Chef Manny Barella says that when he goes to a restaurant, he never orders chicken. It’s too easy to mess up. More often than not, it arrives dry, flavorless or otherwise askew.
But the chef insists that he has no beef with America’s most prevalent protein.
Chicken Riot, the recently-opened fast-casual joint from him and Riot BBQ partner Patrick Klaiber, makes a compelling case that Barella may indeed be pro-bird, just so long as that poultry is properly prepared. “We pay respect to the food at the end of the day,” he said.
The 600-square-foot lunch and dinner counter, which opened at the end of March, is an ode to chicken done right. Pretty much every inch of available wallspace is dedicated to pro-chicken propaganda. Outright warnings like “Beware of the Chickens” are joined by even more sinister signage, each message more daunting than the last. A semi-Orwellian origin story that recounts the sordid tale of how Chicken Riot got its name hangs proudly by the window.
Even so, the place is distinctly a family joint. Thick plateware, red plates coded for hot dishes, blue for cold, screams summer cookout. And since opening its doors on a patch of 6th that’s relatively light in terms of dining options, Chicken Riot has already become an oasis for the fast-moving and the famished. For those who are on foot, the smell of the restaurant’s birds can be sensed several blocks in any direction. If folks drive straight up to the front, they’re basically slapped by the dense aroma the moment they step out of their car. “Once we’re here for two or three weeks, the smell is gonna be part of the neighborhood,” grinned Barella a few days after opening.
With just over a month under its belt, Chicken Riot has already become a staple for the area. There’s a short and sweet menu, but the combos, sandwiches, salads and sides have been flying off the shelf. Plates are plenty pleasant to enjoy onsite, and there’s almost always a few customers milling about the dining room. But everything has been designed for peak efficiency. Hot dishes are just a few touches away from being ready to serve, and many of the cold ones, including the BLTA — a salad with smoked bacon, fresh field greens, cherry tomatoes, avocado ranch dressing, four ounces of pulled smoked chicken, red onion and crispy corn — and the Rich White Chick, a riff on the classic Caesar with an equally robust helping of chicken, baby gem lettuce, Lacinato kale, Caesar dressing, cotija cheese and panko crunch, have prepacked versions primed for grab-and-go. Almost three-quarters of the current sales are takeout, according to management.
While the name of the game is speed, the food is rooted in tradition. Chicken Riot and Riot BBQ share the same foundation, the elegant interplay between Klaiber’s mastery of Texas barbecue techniques and Barella’s fundamental knowledge of the culinary traditions of Northern Mexico. The recipes are nostalgic. That the chicken is prepared over the course of three days — one spent brining, the next marinating and the last smoking — and much of it at Riot’s original Overland Park location, further illustrates that the food is only fast right at showtime.
With only seven mains and six sides, it’s easy to work your way through the menu in just a few visits. The chicken sandwich is a good place to start. It excels in its simplicity. A Reunion Bread croissant is piled high with deviled egg chicken salad, then topped with lettuce and cherry tomatoes. “It’s so balanced,” said Barella, who claims to have eaten one every day since the eatery debuted.
The Mexican protein bars — tamales with smoked turkey, Don Zorros Molino masa and Grandma Barella’s mole rojo — come either a la carte or plated with two sides. As for the chicken itself, both the Big Boy Pibil and the Senor Loco have strong merits. “The Senor Loco is a nod to El Pollo Loco, but on steroids,” said Barella. No meal is complete without the Mexican dirty rice or the esquites cornbread muffin, both show-stealing relics from Riot that many customers claim are even better than the mains.
Barella says that as soon as the liquor license is approved, Chicken Riot will soon start serving a limited drink menu. While this is the first of its kind, Barella is confident that it will not be the last.
Chicken Riot is located at 2906 East 6th Avenue, Denver. It is open Wednesday – Sunday from 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.
All photos courtesy of Connor Stehr.
