TURNING UP THE HEAT The Downlow Chicken Shack cranks it up with Nashville Hot Chicken starting June 13th

TURNING UP THE HEAT

The Downlow Chicken Shack cranks it up with Nashville Hot Chicken starting June 13th

Things are about to get hotter on Vancouver’s Commercial Drive as The Downlow Chicken Shack (905 Commercial Drive) brings Southern charm and hospitality to the city with its take on Nashville Hot Chicken. The popular crispy, fried chicken style is known for being well marinated, deep-fried, and coated with a signature paste blend of “hot” spices that’s sure to light up taste buds.
The 1,000 square feet space is personally designed by owners Doug Stephen and Lindsey Mann and features a total of 24 seats with eight at the bar. A patio is forthcoming.

“We’ve been serving our Hot Chicken at Merchant’s Workshop for a few years now,” says Stephen, who also co-owns Merchant’s Workshop with Mann, both chefs. “It was our Sunday special and guests and industry really took to it. Soon, we were selling out, lines formed, and people started saying we should’ve kept it on the “down-low”, which is where the name comes from.”

Stephen and Mann are keeping the menu simple. In addition to the hot chicken, ranging in heat levels from mild, medium, hot, extra hot, to “A Side of Milk” for brave souls, they will also serve Hot Chicken breast sandwiches on white bread, wings, coleslaw, corn bread, pickles, macaroni salad, fries, and sweet tea. Weekly specials are expected, including a Hot Fish version.
“It’s going to be cashier-service but we are going to bring you your order, and it’s going to be first-come, first-serve,” adds Stephen. “We want this to be a place that’s buzzing with activity, with friendly faces, and great music. We are going to let our chicken speak for itself. Everything is made-to-order. We want DL to be the destination for fried chicken in the city.”

Starting June 13, 2018, The Downlow Chicken Shack is open Tuesday to Sunday, from noon to 9:00 p.m., or until chicken runs out. Prices start from $9 for a quarter bird up to $32 for a whole bird, with multiple large format options. For more information, please visit www.DLChickenShack.ca.