I'm hungry. It's Sunday night and most restaurants in downtown New London are closed.

Also, I need a hug.

Where do I go? The Neon Chicken, of course.

It's easy to forget about this little joint on Howard Street in New London, tucked away in an office complex on the left if you're heading toward Pequot Avenue.

Don't be a fool like me. Don't let years go by before you revisit the place after your last meal.

Because nobody does comfort food like the Neon Chicken does. Moist, tender rotisserie chicken with this amazing, sticky skin that I can't ever replicate at home, no matter how hard I try. The sides are all Thanksgiving all the time.

We placed our order to go -- two breasts and two thighs, a heaping containerful of stuffing, plus little loaves of cornbread, gravy and cranberry relish. Oh, and some green beans and carrots, because those are vegetables and vegetables are good for you, right?

We went about half an hour before they closed at 8 p.m., but it wasn't leftover scraps, as I'd feared. The chicken was hot, just pulled off the spit. The Neon Chicken is known for its steady lunch crowd, but they weren't doing too badly for a quiet Sunday night. And the ladies behind the counter were so friendly and welcoming that I felt like I'd just arrived for a feast at a close relative's.

I've heard great things about their ribs and other meat dishes, but I've never tried them because I'm too obsessed with their chicken. Share your thoughts if you have.

For more details, check out our 2011 review of the place.

P.S. Apologies for the terrible photo. I didn't have the patience to try to capture the beauty of my bird before inhaling the meal.