Commander’s Palace and Reginelli’s Teams Are Bringing Fried Chicken Uptown

Fried chicken and cocktails will be on offer at the casual restaurant from Commander’s Palace co-owner Ti Adelaide Martin, Commander’s chef Tory McPhail, and Darryl Reginelli taking shape Uptown on the corner of State and Magazine.

In the name of research, McPhail has “visited 80+ restaurants that serve fried chicken over the last year,” Martin said in an email. He’s posted all the experiences on his Instagram account, which has basically become a travel guide for fried chicken lovers.

(McPhail’s not new to the fried chicken game though. For example, he shared his “crawfish boil” fried chicken recipe with the Today show in 2015.)

And while the eatery will embrace casual, the team isn’t planning to cut any corners with the cocktails and wine list, both of which have gained them recognition at Commander’s.

“While the restaurant won’t have Reidel stemware, you can bet that we will have an amazing cocktail and wine selection – and there will be a Miss Ella Old Fashioned on the menu,” Martin also said in the email.

Though no opening date or restaurant name have been confirmed, renovations on the space have already begun. (It previously housed Noodle & Pie, which closed just over a year ago.)

News of the Commander’s and Reginelli’s collaboration broke in May, but the partnership with Commander’s and Reginelli’s goes back to 2012, when the two restaurant groups partnered to expand Reginelli’s outside the New Orleans area, diversifying the Commander’s Palace family of restaurants portfolio.

The partnership between Martin and McPhail might be a big deal because it’s uncommon for a chef from Commander’s to move into an ownership position with the group. A spokesperson for the group says this isn’t “technically” the first time though.

The team has hinted at plans to replicating the new restaurant in other areas.

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• The Teams Behind Commander’s Palace and Reginelli’s Pizza Are Plotting a New Restaurant [ENOLA]
• Noodle & Pie Is Closing its Doors [ENOLA]
• Commander’s Palace Owner and Chef Will Open Magazine Street Restaurant with Reginelli’s [NOLA.COM]
• All New Orleans Coming Attractions Coverage [ENOLA]