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The Dallas hospitality team behind glam newcomer Drake’s and East Hampton Sandwich Co. just scooped up a building that will house a spicy, Nashville-style hot chicken destination.
Called Lucky’s Hot Chicken, the new counter-service restaurant plans to turn up the heat on chicken tenders, wings, breasts and thighs, served in plate or sandwich form, along with sides like mac ‘n cheese, coleslaw, baked beans and collard greens, and a long list of milkshakes.
The iconic, mid-century building is where Dallas restaurant mogul Norman Brinker opened his first concept in 1964 (Brinks Coffee Shop) before going on to start national restaurant giants like Chili’s Grill & Bar and Maggiano’s Little Italy.
Vandelay has personal ties to the site that sits in an aging neighborhood ripe for development. Kyle’s dad, Doug Brooks, helped grow Chili’s from three to over 1,500 locations during his longtime tenure at Brinker.
The newly named chef is Nashville transplant Josh Bonee, who honed his Southern skills working under James Beard Award-winning chef Sean Brock at Husk. Bonee relocated to Dallas in 2016, and has spent time in the kitchens of Stephan Pyles’ newly-shuttered Flora Street Café and Fine China inside the Statler.
The 5,000-square-foot property most recently operated as a laundromat before going dark in 2014. The renovation will retain some of its retro roots, like the original rotating sign out front.
Another partner on board is custom home builder Lou Olerio, who exported his Shayna’s Place Sandwich and Coffee Shop from Rhode Island to Oak Cliff in 2018.
