‘White Box’ Chicken Makes a Return to La Grange

Travis St.

In the years since the Cernoch family stopped running Golden Crisp Fried Chicken in La Grange, a few different folks tried their hand as reopening the place affectionately known as “White Box” to locals – so named because of the iconic white paper boxes the chicken was served in.

But nobody was able to duplicate the Cernochs’ success.

Two weeks ago, Ruby Tellez parked her food trailer in the parking lot of the shuttered restaurant and with the recipe that she says is the one the Cernochs used, has started serving chicken again.

Lots of folks who have eaten the chicken since she opened, including this reporter, think it’s pretty close to the original.

“The reaction has been really good,” Tellez said.

She’s not shy about telling her story. A Houston native, Tellez said she’s overcome drug and alcohol addiction and a violently abusive relationship.

“This is a new beginning, a new life – through the grace of God,” Tellez said.

She’s a former manager of a Wendy’s in Houston. Though she lived in La Grange earlier in her life, Tellez now lives in Smithville and was frying chicken there in her trailer for about two months before moving to La Grange. Her daughter Crystal Lozano has been helping her.

She can’t find the white paper boxes, so her “White Box II” chicken is served in styrofoam for now.

She’s renting the old Gold ‘N Crisp Fried Chicken building and slowly plans to renovate and eventually expand into it.

Right now the only thing on the menu is chicken and french fries, but she plans to expand that too, hoping to bring back the side dishes and hamburgers that so many locals member as well. Right now it’s a cash-only operation. The food truck is open 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. most days, though Tellez said she usually will try to take one day a week off. For large preorders you can contact Tellez at 737292-7681.