With Juniper & Ivy established as a surefire hit, owner Mike Rosen is readying his next collaboration with Richard Blais which is currently coming together on nearly 5,000-square-feet space adjacent to their flagship Little Italy restaurant. Blais is among several notable chefs getting in on the fried chicken craze with The Crack Shack, the partners' new fast-casual concept dedicated to all things chicken and eggs.
Blais is curating The Crack Shack's all-day menu alongside Juniper & Ivy chef Jon Sloan, with Bradley Austin plucked from J&I's ranks to helm the kitchen and Dan Pena running the house. The casual eats will include egg and fried and grilled chicken sandwiches served with housemade sauces including kimchi BBQ and harissa chimichurri. Chicken fat will be used to crisp French fries while chicken livers will enrich a twist on fried rice, which wok-frys farro with the liver and vegetables and tops the dish with a sunny-side up egg. The shack will also offer up soft-serve ice cream, in rotating flavors ranging from smoked vanilla to mole, with churro garnishes. All the food and drink, from craft sodas to cocktails, will be ordered via walk-up counter.
Designed by Bluemotif Architecture (Kettner Exchange, Catania), the eatery will have an open air feel with significant outdoor space that includes seating and a bocce ball court; it's scheduled to launch in November.
