Fair Food Vendor's Fried Treats Going Brick-and-Mortar

Charlie Boghosian, the culinary mad hatter behind the popular Chicken Charlie's stand at the San Diego County Fair, says his motto is "What can I deep fry today?"; if you're into wacky food, you've undoubtedly tried his past creations, which include deep-fried Kool-Aid and a sloppy joe that employs a Krispy Kreme donut in lieu of a bun.

Boghosian, who has been vending his food on the fair circuit for over 30 years, is finally going brick-and-mortar with a new eatery called Chicken Charlie's FryBQ going into Regency Centers' revamped Balboa Mesa complex (also the future home of 85°C Bakery Cafe).

The 2,500-square-foot restaurant is planning to open on October 17, with a menu that reflects his fair booth specialities, from his grilled teryaki chicken bowls to rotisserie chicken or fried chicken with waffles, plus puff pastry-topped steak and chicken pot pies. Some of Chicken Charlie's signature fried dishes will make the cut too, including deep fried Oreos, frog's legs and avocado. Boghosian says he'll use the kitchen as his food lab; his newest creation is a dark chocolate and cheddar panini. The shop will also have 10 taps for local beer and serve a variety of fruit-based champagne cocktails.

Boghosian told Eater that he'll continue to be at the San Diego County Fair and plans to introduce two new creations this June, deep fried chicken skin and a triple decker Krispy Kreme cheeseburger.
· Chicken Charlie's [Official Site]
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