According to a press release, local chef Nicola Blaque and the Historic Pearl are excited to announce a new fried chicken concept, Freight Fried Chicken, coming to Pearl’s Food Hall at Bottling Department at 312 Pearl Pkwy Building 6 in January.
Freight Fried Chicken will replace Chef Nicola’s current concept, Mi Roti. An official grand opening date for the new concept will be announced soon, however, customers wanting to dine at Mi Roti one last time have until December 31 to do so.
Blaque’s chicken concept is an homage to the rich culinary history and traditions shared amongst Black Americans, specifically the women who used fried chicken as a means for economic survival in post-Civil War America. The women became known as “Waiter Carriers” and their chicken recipes would attract travelers who would go out of their way just to try the famous chicken. The sale of fried chicken allowed formerly enslaved women to support their households and create racial progress in a time fraught with dissension, the release states.
“I’m really excited about Freight Fried Chicken because it’s about more than food,” Blaque added. “It’s an opportunity to tell the story of women I identify with, people who had a vision to create something and found a way to support their families while also uniting communities. I admire women like the Waiter Carriers and Emma Koehler at Pearl who found a way to not only overcome hardships, but to give back to their community in the process. These are stories worth telling,” Blaque said in the release.
Freight Fried Chicken will use a dry batter for its chicken, which is similar in style to what was served by the Waiter Carriers. The chicken will be served with biscuits, and guests can also expect to see fried chicken tenders, a fried chicken sandwich, biscuits, mac ‘n’ cheese, seasoned fries, and more on the menu. The recipes used at Freight Fried Chicken will expand on the popular chicken served at Blaque’s other concept, The Jerk Shack, which opened last year and was the only restaurant in Texas to be recognized for its fried chicken by Eater in an article about The Best Fried Chicken in America.
Additional details are forthcoming. Customers can stay tuned for updates as Freight Fried Chicken’s grand opening in January approaches.
