PLEASE NOTE THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED

When it comes to fried chicken sandwiches I’m easy. I’ve wolfed down everything from a sad hot mess at Wendy’s to a spectacular lunch only dazzler at Joseph Leonard in the West Village. So I’m quite glad that I ducked out of the deluge yesterday and into Urbanspace Vanderbilt because it gave me the opportunity to try the latest creation from Delaney Chicken, the Ranchwich.

As it turns out I wasn’t the only one who decided to duck out of the downpour. Hundreds of stranded commuters waylaid by a suspension of trains from Grand Central crowded the food hall, but that didn’t deter me from making a bee line for Delaney Chicken. I’d tried his classic sandwich a couple of years ago and was wowed by its juiciness and the nice hit of cayenne in the batter.

A cross-section of the mighty Ranchwich.

The Ranchwich ups the ante with house-smoked bacon, Cabot Cheddar, and of course ranch dressing. I elbowed my way into a space at a communal counter and commenced to dig into Delaney’s newest sandwich standing up. It was just decadent enough to make me forget about my soggy shoes and filled me up without making me feel gross. For a moment I forgot all about the cayenne in the batter and was wondering where the spice was coming from.

I e-mailed Dan late last night to get his take on what’s become Delaney Chicken’s second most popular sandwich. Given that Urbanspace Vanderbilt is largely a grab-and-go destination for all the nearby worker bees Delaney wrote, “That meant don’t try and be too clever. Instead, be familiar and comforting. For me, that’s cheddar, bacon, and ranch.” For me too Dan, for me too.

Delaney Chicken, Urbanspace Vanderbilt, 230 Park Ave.