Just like the Pork and Potato Strips, the serving size is quite large. When eaten alone, this dish can feed two people, or three to four if you order other items on the menu.

In terms of price, Kettle leans toward the higher end of the spectrum, so eating here is too pricey for the average student. However, the large serving sizes allow for sharing with families. Thus, on your next Sunday out, Kettle might be a good place to dine in.

Photos from ThePickiestEater.net (http://www.thepickiesteater.net/2014/01/finding-comfort-in-kettle-shangri-la.html)