On Roosevelt Row at the north end of downtown Phoenix, the current speed limit is 30 miles per hour. Given the heavy pedestrian presence in the area, that’s probably 10 more than it should be. Regardless of the velocity of passing cars, development has been going at full speed for the past decade with apartments replacing vacant lots and renovated properties housing new businesses. A new restaurant named Full Speed is among the recent arrivals, and its presence signifies the continued acceleration of this area’s transformation into a dining destination.
The restaurant’s full name is Full Speed Chicken & Ribs, and it’s an offshoot of local favorite Little Miss BBQ. Although a planned Midtown location of Little Miss was abandoned, another barbecue joint on Roosevelt closed, opening a space to fill with a different restaurant that echoes Little Miss in some ways while creating its own identity. The result is Full Speed, and it is as streamlined as its name would suggest, with a focus on the two products identified in its name: fried chicken and pork ribs, along with selected sides, drinks, and a little dessert.
Full Speed occupies a storefront five blocks east of the Roosevelt/Central light rail station. Bike racks are found around the corner on Fifth Street. Customers can enter via either the main entrance on the south side of Roosevelt or through a back door found in an alley the restaurant shares with its neighbors Taco Chelo and Disco Dragon. From the street, the restaurant is identified by a stylized logo and sign designed by recently deceased local artist Ed Mell, whose prints of Western landscapes decorate the walls in much of the restaurant’s compact interior.
Customers order from an overhead menu screen. Diners can then choose seating in the back patio, the dining room, or a small counter in the front of the house. Even if sitting at a table, the counter is worth a stop to see a small exhibit devoted to “Places of Inspiration,” fried chicken and barbecue restaurants around the country that have inspired and influenced Full Speed. The chicken is Nashville style with a spicy coating. The version at Full Speed stops just short of the five-alarm burn of some hot chicken places, but makes up for it with a more nuanced flavor.
The fried chicken can take the form of either boneless white meat tenders or legs with a bit of thigh for those who prefer dark meat. It can be enjoyed on its own, in a sandwich with sauce and coleslaw on a bun, or in a creation known as “the Roosevelt,” which is built upon a foundation of a fluffy biscuit. The pork ribs are smoked with pecan wood and then served dry, with hot honey, or coated in a semi-sweet barbecue sauce. The exceedingly tender meat pulled from the ribs is also found off the bone with slaw in the pulled pork sandwich served here.
Chicken and ribs, either separately or in combination, form the basis of platters with two sides included. As is customary in many regional barbecue traditions, there’s a slice of white bread and some slices of sweet pickles. There are four sides to choose from: fries, coleslaw, beans, and mac-and-cheese. The fries, like the chicken, are cooked in beef tallow left over from Little Miss’ brisket output. It’s a resourceful use of something that might otherwise go to waste, but vegetarians should beware. Similarly the beans, which are a bit sweet, are cooked with pork.
The coleslaw is balanced without too much soupiness or sweetness. It works just right to cool the burn from the hot chicken. The mac-and-cheese is quite creamy with a ratio of noodles to dairy that leans heavily on the latter ingredient. For a meatless entree or big side dish, the Southwest salad is a solid menu addition. The generous bowl of lettuces with pepitas, grape tomatoes, and corn. It can be accessorized with either chicken or pork. For dessert, Full Speed tops two of its biscuits with strawberries and whipped cream to create its own shortcake.
The restaurant has a small bar that pours draft beer and offers two batch-made cocktails, one with tequila and other based on bourbon. There is a refrigerated case full of bottled sodas and iced tea, but the standout non-alcoholic drink is the frozen lemonade, which not only counteracts some of the spice on the chicken, but can also be a relief on a summer day. With Roosevelt Row seeing more foot traffic every day, not only during First Fridays, drivers should slow down, but when it comes to fried chicken and ribs, Full Speed seems like the way to go.
513 E. Roosevelt St., Phoenix AZ 85004
https://eatfullspeed.com
PHX Rail Food 