Omnivore - Shaun Doty to open fast casual chicken restaurant in Ansley Mall

• JAMES CAMP
• Shaun Doty

The word is getting around today that Shaun Doty, of Yeah! Burger and Shaun’s fame, plans to open a chicken restaurant in Ansley Mall later this year. The Atlanta Business Chronicle got to the story first, announcing that the restaurant aims to be open by September 2012 in the shopping center on the corner of Piedmont and Monroe.

Speaking with Doty on the phone today, he talked excitedly about the project despite the fact word had gotten out earlier than expected and before a number of things have been finalized. He’s still working out the name and menu, but had a few more details to share. Like Yeah! Burger, the restaurant will offer counter service and a full bar but focus on rotisserie chicken and seasonal sides. He says that he hopes to revisit a few favorites from Shaun’s menu, like the chopped liver and duck fat fries. All of the chicken will be local, pasture raised chicken. Doty serves on the board of Georgians for Pastured Poultry.

The location will be rather small, about 2000 square feet, and located close to the Starbucks in Ansley Mall. (I imagine that Cliff Bostock’s ears perked up at that detail.) The interior will be designed by Bill Johnson of The Johnson Studio, whose work for places like Rathbun’s Steak and Lobster Bar is recognizably bombastic.

When I recently profiled Doty for the $20 Dinner series, Doty assured me that he wasn’t interested in returning to fine dining and talked quite a bit about the role that chefs can have in shaping the emerging fast casual concept. That’s probably a disappointment for anyone holding out hope for Doty’s return to white table linens and long wine lists, but it could also make for interesting innovation and elevation of Atlanta’s restaurant scene outside of high-end dining.