CLOSED- Senor Rotisserie Chicken

Restaurant- Senor Rotisserie Chicken
3330 Hillcroft Street, Houston, Texas 77057
Buffet or a-la-carte: Both
Date of visit: 7/22/2013

WARNING: THIS POST MAY CAUSE A FEELING OF HUNGER WHILE FASTING. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.

(Copyright: zabihah.com)

Update: 9/12/13

Sadly there was a fire in this restaurant early morning on the 10th. This place is closed until further notice. It will most probably open up after everything is cleared up from it. If anyone knows what caused the fire, please comment below.

ORIGINAL REVIEW:

Background:

Salam/Hello guys! I am back! Today I will be reviewing Senor Rotisserie Chicken. This restaurant has been open since February and is the first fully halal rotisserie in Houston. This place also has options such as burgers, broasted (deep fried chicken), and grilled chicken.
I was on Hillcroft Avenue when the sunset occurred. I had just come out of the small mosque after breaking my fast for the day. Initially, I was going to review Lucy Ethiopian Restaurant, but it had closed for the day. Then I had decided to try Bijan Persian Grill, but the parking lot and the restaurant were full. Then I proceeded to try Busy Boy; that was full too. Both parking lots were full as many people went there to eat after a long day of fasting. Given the high number of halal restaurants on Hillcroft Avenue, those two are the best restaurants in that area (Bijan review coming soon). So I hoped that this restaurant would be as good as those two. As I had finished ordering, I realized that I was running late for prayers, so I had to get the food to go. So for the first time, I will be reviewing food that is not eaten at the restaurant!

Let the Experience Begin:

Senor Rotisserie Chicken is located right near to Jerusalem Halal Meats. For those who don't know what rotisserie is, it is basically roasted chicken that is cooked on a rotating rod in an open oven. It mostly resembles the taquerias that are common in Houston, with a social ambiance and a wide open kitchen. When coming in, music is playing on a Spanish radio station. There are paintings of famous Mexican structures and also structures from the Middle East. I took a peek of the menu and around three minutes later, I went and ordered.

Let's Eat!

I ordered a whole chicken with a side of french fries and a bottled water. Price was really good for a whole chicken: $ 14.81 (tax included) The waiting time was a sufficient 18 minutes and 41 seconds, considering the fact that it was A WHOLE CHICKEN. While waiting for the food, I saw something that was shocking. A dissatisfied customer was complaining to the owner. He was speaking in Arabic, but by body language, I could tell he was upset. The shocking thing was that the owner yelled back at him rudely. Very unprofessional. The owner should learn from the cashier from the infamous Dunkin Donuts rant to keep his cool while dealing with a disgruntled customer. The least he could say was sorry. It is very important that restaurant employers (and employees) should remain calm and professional at all times, and that they should always satisfy the customer. If this does not happen, then people would not want to come to the restaurant after they hear of the incident. Another problem I noticed was that the owner left the kitchen to talk to his family, and only one employee was cooking my food. Yes the family is there, but you also have to realize that there is only one person in the entire kitchen cooking a whole chicken!!! Heck, one of the family members pointed to me, and had asked the owner where my food was. Definitely unacceptable behavior there. It's like working in an engineering company and hanging out with your family during working hours without telling the boss that you are taking a paid leave of absence. 

Menu Pics:

Whole Chicken

Half and Quarter Chickens

Burgers and Sandwiches

Broasted Chicken and Family Meal

Salad & Soup and Xtras

Kids Meal and Beverages

Side Orders

Fries

Whole Chicken

The Verdict:

To be very honest, the food was average, except the fries. The fries was absolutely delicious. The chicken, however, was a different story. The chicken was bland; no flavor whatsoever. The skin was not spicy enough. The whole thing was very greasy. Many people would tell me that I should have put something like ketchup on the chicken, but I do not like putting ketchup with chicken. I like my food how it is presented as stated in the menu. It's only acceptable to put sauces or ketchup on side items such as fries or salad. It is also acceptable if the menu states that a sauce is part of a dish. This is because your hands would be even more greasy if the sauce or ketchup is added to the chicken. This reminded me of the horrid roast chicken I had at a party in my aunt's house in Dallas. Overall, one thumb up for the fries and one thumb down for the chicken.

Conclusion:

Senor Rotisserie Chicken may have been in the halal food business for less than a year, but it has a lot of issues. First, the owner should be professional towards his customers. Second, a customer, whether family or not, should not remind the owner about an order for a customer that is waiting. Finally, the chicken could be less greasy and be better marinated before it is roasted. Only if these happen will the business succeed. I would not come back here again after what I had seen. And if anyone wants to try halal roasted, grilled, or broasted chicken, I would suggest you find another place in town.

Grading:

Service: 4/10 (Unprofessional)

Food: 7/10  (Fries were good, chicken wasn't)

Waiting time: 10/10 (18 minutes 41 seconds)

Total: 21/30 = 70% (C)

Pricing: $$ out of $$$$

Restaurant Information:

Senor Chicken Rotisserie

3330 Hillcroft Ave, Houston, Texas 77057

Phone: (832) 203-7127

Website: None

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/senorchickenrotisserie

Twitter: None

Timings --> Mon-Sun: 11 AM - 10 PM

Caters: Yes

Feel Free to Comment Below

Cheers!

Zain Mohammed