Sometimes a sandwich is so good it’s worth waiting on line in freezing temperatures to try it. You might even be willing to sign a waiver before taking that first bite, too.
That’s what’s going on at Hot Chicken Mama in Blue Point, which opened to much buzz last month in a small strip mall a mile west of downtown Patchogue.
Perhaps the best word to describe this Nashville hot chicken spot is the first one in its name. It’s “hot” in the way long lines of diners wait their turn for a bite. It’s also “HOT” as in six degrees of heat to choose from, including the XL, a version of their sandwich so spicy you need to promise not to sue before they’ll cook it for you.
“It’s been absolutely incredible,” said co-owner Nick Petro of the response to the restaurant. “We’re so grateful that so many people have come to support us as we opened during a pandemic.”
Incredible, but not exactly surprising. The eatery was built for the current dining climate — and not by accident. Petro and business partners Bobby Gulinello and Joe Esposito conceived the idea of Hot Chicken Mama while serving up to-go orders at two other South Shore restaurants owned by Gulinello. Petro managed his South Shore Dive in Bay Shore and Esposito was running things nearby at The Cortland.
Both restaurants had to reinvent themselves when dining was limited to takeout orders, so they started experimenting with fast casual options like a version of the Nashville hot chicken sandwich they’re serving now.
Petro said market research suggested a niche existed for them to open a new takeout-focused place that served chicken, and not just any type of chicken sandwich.
“The chicken sandwich has overtaken the burger as most popular sandwich in America,” Petro said. “And we believe we are the only true Nashville hot chicken sandwich restaurant [around].”
He said they asked themselves “what if we had a space that was built for this with low rent, low overhead.”
To perfect the style, they brought in Esposito’s cousin Steven, a classically trained chef, previously of Swallow East in Montauk. The meat is delivered fresh daily and never frozen.
If you want a menu that looks like something out of a Greek diner or a Cheesecake Factory, this is not the place for you. You will not need a bookmark to keep up with the offerings here.
Your primary choice is The Sando ($13), which is what they call the aforementioned Nashville-style sandwich. You can order it homestyle with no heat, easy (mild heat), medium (spicy), hot (a little painful), loud (squeeze your partner’s hand with each bite) or XL (seek legal counsel first).
“We actually have a pretty big stack of January waivers,” Petro said of the paperwork you need to sign when ordering the “extra loud” sandwich. “February is starting to pile up. People are ordering it.”
Are they surviving?
“There’s such a varying range of reactions,” the 34-year-old restaurateur said. “Some people are saying they’re sweating or crying. Then there are people who just really love spicy food and they’re saying ‘That was good, I’ll have another.”
If Nashville hot chicken isn’t your thing, they do offer several plates for $12: quarter-chicken of dark meat, whole wings, tenders or nuggets. That’s pretty much it though aside from fries, salad, beverages (the Strawberry lemonade is sweet perfection) and a couple other sides like Brussels sprouts and mac and cheese. There is a kids box ($9) that comes with nuggets, fries, drink and a toy. New to the menu is chicken and waffles from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Eventually Hot Chicken Mama will feature 16 seats, but for now it’s takeout only and you have to order in person and wait in your car. There’s a pick-up window if you prefer to not go back inside.
The lines, Petro said, have calmed down some since January, as the even colder weather has set in. On one of the first days, they ran out of chicken and closed early, and on a few weekend days the line has stretched the length of the strip mall.
Customers are finding it worth the wait.
“The feedback has been great and we’re happy to hear it,” Petro said.
Hot Chicken Mama is located at 168 Montauk Highway in Blue Point. It’s open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. More info at hotchickenmama.com.
