The restaurant group behind Ted’s Bulletin, Kramers and Federalist Pig is opening a fried chicken restaurant in D.C.’s Petworth neighborhood.
Honeymoon Chicken joins restaurateur Steve Salis’ Catalogue network of restaurants and opens Jan. 12 at 4201 Georgia Ave. NW serving what it calls classic fried chicken with a grown-up taste. Salis’ business partner Chef Rob Sonderman, the acclaimed pitmaster at Federalist Pig, is in charge.
Honeymoon Kitchen is graduating to its own brick-and-mortar location after first testing the waters at Catalogue’s Ensemble Kitchen all-digital food hall, which operates as one kitchen for pickup or delivery of menu items from Salis’ other restaurants as well.
Honeymoon Chicken has taken over the former Slim’s Diner space, which closed in early 2019.
Sonderman’s twists on fried chicken include using only farm-raised, cage-free, locally raised chickens, a three step process that includes a 24-hour pickle brine, hand breading and pressure frying. The fried chicken is finished with a “honey dust” — a combination of honey powder, smoked paprika and garlic power — or a hot honey dip made with habanero peppers.
“We understand there are many friend chicken spots to choose from, but it has been our mission to create an excellent and differentiated fried chicken experience,” Salis said.
“We’ve put in the work to create an eclectic environment that matches the energy and vibrancy of the neighborhood, and we look forward to bringing ‘fried chicken, but fancy’ to our community.”
Salis and Sonderman say they spent months researching, testing and developing the fried chicken recipe, combining sweetness with heat and juiciness with crisp.
The Honeymoon Chicken menu lists an eight-piece chicken bucket, two- or four-piece combos, wings, chicken and waffles, and chicken sandwiches. Aside from chicken, there is a seafood basket, a shrimp po’boy, fried fish sandwich and a crispy oyster mushroom sandwich, as well as salad choices and small, shareable plates.
Sides include cilantro lime slaw, mac and cheese, kale blue cheese slaw, honey dipped sprouts and buttermilk smashed potatoes.
There are also desserts, a cocktail menu, spiked slushies and local craft beer.
Honeymoon Chicken will be open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week. In addition to its inside seating and bar, there is a Georgia Avenue pickup window for to-go orders.
Salis, who also cofounded &pizza, opened the Federalist Pig together with Sonderman in 2016.
Salis purchased the Ted’s Bulletin chain in 2017, the same year he acquired Dupont Circle’s Kramerbooks & Afterwards Cafe, which was rebranded as just Kramers.
