Fried Chicken News

Pioneering Hattie B's Nashville hot chicken makes Texas debut in Dallas

Check out those sides.

Photo by Joseph Woodley

One of the original Nashville hot chicken restaurants is finally opening in Dallas: Hattie B's Hot Chicken, a family-run joint from Nashville that's a regular stop in its hometown for visiting celebs, is opening its first Texas location in Deep Ellum at 3000 Main St., with a date set for next Wednesday, February 23.

The location has been in the works since 2020. (Although they've kept the fires burning via events such as a weekend-long set of pop-ups in November.)

They're going into a building across the street from AllGood Cafe that was previously home to Leather Masters, which closed in 2020.

Hattie B's Hot Chicken was founded in 2012 by father-and-son team Nick Bishop, Sr. and Nick Bishop, Jr., and is headquartered in Nashville, where there are four restaurants, plus locations in Atlanta, Memphis, Las Vegas, and Birmingham, Alabama. They're also opening a location in Houston in 2023.

They're known nationally for their hot chicken — bone-in, tenders, and sandwich — served with varying levels of heat. A Hot Chicken Sandwich served with one side is $11.50, while a Tenders Plate with 3 tenders, 2 sides, bread, and pickles is $12.

The menu also features Southern sides including pimento mac & cheese and collard greens, plus craft beer, and banana pudding and peach cobbler for dessert.

Dallas will feature those classics plus two new exclusive offerings:

Fried Dill Pickles with Hattie B's hot spices. "The magic is in the breading because it stays on the pickles and the pickles stay crunchy even when they cool off. Our Nashville Comeback Sauce is the perfect accompaniment," says executive chef Brian Morris in a statement.

Booze. The restaurant will offer several batch cocktails from the taps, along with frozen-drink cocktails served with rum, vodka and whiskey. "We're expanding our draft program at Hattie B's to include a dynamic selection of Southern cocktails and two rotating white wines ... One of these will always be a sparkling wine — bubbles and hot chicken go great together," Morris says.

The draft cocktails will evolve, but will always include a Bourbon-laced John Daly; Shack Water, their version of a Ranch Water made with gin, not tequila, plus grapefruit and Topo Chico; a hot chicken-and-dill pickle-infused hot Bloody Mary — yikes, a hot Bloody Mary, really?; and an Island Painkiller.

The Deep Ellum location is a stand-alone building with 5,800 square feet including a 1,000-square-foot outdoor patio, with seating for 91 inside and 40 on the patio. They'll be open every day for lunch and dinner, except Sunday, when they'll be open from 11 am-4 pm.

For opening day, they'll be giving away housemade chips with dill pickle seasoning. Guess they're looking to attract a crowd.

deep-ellum openings

Grocery News

Discount grocery SaveGo Wholesale debuts in Plano with Asian goods

SaveGo

SaveGo Wholesale has just opened in Plano.

A grocery store with discounts on Asian goods is now open in Plano: Called SaveGo Wholesale, it's a locally-founded Asian grocery chain that just opened at 915 W. Parker Rd. #311, in a shopping center just west of US-75 at Alma Road.

SaveGo was founded by entrepreneur Jacky Chan, who previously worked for ABC Food Trading, a wholesale distributor where he learned the ropes of the discount Asian grocery world; now he's putting that to use in his own concept.

SaveGo specializes in Asian groceries, restaurant ingredients, and everyday essentials. Store footprints are far smaller than a typical Kroger or Tom Thumb — more in line, both in size and vibe, with a concept like Aldi, including merchandise packaged in its original shipping boxes or set on pallets. Not having to unpack products helps lower costs.

"SaveGo Wholesale is a warehouse-style grocery store, designed to deliver value and quality, with no membership required," Chan says. "That’s why SaveGo Wholesale offers a warehouse-style shopping experience with wholesale pricing for both families and businesses."

The store is aimed at restaurants or big families who like to cook Asian food. Items are packed in large bulk sizes — like an Asian version of Restaurant Depot, the chain that sells wholesale food, beverages, equipment, and supplies for restaurants and bars.

But they also have a prep area where they'll repackage items in smaller portions.

Produce from SaveGo WholesaleSaveGo

In addition to unadorned racks piles with merchandise, there are also walk-in coolers, open to customers, stocked with produce, dairy, and beverages. Merchandise will rotate depending on season and whatever deals are available. The store's website does not list prices.

Fresh produce currently offered includes honeydew melons, green onions, corn on the cob, iceberg lettuce, bell peppers, carrots, bok choy, lemons, broccoli, ginger, and more.

Dry goods range from massive bags of Szechuan peppercorns to gallon bottles of cooking oil to to sacks of rice to cases of tapioca pearls for bubble tea. This is the place to get the largest bottle of corn syrup your heart could desire.

Plano, which is in soft opening mode, is the first store but Chan has big plans to open more. The store lies right in the middle of a brisk Asian market area, with H Mart Plano just a mile east; 99 Ranch Market, about 2 miles north; JusGo Market about 3 miles north.

Meanwhile, the Plano store will celebrate a grand opening that's also a combination Chinese New Year event on February 21, with dancers, vendors, and product demos.

asian supermarkets