Chicken Shack

Dallas burger king turns to fried chicken for latest restaurant

Twisted Root founder Jason Boso is opening a new chicken-themed restaurant called Quincy's Chicken Shack.

Photo courtesy of Quincy's

Chicken wins over burgers with the opening of Quincy's Chicken Shack, a new casual chicken-themed concept from restaurateur Jason Boso, founder of the Twisted Root burger chain.

The first branch of Quincy's will open on November 15 at 5 pm in a new development in Coppell, the affluent Dallas County suburb northeast of Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. A second branch is already in the works for Mansfield, southeast of Fort Worth.

Quincy's combines a number of emerging trends including chicken, cocktails, and a "backyard" outdoor space, reminiscent of the Truck Yard, the food truck complex on Dallas' Greenville Avenue, which Boso also owns.

The menu is simple, with a family-style meal of chicken, choice of fried or rotisserie-style, and sides that include Romaine salad, corn on the cob, dinner rolls, and potatoes with a dipping sauce, $13.99 per person.

Boso was well ahead of the "better burger" curve when he launched the first Twisted Root in Deep Ellum, but that was way back in 2005.

"All of the trends say that 'chicken is the new burger,'" he says. "But I've had this idea for three years. It just takes some time to get a brand-new thing off the ground."

Aside from the dimming burger trend, Boso was eager for a stretch. "Being a chef, you get bored and want to do something new," he says.

That included devising a clever technique to solve the age-old problem of executing fried chicken successfully. At Quincy's, the fried chicken gets rotisserie'd first, then another quick-fry when someone places an order, to get it to the right temperature and right crust.

"I've done my share of focus groups, asking friends and family, and it almost got me in trouble," Boso says. "There are so many variations on what people think is good fried chicken. I just had to go with what I like and hope others like it, too."

He falls into the camp of less is more. "I don't like it to be all crust," he says. "That's the fence and which side you're on. Some prefer a big, thick crust. I want juicy chicken with a light, crunchy crust."

The signature potatoes are a specialty, as well.

"We're rotisserie-ing the potatoes under the chickens," he says. "They're small potatoes, maybe a single bite or two-bite, and they come with a 'loaded' potato dip."

Cocktails are what he calls "Southern tiki-style," served in funky glasses.

Quincy's will cultivate an inclusive, free-wheeling atmosphere, best exemplified by the help-wanted ads asking for employees with "a style and personality of their own," as long as they are professional and upbeat. "We love green hair, tattoos, piercings, nerds, cheerleaders, hipsters, parents, LGBT, band members, jocks, and everyone else," it says.

Decor-wise, Quincy's follows the lead of Twisted Root and Tacos & Avocados, its sibling taqueria in Roanoke. A bold, rustic design incorporates found objects and recycled items such as lighting fixtures made from bottle caps.

Prices are moderate — the goal is to offer something that's affordable and unique. "This is a patio restaurant. We're talking a dirt floor and bales of hay," he says. "The outdoor area where you sit and eat feels like a barn. I love our chicken, but I think our No. 1 differentiating factor is the atmosphere."

Deep Ellum News

Ex-Deep Ellum speakeasy paves way for spiffy new Dallas restaurant-bar

Scarlet Lounge & Kitchen

In sad news, a Dallas speakeasy has closed. In happy news, there's a swanky new restaurant and bar in its place: Called Scarlet Lounge & Kitchen, it recently opened at 2618 Elm St., in the Deep Ellum space that was home for more than a decade to Truth & Alibi, which closed in August after 11 years.

Scarlet Lounge & Kitchen is from Victor García, who is very familiar with the location: He built a career at Truth & Alibi, starting as a dishwasher 10 years ago, and climbing the ranks to become bartender at the pioneering bar that helped usher in Dallas' great speakeasy era of 2021-2022.

Garcia had already been looking for a location to open his own restaurant and lounge, when he learned that Truth & Alibi owners Chris and Mark Beardon were going to close their Deep Ellum concept.

“I took care of the place as if it were mine," Garcia says. "It is home to me, so this was the perfect opportunity for me to bring my dream to life. Every time I come here, it reminds me of the first day I stepped into this place. It changed my life."

A native of Michoacán, Mexico, who moved to Dallas when he nine years old, Garcia also previously worked at the now-closed Avenu Lounge.

At Scarlet Lounge & Kitchen, he's kept some of the key elements of the former space, such as the layout and chandeliers. But he's also added brighter elements that help transition the space from sophisticated and welcoming restaurant into a lounge and nightclub after 10 pm, with thematic events, DJs on weekends, burlesque on Wednesdays, and Sunday socials.

For food, he partnered with chef Mike Church to build a menu that provides a highly creative fusion of Spanish and American cuisine with Latin elements. There are "diablo" deviled eggs, Spanish risotto, ceviche, and an elote "dip" with all the good parts of the Mexican corn dish fashioned into a dip.

Entrees include flank steak with chimichurri sauce and Latin-braised chicken with olives, peppers, onions, and tomatoes with penne pasta. There are tapas-style dishes such as papas fritas, and intriguing vegetarian items such as a portobello steak, or beet tostadas layered with goat cheese, apple, and pistachio. Dessert includes a clever tres leches carrot cake.

Prices are reasonable, ranging from $8-$16 for appetizers and $18-$24 for entrees.

Scarlet Garden cocktail Spanish Garden cocktail served in a "bird cage".Scarlet Lounge

The creativity also shows in the cocktails, where bartender Hector Santana (Tipsy Alchemist, Snowbird) serves innovative drinks with theatrical Instagram-friendly presentations. These include a tequila Reposado and pineapple Piña para la Niña cocktail and a drink called Spanish Garden, containing rum, passion fruit, and strawberry, served with frozen fruits in a lighted bird cage, with nitrogen that creates a wall of smoke.

They've also kept some Truth & Alibi favorites such as the 12am Alibi, Fushia Fusion, Lies and Secrets and Black Bourbon Smash.

They've kept the late-night hours on weekends, open Friday-Sunday from 5 pm to 2 am, and Tuesday-Thursday 5 pm-10 pm. They host a generous happy hour from 5-7 pm with 20% off food and drink specials, and unlike most places in the area, they offer complimentary valet during restaurant hours.

Beyond the creative food, drink, and atmosphere, Garcia is laser-focused on customer service — on good hospitality.

"People walk by and come check us out," Garcia says. "Once there are here, we do our best as an entire team to offer the best service. We are very happy that customers that try us all leave with a positive experience. That is our main focus."

deep-ellum trends openings