Richard Blais Jumps into Chicken (and Egg) Game With Crack Shack

Coming off an impressive debut year, the team behind Juniper & Ivy are ready to take on their second project, which has reportedly been in the works since the first Richard Blais-helmed restaurant opened in Little Italy last March.

Coming in early Fall 2015 from Blais and J&I owner Michael Rosen is The Crack Shack. The fast-casual eatery will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner via an all-day menu that will revolve around chicken and eggs, from fried to grilled and everything in-between.

Eater readers have been asking us what would become of the construction shed that sits at corner of Kettner Boulevard and Juniper Street and shares a plot with Juniper & Ivy; The Crack Shack will slot into the space, with the kitchen and inner workings housed inside the 1,800-square-foot building and 3,000-square-feet of outdoor dining.

Juniper & Ivy holds itself to high sourcing standards, as will The Crack Shack. Produce and proteins will be procured from small local farms, from non-GMO eggs to organic ingredients. A custom bread program is also in the works.

Expect to see The Crack Shack go beyond Little Italy, or even San Diego; in his recent One Year In interview, owner Rosen expressed the interest in opening more if the concept takes off.

Blais and J&I chef Jon Sloan will contribute to the menu development while J&I's general manager Dan Pena handles front of house. Charged with running The Crack Shack kitchen is executive chef Bradley Austin (Tender Greens, The Lodge at Torrey Pines, Blanca), who has cooked at Juniper & Ivy since its inception.