Bob Brazell, former executive chef at Athlete Eats, is bringing a new riff on chicken to the old Popeye’s at 3422 S. Jefferson Ave., with a fast-casual concept, Byrd & Barrel. As first reported by St. Louis Magazine, Byrd & Barrel, which is slated to open in January, will allow on-the-go guests to zip through the drive-thru, while others can enjoy the sit-down dining space and bar.
“This is an idea I’ve had for a while,” explained Brazell, who left his post at Athlete Eats in August to launch his catering business Snack STL, which he will continue to operate. “We found this location at Jefferson and Cherokee, and being that it was an old Popeye’s, we decided it would be a chicken-focused restaurant … We want to give people the opportunity to get good, locally sourced food from a drive-thru.”
One of Brazell’s partners is Ben Strake, who also co-owns Tamm Avenue Grill and The Corner Cup, where Brazell recently consulted on the menu. Another partner is Mike Rostek, who has worked for the past eight years at Entertainment Consultants International, most recently as the operations executive at Ballpark Village and a managing partner of PBR St. Louis. Brazell said Strake will handle the marketing and business end of Byrd & Barrel, while Rostek will focus on front-of-house matters.
Brazell plans to feature chicken from different local purveyors in weekly specials. “You’re going to see a lot of different cultural influences on the food,” he said, citing everything from Asian- to Mexican-inspired menu items that push past the expected fried chicken. Some dishes will have their own local flair, such as the Provel-laced mac-n-cheese topped with a mixture of breadcrumbs and Red Hot Riplets (one of Brazell’s favorite guilty pleasures).
Since Brazell plans to cook everything to order, the drive-thru menu will be streamlined with a smaller selection of fried chicken with sides, soups, salads and sandwiches. “It’s not fast food,” explained Brazell. “It’s food that you want to eat.” There will be more options for those who dine in, including starters and a wider selection of main entrees.
With about 50 varieties, canned beer will certainly dominate the beverage list, but Brazell mentioned bottle-only breweries will not be excluded. Wine and a modest list of specialty cocktails will also be available.
Renovations to the dining room and kitchen are currently underway, and Brazell estimates that there will be around 30 seats, inside while the patio will add an additional 45 during warmer weather. Byrd & Barrel will offer lunch and dinner and will likely cater to the late-night Cherokee crowd. “It’s going to be a good atmosphere where people want to go and hang out,” Brazell said.
-photo by Greg Rannells
This article appears in November 2014.