As someone who has had a picky palate since I was 6 years old, I consider myself an expert on what good chicken tastes like. My knowledge was put to good use recently, when I went to check out ChickenHawk, a restaurant in the West Village. I’m still dreaming about their culinary mastery.

Chen Zeev, one of the owners and founders of ChickenHawk, didn’t begin his career in the food industry. He immersed himself in the technology industry after graduating from the University of Chicago, working for companies including Adobe and Microsoft. He later attempted to launch his own startup in New York City, which helped him learn how to break into the business of food and start his now-flourishing chicken restaurant.

When Zeev opened ChickenHawk, the restaurant charged customers a familiar rate — a rate familiar to most New Yorkers, at least. Prices were high, but so was the quality. This posed a challenge, though, to college students looking to enjoy the restaurant’s offerings. Zeev found this out the hard way while ChickenHawk was in the midst of its soft launch as a permanent storefront.

“Two students from NYU came in and at the time, the sandwiches were around $14 because we were basically doing whatever everyone else did,” Zeev said.

One of the students couldn’t get a sandwich because of its high price, and Zeev knew he had to make a change, so he came up with a new strategy. By cutting more expensive items from the menu, he made ChickenHawk’s offerings more accessible and appealing. He then implemented the Student Combo Meal, which is offered in-store only, and includes a full sandwich and fries for only $9.

In an effort to preserve the food’s quality despite the price drop, ChickenHawk collaborated with Einat Admony, an Israeli chef who owns Balaboosta in the West Village. Admony helped to create the recipe for ChickenHawk’s Persian fried chicken sandwich. He says it “takes the time to make each sandwich count.”

Having tried the chicken wings — which range in spice and heat, depending on your preference —  as well as the tots, the fries and the unreal, mouthwatering chicken sandwich, the clear winner is the sandwich. It’s the perfect combination of sweet, spicy and fresh. ChickenHawk uses its signature Hawk sauce, which uses a secret recipe that will leave you asking for more — and is the reason I will now be visiting weekly.

Besides the sandwich, the wings, paired with the restaurant’s homemade ranch, are truly a taste to behold. The fries and tots are adorned with Cajun seasoning, and each bite is nothing short of bursting with flavor.

Next time you’re looking for a bite to eat, ChickenHawk should be the first place that comes to mind. One bite in, and you’ll know it was made with love. 

Contact Chesney Graham at [email protected].